Otis Rolley is the President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), the lead economic development agency for Baltimore City. Otis’ career has been dedicated to civic engagement, advancing equity, economic development, and community development in cities, and leading organizations across the for-profit, public, philanthropic, and non-profit sectors. 

His 25+ years of experience also includes serving in various leadership positions. He has led a major corporate foundation and led the US grant-making at a major private foundation. He managed the strategic planning and urban development unit of a national management consulting firm. He has held cabinet roles with five different mayors in three large U.S. cities. He has been chief of staff, managing a $2B budget; city planning director for Maryland’s largest independent city; managed a multi-billion dollar economic development pipeline for New Jersey’s largest city; and he has served as the first deputy housing commissioner for the 5th largest public housing and community development agency in the US. 

Ever committed to volunteerism, building capacity, and pursuing justice, Otis is chair of the Baltimore Hotel Corporation, a board member of the West North Avenue Redevelopment Authority, Visit Baltimore, Downtown Partnership, Charles Street Development Corporation, the Stonewall Community Foundation, an Advisory Board member for Black Girls Vote, and a governing board member of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Study (America’s oldest Black think tank). He has served on a number of local and national governing boards, including but not limited to the Asset Funders Network, Municipal Employees Credit Union of Baltimore, Living Cities, and the Executive Committee of the Families & Workers Fund.

Otis and his partner Jason live in the Otterbein neighborhood. He is the father of three children: Nia, Noah, and Grace. He has a Master’s in City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University.