The incoming chair of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is preparing a renewed focus on outreach while marking a historic first for the 101-year-old organization.
Bismah Ahmed, who will be the first woman of color to take on the chairmanship, has ambitions of bridging gaps between businesses and the broader community, supporting local employers amid economic uncertainty and building on the chamber’s engagement efforts among young people, in particular.
“Listening is going to be a huge, huge part of my leadership, seeing what the community needs and how we can continue to make Arlington such a strong community with a strong economy, even though there is so much uncertainty,” Ahmed told ARLnow.
Ahmed, the vice president of government affairs at the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, has been involved with the chamber for a decade. She started out working as a volunteer lobbyist in the Government Affairs Committee, and worked her way up to become chair of that committee, and then Vice Chair of Advocacy, before being named Chair Elect.
As a young professional and a woman of color, Ahmed said she’s proud to step into the position and excited to continue advancing programming like networking events and mentorship opportunities for younger age brackets.
“I think young people maybe don’t feel like they know what the chamber exactly does, or how it can benefit them or, you know, what kind of leadership opportunity they can potentially jump into,” Ahmed said.
While seeking to make the chamber more present in the community, the incoming chair also wants to encourage young women and women of color to act with confidence and create their own opportunities.
“I always say that you belong in rooms that you haven’t even entered yet, and that’s something that I live by,” Ahmed said. “Don’t wait to be invited to be at the table. Just step forward. You don’t have to fit a mold to lead, and your perspective, as different as it may be, is an asset. It’s not a liability.”
The chair elect — who is one of Virginia Business’s “100 people to meet in 2026” and who previously starred on the USA Network competition show “The Anonymous” — added that she hopes to help small business owners and major employers alike feel “seen and supported,” while fostering the chamber as a place “where connections turn into opportunity.”
Ahmed was appointed to her forthcoming role by current Chair Steve Cooper. Her chair-elect will be Andrea Fava, vice president of public policy at Amazon.
“I want the chamber to feel more seen,” Ahmed said. “I want the community to feel more connected with the chamber – I want it to be more open. And honestly, the chamber has been such a big part of my own life, and I really want younger people to feel that too.”
