During elections for the Columbia Association’s board of directors last year, residents of three villages voted in younger board members in one fell swoop.

The newly elected members were Collin Sullivan for Town Center, Ashley Vaughan for Harper’s Choice and Michael Golibersuch for Owen Brown.

Although the election of representatives ranging from 27 to their early 40s might not seem like a youth movement, it was a significant change for a board whose members have historically trended older.

“It’s really very notable; I would guess, the average age of the CA Board dropped by at least 15 to 20 years over the last five years,” Golibersuch said. “Dropping from the mid-60s to the late 40s, early 50s.”

The emergence of such younger leaders was underscored by the board’s election of 28-year-old Sullivan as chair in May. Also this past spring, 35-year-old Delilah Holmes was elected in Dorsey’s Search after her opponent dropped out.

Golibersuch sees Sullivan’s ascendancy, coupled with the election of younger members in the past 15 months, as an indication that “the board as a whole is open to new things.”

“The shift in age is indicative of the change that is coming to the Columbia Association,” he said.

The Columbia Association, a massive homeowners group that in many ways functions as a local government, has a board of directors made up of elected volunteers. Historically, the board has skewed older, with many retired members.

The board, like the CA staff, is guided by the same mission: “to enhance the quality of life in Columbia.” Composed of 10 residents elected by their respective villages, the Columbia Association board is “charged with providing high-level strategic direction” to the association’s leadership.

The late Jim Rouse — the pioneering developer and planner who also built Baltimore’s Harborplace — founded the planned community of Columbia in 1967.

Shawn MacInnes, the president and CEO of the Columbia Association, said that when the association looks ahead, one question it asks is, “What are the next 57 years going to be like?”

“Board members like Collin can take that view and enthusiastically view the future,” MacInnes said. “You need all perspectives on the board, but it’s important to have a future perspective focus.”

Thanks to Columbia’s strong community ties, people want to be involved, MacInnes said.

“We just want all ages and all demographics to participate and help shape the community now and for the future,” MacInnes said.

A ‘zillennial’ joins the board

A lifelong Howard County resident, Collin Sullivan didn’t grow up with a proper Columbia ZIP code, but he benefited from all that Columbia had to offer.

His childhood home sits in an area where Columbia, Elkridge and Ellicott City intersect. Sullivan attended Deep Run Elementary, Mayfield Woods Middle and Long Reach High schools. He feels fortunate to have attended Deep Run Elementary, saying it helped expose him to the community’s rich diversity.

Sullivan’s first foray into politics was a successful campaign for the Town Center Village Board. “It’s kind of corny but I grew up here, so how do I give back and then pay it forward?” he said.

“I wish more people our age were getting more involved because it’s our future,” Sullivan said. “Not to be morbid, but I think a lot of people who are in positions of power will never live to see the consequences of their decisions or their actions.”

Sullivan doesn’t identify as a millennial or a Gen Z member but as “100% a zillennial.”

At the end of his first term on the village board, Sullivan became interested in “significantly bigger challenges,” such as the long-term capital plans for all Columbia Association facilities. After joining the board of directors, he resigned his village board seat.

Vaughan, 40, was “thrilled” when Sullivan ran for Town Center board representative.

“Collin is one of the most active community-engaged individuals I ever met, especially considering his age,” Vaughan said.

Vaughan’s first stint on the Columbia Association board was replacing an incumbent who had been removed for an ethics violation. She ran for a full term because, she said, she “felt we were missing a young demographic on the board.”

“I want more younger generations to learn about what CA is doing for us and have a better understanding of CA vs. county government vs. state government,” Vaughan said.

The board recently discussed holding fewer meetings to create less of a time commitment for members and residents. Vaughan wonders if such a change might get more younger residents — those juggling work, kids, hectic life schedules — to give the board a try.

“Most of our board is employed, but historically there’ve been a lot of retired individuals on the board,” giving them more flexibility to attend lots of meetings, Vaughan said.

Change to Columbia Association

Sullivan has a “whole list” of changes he would like to see happen.

One, he said, is to have more diverse candidates running for the village boards and CA board of directors.

“I think diversity takes a lot of forms — race, religion, socioeconomic status and age. I don’t think we talk about age diversity enough,” he said.

He’d like to see more residents under 40 get involved.

“Our generation just has a different vibe of existence that is different from how Columbia has operated for the past 50 to 60 years, right? And different doesn’t mean bad. It just means different,” Sullivan said.

Columbia’s older generation has a greater attachment to the status quo, Golibersuch said, while younger residents know Rouse’s values and understand the history but are more open to change.

Sullivan agreed, saying, “Columbia was not meant to be a time capsule. It’s not a museum. … It was never supposed to be finished.”