Dr. Hattie N. Washington–Educator, Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Author, Founder of Aunt Hattie’s Place– Nominated and Inducted into The 2018 Maryland Women’s Commission Hall Of Fame Award by Dr. Valencia Campbell, President, Prince George’s County Drug Policy Coalition, Inc.

Dr. Hattie N. Washington served as a tenured Professor of Education at Coppin State University (CSU) in Baltimore for over 20 years. Dr. Washington made history as the first female Vice President in the University’s 100-year history. At the same time, she served as Executive Director of the Coppin State University Development Foundation. Her charge in this position was to implement a capital campaign to raise $3 million in five years. Instead, she undertook a more ambitious campaign goal and presented $8 million to the Coppin State Foundation Board, the Coppin Family and the Board of Regents–$5 million over goal!

During the same twenty years that Dr. Washington contributed enormously to Coppin State University, she also founded in 1997 Aunt Hattie’s Place, Inc (AHP), a 501(c)(3) non-profit residential facility in Baltimore to care for males from the foster care system with special educational needs. Her dedication to youth with vast potential but mislabeled prompted her to cash in her own retirement funds to support the opening of this boys’ home. She later acquired grants, bonds and donations to establish and build other group homes in Randallstown and Sandy Spring. With a loving staff, a team of professional practitioners and volunteers, she provided care and nurturing for boys and young men ages eight to 21 who had been abused, abandoned and neglected. Despite the tremendous needs of her new family members, Hattie (affectionately, call “Aunt Hattie”) believes that “all children are talented, intelligent, loveable and full of hope; but just need love, guidance, structure and high expectations to achieve their full potential.” They needed a “helping hand”, not a “hand out”. Prior to Coppin, Dr. Washington was Asst. Superintendent of Baltimore Schools; prior, Evaluator, Maryland State Dept. of Educ.; and a Teacher for many years in the USA and Greece.

Dr. Washington is the author of three books: “Driven to Succeed: Lessons Learned Through Faith, Family and Favor”; “Aunt Hattie’s Cookbook: Southern Comfort Food Favorites”; and “Determinada A Triunfar.:…” (in Spanish). Proceeds from these books will benefit her scholarship fund at Coppin State University for foster youth who have aged out of the system and want to continue their education.