Xavier Conaway

Order in the court: Xavier Conaway

School/College: Klein College of Media and Communication
Degree: BA, strategic communications, 2019
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Current Job Title: Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City
Current Employer: State of Maryland

Anybody visiting the Circuit Court for Baltimore City can appreciate the work of Xavier Conaway, KLN ’19. Since his election to office as clerk of the court in 2022, Xavier has implemented a raft of commonsense improvements, such as introducing free Wi-Fi and credit card payment options for anyone visiting the courthouse. “Imagine having to pay for copies and filings in exact change. It’s 2024 ... you need to have a credit card machine and Apple Pay,” Xavier says.

Bettering bureaucracy. Xavier’s office doesn’t make judicial decisions, but plays a crucial role in the administration of justice. In 2024, Xavier oversaw the implementation of a statewide initiative to digitize court filings and improve response times. Such changes can make a major difference in people’s lives, Xavier says, such as someone in an abusive marriage who is now able to process separation paperwork within days, instead of weeks or months.

All in the family. Xavier’s grandfather, the late Frank M. Conaway Sr., previously was a longtime incumbent of the same office Xavier now holds. His mother, Belinda Conaway, is register of wills for Baltimore City, and his uncle Frank Conaway Jr. is a Maryland state delegate.

“At Temple, I met so many people that I’m still friends with today through the International Students Association. It was one of the best experiences of my life.”

—Xavier Conaway
Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City

Xavier Conaway poses for a photo in front of Maryland public transit.

Struggling with his decision to come out as gay just weeks before heading to Temple for college, Xavier worried it would prove to be a political liability for his family. Instead, his family accepted him and he became the first openly gay citywide elected official in Baltimore City’s history.

Temple transformation. At Temple, Xavier blazed his own path without going too far from home. He found kinship among international students as he helped them navigate their new surroundings as a Peer2Peer and Owl peer mentor. Klein College faculty also recommended Xavier for the Multicultural Talent Pipeline, a program run by international public relations company Publicis. That helped him land a job with the advertising firm Zenith, which he later left to run for clerk.