ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointment of Rev. Lawrence Ellis “Larry” Walker, Sr. to serve as the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives Executive Director.

“Rev. Walker, Sr. is a lifelong public servant with nearly four decades as an advocate and activist,” said Gov. Moore. “His dedicated work in Howard County has prepared him to lead the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives and advance its mission to connect Marylanders to economic, volunteer, and service opportunities through government, business, and nonprofit partners.”

Rev. Lawrence Ellis “Larry” Walker, Sr. is the deputy pastor and chief of staff for Celebration Church in Columbia, a congregation of more than 2,000 people. At Celebration, he oversees Community Engagement and Ministry Operations—crucial roles that impact not only the lives of people who attend Celebration, but also those living throughout Howard County.

"I am honored to lead the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives. I am excited to work with all of the commissions that are reflective of our state and its diverse culture," said Rev. Walker. "We must create an inclusive and welcoming environment and the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives will advocate, support and be representative of all Marylanders.”  

Rev. Walker is the former African American Community Roundtable of Howard County, Maryland President and has volunteered in the Howard County Public School System where, among other roles, he served as a member of the Board of Education. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation of Howard County and chaired the 2011 Howard County Council Redistricting Committee. In addition, he has volunteered in many roles to help youth, including serving as the National Director of the Sigma Beta Clubs for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., partnering with Leadership At Its Best, and serving as the President of Parents of African American Students.

Rev. Walker is also the recipient of numerous awards, including the Natalie Woodson Education Award, NAACP, Howard County Branch; the Maryland State Department of Education’s Parent Involvement Matters Award; and the Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission Living the Dream Award.

Rev. Walker recently served on the Moore-Miller transition team, Horizon Foundation Racial Equity Collaborative, and the Howard County Library System’s Equity Alliance. He is a member of the Board of Directors at James Madison’s Montpelier, and serves as President of the Montpelier Descendants Committee. Rev. Walker is a Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Southern University Alumni Association, and the NAACP.