BADA President Election Results

2022 President-Elect Special Election Results

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 4 of the Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association (BADA) Constitution, an election for the Office of President-Elect was held according to the rules laid out in Article II, Section 3 of the BADA Bylaws:

• The election was announced on Wednesday, February 1, 2022.
• Nominations were accepted from February 1, 2022 to February 14, 2022.
• Three candidates submitted letters of intent for the office.
• A candidate forum was held on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 4:30pm EST.
• The election was administered via internet and email from March 1, 2022, 11:59pm to March 8, 2022, 11:59pm EST.

Under our rules, a simple majority, or plurality of voters is sufficient to declare a winner. Here, BADA has 3664 eligible voting members. 463 members voted, a turnout of 13% which represents an increase over the previous Constitutional Referendum (11%) and the previous Executive Board Election (9%). One instance of a duplicate ballot was detected, and that ballot was discarded. One write-in candidate received a single vote.

The winning candidate and President-Elect for 2021-2023 is Dr. Maria Cole with 58% of the vote. She will take office as President of BADA on March 31, 2023.

Click here to download the election report

MEET THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

Thank you for your consideration.

Dr. Maria Cole serves as the Executive Director of Paragon Florida, Inc. and previously served 9 years as a Board member of the organization. In this capacity, she has tirelessly advocated for the organization and its unrivaled benefit to the community. She has been able to build on her relationships with community members, organizational and business leaders, and local officials and advocate for the needs and resources Paragon can provide and articulate the shared vision of community building and small business development.

Currently, in Palm Beach County, she coordinates conferences and training sessions for community organizations and issue driven campaign staff to develop local leadership for community engagement. Maria has spent her entire adult life in pursuit of social and economic justice for the underserved and disenfranchised people. She has a passion for the details of political campaigns; excels in the strategic leadership of community organizations and is adept in budget management and planning; social media development and fundraising. She is driven by community engagement and providing community members with the benefit of her experience, to realize their own agency in transforming their lives and their neighborhoods. For the last 10 years, she has had a specific focus on these communities in Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach. Prior to her community leadership role Dr. Cole had a successful private dental care practice. Her practice included the provision of pro bono treatment for indigent and migrant families, the displaced and victims of domestic violence as well as young adults who had aged out of the foster care system.

Throughout her more than 25 years of living in Palm Beach County, she has served on a number of organizational Boards — from displaced women gaining skills and support for economic self-sufficiency, homeless, young adults, and children. All of these organizations shared a mission of improving the quality of life for the area’s most marginalized.

Dr. Cole is currently the Top Writer Manager for Substack Inc. and has also served as a Chief of Staff and business coordinator for Harvard Professor Dr. Cornel West – a Dartmouth College Montgomery Fellow, author, and public speaker.

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