Dr. Gina Merritt
An independent thinker and a risk-taker who has worked on some of the most complex real estate transactions in the community and commercial development sector.
"People from low-income communities are quite capable of working for an extended period of time. These folks aren't lazy or unreliable, they just lack access to opportunity."
From Growing Up in Affordable Housing to Building It
Dr. Merritt has exceptionally high standards for herself. She has had to overcome significant personal challenges as a young person — losing her mother at the age of 13 and having a father who lived with substance use disorder. These obstacles created a drive in her that forged a distinct level of ambition and high ideals.
Dr. Merritt made her way to a top undergraduate school and graduate school whilst working on Wall Street in between. When presented with the opportunity to return to Wall Street, she instead chose another very difficult path for a woman of color: commercial real estate.
Her career in real estate spans over 30 years. She has demonstrated success by working with some of the most prominent real estate developers in the country who choose to work with her — not because she is a Black female developer, but because she is a technical expert in her field.
Dr. Merritt grew up in affordable housing, and it is her mission and passion to work on projects that truly make a difference in the community. Since 2021, NREUV has raised over $310M for projects — including $124M in 2024 alone — and currently has 17 buildings and 800 affordable housing units in its pipeline across Ohio, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Academic Foundation
Doctor of Social Work
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
A Path of Excellence
Notable Awards
Board & Civic Leadership
Where Dr. Merritt serves beyond her own ventures.
Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO)
Appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the board of MEDCO, the State’s economic development engine. Established in 1984 as an instrumentality of the State, MEDCO holds real estate development and bond issuance powers and structures public-private financing to bring projects to life across Maryland. Represents Baltimore County on a twelve-member board that includes the Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation.
Project Pneuma
A Baltimore nonprofit that breathes new life into boys in grades 4–8 through social-emotional learning, martial arts, mindfulness, and academic preparation. Founded in 2014, it has served more than 2,000 students from 23 schools and is the only nonprofit in the country written into a federal police-reform consent decree, pairing boys of color with Baltimore Police recruits to rebuild trust in both directions.
USC Black Alumni Association
Supports Black students and alumni of the University of Southern California through scholarships, mentorship, and professional networks. Dr. Merritt earned her doctorate at USC’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in 2021 and was named to the Phi Alpha Honor Society in 2020.
BOW Collective
A collective of Black women business owners scaling their enterprises through shared capital access, contracts, and networks.
Award Moments
Put That Experience Behind Your Project
Courses, consultations, speaking, and monthly advisory — five ways to work with Dr. Merritt, starting free.