Afya Baltimore Inc. (ABI)

Founded in 2007, Afya Baltimore Inc. (ABI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization started by five Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) educators for the purpose of creating charter schools in the city of Baltimore. Our founders, Katie Eichman, Karen Hughes, Will McKenna, Mike Morgan and Patricia Njenga, have an extensive combined knowledge of the urban public school climate— Baltimore in particular— and expertise in teaching, administration, teacher training, curriculum development, academic accountability, community relations, nutrition and fitness. Sixteen years later, ABI now consists of a talented and diverse group of community leaders, educators and parents that make up our board of directors, and an executive director and support staff, all of whom work together to provide support and responsible oversight of our schools. All of our founders remain active and employed with the ABI organization. ABI’s first school opened in Belair-Edison in 2008— Afya Public Charter School. Next came Tunbridge Public Charter School in the Govans neighborhood in 2010; then the conversion of Brehms Lane Public Charter School in 2016. Most recently in 2019, we merged Afya and Brehms Lane into The Belair-Edison School, a dual-facility elementary/middle school. ABI is now responsible for educating more than 1500 students in Baltimore City across two schools and three campuses, from PreK to 8th grade.