ZACHARY GARBER

An ardent networker, Zack Garber is using his skills to help make things happen in Baltimore and beyond. Upon returning to his hometown in 2015, he was amazed by the amount of creative people engaged in forward-thinking projects there. Intrigued and enthused, he quickly sought out more than 60 local leaders — and he noticed an opportunity. “There were all these people doing interesting things, but they were all siloed across different industries and walks of life,” he said. “They ignited a spark in me.”

Garber responded by founding the Frances Scott Key Society, a networking group for movers and shakers under 45 representing diverse communities and professions. Its mission is to help like-minded activists highlight what they’re doing to help the community and facilitate collaborations among members. The group inspired him to start a podcast in 2018, called Charm City Dreamers, to share stories about local leaders achieving their dreams and their national impact.

To date, he has produced 100 podcasts, with 30,000 downloads. “My goal is to create a platform for meaningful change,” Garber said. “I want to show that great solutions can come from cities like ours.”

— Deborah Nason