Councilman Patoka's Biography
Mr. Patoka was first elected as the Councilman for the second district in 2018 and is now serving his second term. During his first term in office, Mr. Patoka focused on the nuts and bolts of government by putting an emphasis on community input, constituent services, and a strong social media presence to distribute information. Mr. Patoka served on the Solid Waste Work Group to find solutions for trash, landfill, and sustainability problems the county faces. He also served as the county council’s representative to the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), a non-profit, non-partisan group of all 24 Maryland counties promoting effective, efficient government through advocacy, education, and collaboration. Mr. Patoka served as a leader during the 2020 Comprehensive Zoning Map Process (CZMP), the process where the county council considers requests for changes to the zoning classification of individual properties. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Patoka’s office was on the forefront by organizing and working food drives across the second district. His social media page was also a vital source of information, such as testing and vaccine locations, for many residents in a time of mass uncertainty. Mr. Patoka is proud of the work he and his office has accomplished in four years and will continue to work for the residents of the second district and Baltimore County.
Mr. Patoka was previously the Director of Community Development for LifeBridge Health, where he directed the development and implementation of a multidimensional plan to improve the quality of life for those living and working in the areas surrounding LifeBridge campus locations in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Carroll County. He also worked to enhance community leadership and capacity building, education and workforce development, business and economic development and neighborhood improvement. Among Mr. Patoka’s many accomplishments at LifeBridge Health, he established the highest performing "Aging in Place" program in the region.
Prior to LifeBridge Health, Mr. Patoka served simultaneously as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives and as the Director of the Governor’s Intergovernmental Affairs Office for the State of Maryland.
Prior to that appointment, Mr. Patoka worked for the Mayor of Baltimore as the founding Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods. During his tenure, the Office was nationally recognized as a recipient of the prestigious National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Multicultural Diversity Award for extraordinary outreach to ethnic communities. This prestigious award is cosponsored by the Women Officials in NACo, the National Association of Black County Officials and the National Association of Hispanic County Officials
Before that, Mr. Patoka served as Deputy Director for the Baltimore County Department of Planning, prior to which he was with the Baltimore City Department of Planning as the Division Chief for Capital Budgeting. He is nationally certified as a planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Mr. Patoka is a graduate of Towson University where he received both his Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Arts degree in Geography and Environmental Planning.
Mr. Patoka has also been presented the distinction of Fellow with the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance by the University of Maryland's Institute for Governmental Service, the Local Government Insurance Trust, the Maryland Association of Counties and the Maryland Municipal League. He also serves on numerous boards and committees, is a member of the Parent Committee of the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and volunteers as a youth basketball coach for the Greater Pikesville Recreation Council.
Mr. Patoka, his wife Denise and their 21-year-old son Rory are members of the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation and live in the historic community of Sudbrook Park.
Revised January 20, 2023
