🏛️ When You Want the Job Done Right: Ask a Smart Black Woman
By Barry O’Connell
In the world of public finance, where acronyms abound and trust is hard-earned, Maryland’s 529 college savings program has just pulled off a quiet revolution. Once mocked in headlines and late-night news segments, Maryland 529 now stands among the nation’s best-rated college savings plans. And behind this transformation is a story that deserves to be told—not just for its policy implications, but for what it reveals about courage, discernment, and the power of underestimated leadership.
🎓 Now Rated Top in the Country
From Punchline to Pinnacle
Enter Courtney Finklea Green, appointed Deputy Treasurer by State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, a man known for his legislative acumen and deep roots in Prince George’s County. Green had no formal background in finance. What she did have was grit, vision, and a track record of turning adversity into action—from founding a nonprofit for single mothers of exceptional children to mentoring entrepreneurs at Johns Hopkins.
Davis saw what others missed: a leader who could cut through noise, build trust, and deliver results. And deliver she did.
From Professor Len Foxwell:
When circumstances put the Maryland 529 plan in the hands of Treasurer Davis, it was the worst college savings plan in the country. Bags of mail were unopened, checks were left uncashed, phone calls were unanswered and families were literally locked out of their own hard-earned accounts.
The Treasurer did the right things. He demanded accountability, he accepted no excuses and - most of all - he put Courtney Green in charge. Today, it is the best program in the country. As a parent and a plan subscriber for 22 years, I’m grateful to both of them for what they have achieved as stewards of public money. They are nothing less than heroes in my book.Let’s not gloss over this: Davis made a bold call. In a space dominated by credentialism and cautious incrementalism, he chose a Black woman with no traditional financial pedigree to helm one of the most troubled programs in the state. That’s not just courage—it’s discernment. It’s knowing that leadership isn’t found in résumés alone, but in the ability to listen, learn, and lead with integrity.
Under Green’s stewardship, Maryland 529 didn’t just stabilize—it soared. The program now ranks among the top-rated plans nationally, praised for its performance, accessibility, and user-friendly design. Families across Maryland are saving with confidence, and the state’s reputation has been restored.
🏆 The Results Speak for Themselves
Green’s leadership has earned her citations from Governor Wes Moore, Senator Ben Cardin, and Delegate Dereck Davis himself. She’s not just running a program—she’s reshaping how we think about public service, motherhood, and financial empowerment.
And Davis? He’s proving that the best leaders aren’t just policy wonks—they’re talent scouts. He’s showing Maryland, and perhaps the nation, what it means to elevate excellence over ego.
✊🏽 When You Want It Done Right…
Ask a smart Black woman. Ask someone who’s lived through adversity, who’s fought for her child’s rights, who’s built nonprofits from scratch and turned ridicule into respect. Ask Courtney Finklea Green.
And when you want a state to rise above its past, ask a Treasurer who knows how to spot brilliance in unexpected places. Ask Dereck E. Davis.
Maryland 529 is no longer a punchline. It’s a blueprint.