Derick Ausby Sr.
CO-FOUNDER
Derick Ausby is a husband, father, and social entrepreneur. He is devoted to enhancing the quality of life for those around him. Serving as a master barber, small business owner, and realtor for nearly 30 years, his work is rooted in his love for the city of Baltimore and his passion for improving the place that he calls “home.” Derick currently serves as Secretary of the Maryland Board of Barbers.
As a volunteer mentor with the Baltimore chapters of Year Up and The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Derick enjoys the opportunity to share his passion for community innovation and to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of the city’s youth. Derick’s dedication to diversifying local communities led him to start a running club designed to explore every Baltimore City neighborhood, block by block.
Derick's most recent act of philanthropic work has allowed him to raise thousands of dollars to assist single parents with attaining homeownership. This cause is especially important to Derick because he has witnessed, first-hand, how homeownership transforms the lives of families and communities.
“I want to own so I can have a say; I want to have a say so I can be a part; I want to be a part so I can take action to better my community.”
Kendra Ausby
CO-FOUNDER
Kendra Ausby is a devoted wife and stepmother. She was raised in Baltimore and received her primary education in Baltimore City and Howard County public schools. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and her Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law. She served as an Assistant Public Defender for Baltimore City, an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Maryland, and an Associate Judge of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Kendra is dedicated to increasing diversity in many areas of our society.
Following her career as an NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse player, and recognizing the lack of diversity the sport, Kendra worked on several projects and programs designed to provide lacrosse opportunities for minorities and inner-city youth. She has served on the US Lacrosse Strategic Planning Committee, the Board of Directors of Charm City Youth Lacrosse, the Board of Directors of Next Level / BlaxLax Lacrosse, and the Greater Baltimore Lacrosse Foundation, where she served as President for two (2) years.
Throughout her legal career, and recognizing the lack of diversity in the profession, Kendra has volunteered for countless programs for minority and inner-city youth and young adults who have shown an interest in the law. She serves as host to Law Links Interns, mentor to the Attorney General’s Thurgood Marshall Scholars, mentor to the University of Baltimore’s Charles Hamilton Houston Scholars, and regularly volunteers to speak to young people in programs like YearUp and at public schools.
"Having fallen in love with a profession and a sport that grossly lack diversity, I know that I could not be where I am today without the help I received from others along the way. I see Start-A-Home as figuratively and literally opening the door to diversity in home ownership by simply lending a hand, seen or unseen, to welcome the non-traditional home owner to the neighborhood.”
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DERICK AUSBY SR, President
ADRIENE KEEPLER, Vice-President
COLETTE MASSENGALE, Treasurer
JUSTIN TEMPLE, Secretary
GLENDETTA MATHEWS
“Kendra and Derick’s commitment to building strong communities is a daily practice that is lived and shared by them every day. ”