[email protected]
Phone: (301) 255-0103

Mercedes Blankenship (she/her) is the grants coordinator with Arts for the Aging, helping to ensure the sustainability and continued success of our vibrant creative aging programs. Mercedes strongly believes in the power of the arts to improve lives for individuals as well as communities and believes that equitable access to the arts is fundamental to creating a better world. Originally from Germantown, Maryland, and a graduate of Poolesville High School, Mercedes grew up in the part of Montgomery County that she describes as “too far from a Metro station to refer to herself as being from Washington, D.C.” Her professional background is in theatre, education, and arts administration. Previously, she was the education apprentice at Round House Theatre and worked in Montgomery County Public Schools as a paraeducator and a substitute teacher. She is a tenured member of the board of directors for Wildwood Summer Theatre, a youth-run nonprofit community theatre. Mercedes holds a bachelor of arts in musical theatre from American University. Outside of work, Mercedes dabbles in theatre as a director and props designer. She enjoys podcasts, cross-stitching, audiobooks, YouTube video essays, the New York Times crossword puzzle app, and dogs.