Baltimore, MD – Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Clezel D Farmer is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions to Advancing Child Welfare and Public Service Leadership.
Clezel D. Farmer has spent more than 35 years shaping child welfare policies and public service initiatives, ensuring foster care, adoption, and guardianship programs meet federal compliance standards. As the Program Manager and Title IV-E Director at the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), she led efforts to enhance oversight, policy implementation, and legislative alignment to protect and support Maryland’s children. In her retirement she currently serves as a Business Analyst for Business Integra LLC, a Maryland based company, where she continues to provide her knowledge and expertise to support the development and compliance of data systems for child welfare.
Ms. Farmer joined Maryland DHS in 1991 where she first served in the Baltimore City Department of Social Services before stepping into her most recent leadership role. While in the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, she handled family services casework and advocated for at-risk children. In 2013 she advanced to a state-level position at DHS, Social Services Administration (SSA) where her expertise in compliance, legislative processes, and program management positioned her as a key decision-maker in child welfare reform for the state of Maryland.
Her passion for public service began in Harlem, New York, where, at just 15 years old, she served as a youth representative for the Harlem Hospital Center Community Board. She quickly became an advocate for grant writing and community program development, helping launch an Alcoholics Anonymous program for adolescents.
Ms. Farmer holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Psychology, a foundation that has guided her work in policy enforcement and child welfare leadership. Throughout her career, she has worked with state and federal agencies to strengthen compliance and expand programs supporting children in foster care and adoption services.
Looking forward, Ms. Farmer is committed to stepping into the role of an executive leadership consultant, furthering policy advocacy for Title IV-E funding, and expanding eligibility programs to better serve children across the country. She remains focused on building a system that prioritizes safety, stability, and long-term well-being for vulnerable youth and families.
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