On January 6, 2016, Mayor Blackwell was sworn in as the City of Maple Heights’ 16th Mayor, the first female and first African-American in the City’s 100-year history. She is also the City’s Safety Director.
Professional Experience
Mayor Annette Blackwell is a very successful business professional and her previous employers include:
- KeyBank (US Bank)
- University Hospitals of Cleveland
- Deloitte
- Ryan International Tax Services
Board Memberships
- Black Women’s Political Action Committee (BWPAC)
- Cuyahoga County’s Citizens’ Advisory Council on Equity
- Cuyahoga County’s Land Reutilization Corporation Board of Directors
- Cuyahoga County Mayors & City Managers’ Executive Board Member
- Global Cleveland. Policy Committee Co-Chairperson
- Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA). Board of Directors. Assistant Secretary
- Ohio Municipal League. The Mayor’s Association of Ohio. President
- Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA). Secretary
- St. Benedict Catholic School, Garfield Heights, Board of Trustees
- The First Suburbs Consortium. Vice-Chair
- The Suburban Water Council of Governments
- Ursuline College Board of Trustees
Awards. Honors
- 2024 NOACA Jackson Leadership Award named for Former Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson
- 2024 Cleveland Future History Maker Community Change Maker Award presented by NEON and Radio One
- 2024 Cleveland Kindland Leadership Award
- 2024 Environmental Justice Champion. Black Environmental Leaders Association.
- 2021 Community Leaders of the Year Award. Cleveland Magazine
- 2020 Most Interesting People. Cleveland Magazine
- Cuyahoga Community College Women In Transition Program (WIT) Outstanding Leadership Award
- 2023 Women of Distinction Honoree. Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio (GSNEO)
- Maple Heights City Schools Pathfinder Award
- National Action Network of Greater Cleveland Humanitarian Warrior of Justice & Leadership Award
- Northeast Ohio Young Black Democrats (NEOYBD) Woman of Vision Award
- The Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Ohio) Norman Krumholz Equity Award
- The Ohio State Coalition of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Distinguished Community Leader Award
- Ursuline College’s Sister Diana Stano Leadership Award
- Villa Angela – St. Joseph High School Hall of Fame
Education
- Senior Stokes Fellow for the 2025 Class of the Advanced Leadership Institute (ALI) Class
- The Ohio State University, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, Ohio Public Leadership Academy
- Cleveland State University, The Center for Public & Nonprofit Management
- Ursuline College (BA) Public Relations/Corporate Communications
- Indiana Wesleyan University (ASB)
- Cleveland Leadership Center’s Civic Leadership Institute