Photo by David Trozzo

There are volunteers. And then there is Tatiana Klein. Described as deeply-caring, tireless, passionate, dedicated, hard-working, a leader, and the “ultimate advocate,” Tatiana’s volunteer efforts extend throughout the Greater Annapolis community. Her commitment to improve the quality of life for Hispanic and other youth is unparalleled and well known in both public and private sectors. Her leadership at Centro de Ayuda (Center of Help), a nonprofit resource center that assists immigrants, extends back to 2014, with positions of Interim Executive Director, Board President and Vice President.  

Throughout the years, Tatiana’s impact has ranged from supporting and mentoring young Latino musicians as they audition for the Annapolis Symphony Academy, to participating in Leadership Anne Arundel, coordinating the Neighborhood Leadership Academy, collaborating with Banneker-Douglass Museum, Historic Annapolis Museum, Chesapeake Children’s Museum, A A A Bike, PowerKids, Let’s Go Boys & Girls, the Tennis Alliance of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and serving on the Anne Arundel County Police Accountability Board. She’s actively involved in numerous Anne Arundel County committees, including the Anne Arundel County Joint Commission on the Opportunity Gap. She’s held leadership positions with the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County’s Anne Arundel Women Giving Together, championed scholarships for four Hispanic youth to attend area private schools, and has actively expanded the age and depth of Hispanic youth participation in Maryland Hall’s Jovenes Artistas and the Creating Communities Arts program. Tatiana is also co-founder of Guitars for Change, founder of Centro de Ayuda’s Maria de la Paz program, coordinator of afterschool programs, and creator of the Hispanic Children’s choir of Annapolis. Last February, Tatiana joined Marshall Hope Corporation and founded and currently directs the Marshall Learning Center, which offers programming for youth ages 4 to 19 during the school year. For the past five years, Tatiana has offered a no-cost, full day summer camp for 40 children in July. 

And she’s performed all of these volunteer activities while working a full-time teaching job at Key School in the Spanish Language department. You could say that any free time Tatiana has is given to her volunteer passion: improving the quality of lives for the Hispanic children in Anne Arundel County.

“Tatiana Klein is a masterful connector of two worlds: that of the privileged, well-resourced individuals versus the underserved, under-resourced Hispanic community,” said Amy Adelle Marshall of Marshall Hope. “Tatiana is a visibly hard-working, long-serving trusted leader in both communities. Her unique ability to leverage resources and connections allows her to expand opportunities for many.” 

Fabio Fuentes was one of the students who took advantage of those opportunities, and in 2021, Fabio graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a B.S. in Biology. He credits Tatiana with helping him get that far. “I was in Ms. Tatiana Klein’s YEAH program for two years. It was a great program designed to help children with underprivileged backgrounds come together in a safe setting and develop academic and interpersonal skills. Her program helped build a strong foundation for my excitement in academic settings,” he said.

Throughout the years, Tatiana’s hard work and dedication has touched many lives. She has gone above and beyond to meet community needs through her leadership and service, advocating for those in the Anne Arundel community who need her help the most.

Tatiana was nominated by the Marshall Hope Corporation.

The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an individual or team of volunteers (formal or informal) with a proven record of volunteerism who, through the donations of time and talent, has played a key role in helping local nonprofit organizations provide services to the community. They often make the difference in an organization being able to expand its services to a wider audience or move its programs to a higher level of service to the community.