Maryland Port Commissioners

Karenthia Barber 

Ms. Karenthia A. Barber

Karenthia A. Barber is a highly regarded consultant, strategist and speaker with experience in education, human resources and business. She is the Founder and CEO of Professional Development Associates, LLC. a consulting practice that provides leadership and workforce training, coaching, and diversity, equity and inclusion audits and consulting.

The Baltimore native has taught at the university and community college level. Ms. Barber received her undergraduate education at the University of Pittsburgh and completed her graduate studies at Penn State University. She is a graduate of Leadership Maryland and Coach University.

Committed to serving her community, Ms. Barber volunteers hundreds of hours annually serving numerous organizations including the Baltimore City Historical Society, Baltimore Votes, the Maryland Democratic Party and the Morgan State University President’s Committee for the MSU Choir.

She served as the first woman Chair of the Board of Trustees of Maryland Automobile Insurance, providing governance and leadership for the 100-million-dollar carrier. Ms. Barber is the recipient of numerous awards including The Maryland Daily Record 2016 and 2022 Top 100 Women in Maryland, Influence Digest 2022 Top 15 Coaches In Baltimore and the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Living Legend Award.​​

She is a life member of Alpha K​appa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Baltimore chapter of the Links, Inc.