Meet Belinda
Why Believe in Belinda?
Belinda Drake is a Gary, Indiana native who has proudly called Indianapolis home for more than 20 years. She lives in Mapleton Fall Creek with her family, and she is a wife, mom, community and political leader, a beloved member of Broadway United Methodist Church, and a business executive who believes local government should work for everyday people.
Belinda’s work has always centered on service, fairness, and results. She currently serves as the Executive Director of an Indianapolis based nonprofit, leading a team that connects people to vital resources and support. Through a multi tiered approach, her organization links community members to comprehensive health and social services while also offering community-based programs that strengthen careers, expand access to support, grow learning opportunities, and promote health and wellness.
Belinda brings deep experience in organizational strategy, fundraising, and business development. She builds partnerships, mobilizes resources, and shows up consistently with and for the community. Her leadership has been recognized by IU Indianapolis, where she received the School of Liberal Arts Career Achievement Award for outstanding work across nonprofit, government, and civic sectors and for championing initiatives that uplift marginalized communities. She has also been honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her public service.
Belinda also brings direct experience in city oversight and neighborhood quality of life issues. Most recently, has served five terms on the Indianapolis Board of Business and Neighborhood Services, which reviews department budgets, approves contracts, and establishes fees for licenses, permits, and inspections that affect residents and businesses across the city. In this role, she focuses on making sure neighborhoods are safe, standards are consistent, and residents are treated fairly. Belinda earned her bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in legal studies from IU Indy in 2009 and completed her Master of Science in organizational leadership from Martin University in 2025. She has also served as 7th District Chair of the Indiana Young Democrats, is a Hoosier Women Forward Class 4 graduate, and previously ran a successful campaign for Indiana State Senate.
At her core, Belinda is a relationship builder who shows up at community tables, in living rooms, and in the work of strengthening neighborhoods. She has dedicated her life to being a voice for communities that are too often overlooked, and she’s running for City-County Council to deliver practical, people-first leadership for District 8