Emmett V. Jordan is serving in his seventh term as a member of the Greenbelt City Council. A Greenbelt resident for 20 years, Jordan relocated to the area to work with the University of Maryland in 1998. Soon after, he moved to Greenbriar Condominiums, attracted by the convenient location and the many recreational amenities. In 2009, he became the first African-American to serve on city council.

 

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he studied liberal arts and music at Morehouse College and at the University of Cincinnati, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Administration. He earned additional graduate-level credits in Public Administration at Seton Hall University. Jordan participated in the UMD Legacy Leadership Institute on Municipal Government in 2009 and completed an Academy for Excellence in Local Governance Fellowship in 2011. He frequently attends workshops and conferences to expand his competencies.

 

Jordan has worked hard to develop productive relationships with the local business community, neighboring municipalities, and our delegations from county, state and federal government. These relationships provide a platform to advocate for the best interests of Greenbelt. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, the Maryland Municipal League and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. He served as vice chair of the MML Legislative Committee and was president of the Prince George’s County Municipal Association in 2013.

 

Jordan’s career provides him with over 25 years of experience in project management: planning and implementing capacity building programs for organizations. He has worked with a variety of organizations including the Smithsonian Institution, University of Maryland and the United Negro College Fund. Since 2005, he has worked as an independent contractor, providing marketing and development services.

 

Prior to 2009, Jordan served on the city’s Advisory Planning Board where he spearheaded the effort to create a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. He completed a four-year term in 2010 with the Greenbelt Community Foundation, serving as chair in 2014. He served on the Greenbriar Condominiums Association Phase I Board for five years beginning in 2004. From 2000 to 2005, he cochaired the Urban Roundtable, an auxiliary of the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL). Jordan still finds time to occasionally volunteer with various Greenbelt non-profit organizations.

 

An energetic and active person, Jordan enjoys attending concerts, art exhibits and cultural programs. His favorite pastimes include spending time outdoors around Greenbelt, playing tennis, bicycling and playing the guitar.