Fellow:Antoinette "Toni" Battle


Name Antoinette "Toni" Battle School (Cohort) Bowie State University (2024 cohort) Majoring in Public Administration Country United States Email Special:EmailUser/Abattletransitions

Bio

Antoinette Battle, widely known as "Toni Battle," has dedicated her life to service and community engagement. A graduate of George Mason University, where she attended on a full athletic scholarship for women's basketball, Toni was introduced to the world of Parks and Recreation. This field would become her lifelong passion.

With over 34 years of experience, Toni has successfully combined her love for innovation, sports, education, and youth mentoring through her career in recreation. She has played a pivotal role in mentoring hundreds of youth and fostered meaningful relationships within the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) communities.

Currently, Toni serves as a Community Supervisor with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC). In this role, she oversees the operations of three multimillion-dollar facilities, ensuring that Prince George's County residents have access to diverse leisure opportunities. These range from unique and innovative programs to traditional and trending activities.

Toni’s innovative spirit is evident in her work as a Program Specialist, where she created programs like "Soccer Lingo" (2015). This unique offering combined learning soccer skills with basic Spanish and English language education for youth. She also collaborated with organizations such as Pepco, Prince George's Community College (2012, 2013), and the University of Maryland (2014) to provide one-week intensive career readiness training programs for teens and young adults aged 16 to 24, helping them develop skills to secure their first jobs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Toni's strategic planning and creative thinking landed her the role of co-chair on her agency's Reopening Committee. She was instrumental in developing guidelines for safely reopening facilities and providing both virtual and socially distanced programming options to keep county residents engaged and active.

In preparation for the next level of leadership, Toni completed the Advanced Leadership Development Program in the spring of 2024. As part of her cohort's final project, she led a team tasked with writing a white paper on enhancing workplace culture through cross-departmental collaboration, focusing on employee retention strategies for executive leadership.

Toni is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Bowie State University to further hone her skills and continue her impactful work in public governance. During her time at BSU, she has served as the Vice President (2022) and President (2023) of the Graduate Association for Student Public Administrators working to advocate for a student centered approach to service delivery from the university. She acted as the liaison between students and the College of Business leadership as well as BSU faculty to assist students with issues encountered jeopardizing graduation, collection of financial aide disbursements and fielding general inquiries students may have about the program.

Looking ahead, Toni plans to channel all she has learned into starting a non-profit organization that aligns with her passions for youth development, innovation, and community service. Her commitment to service and community continues to inspire those around her, and her journey stands as a testament to the power of leadership, mentorship, and dedication.