Tenure

First elected to the Maryland Senate in 2018. Member of the Senate since January 9, 2019 Member of the Maryland House of Delegates 1999 to 2015.

Current Assignments

2023 Chair, Finance Committee

2019 Executive Nominations Committee

2023 Rules Committee

2020 Legislative Policy Committee

2019 Spending Affordability Committee

2019 Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

2019 Women Legislators of Maryland

2019 Maryland Veterans Caucus

Past Senate Service

President Pro Tem, 2020-2023; Budget and Taxation Committee, 2019-2023; Pensions Subcommittee of the Budget and Taxation Committee (Chair, 2019), 2019-2023; Chair, Health and Human Services Subcommittee of the Budget and Taxation Committee, 2020-2023; Capital Budget Subcommittee of the Budget and Taxation Committee, 2020-2023; Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2020-2023; Joint Committee on Pensions (Senate Chair, 2019), 2019-2023; Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, 2019-2023; Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, 2022; Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission, 2021-2022; Education, Business, and Administration Subcommittee of the Budget and Taxation Committee, 2019-2020; Senate Chair, Special Joint Legislative Committee to Select the State Treasurer, 2021; Joint Covid Response Workgroup, 2020; Marijuana Legalization Work Group, 2019.

Public Service

Procurement Improvement Council, 2021-; Council for the Procurement of Health, Educational, and Social Services, 2020-; Task Force on Reconciliation and Equity, Morgan State University, 2020-.

Awards

Legislator of the Year, AARP, 2021; Arts Service Award, CAPPA Performing Arts, 2021; Senator of the Year, Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, 2020; Legislator of the Year, The ARC, 2020; Airmen and Family Appreciation Award, Andrews Business and Community Alliance, and Business Roundtable, 2019; Go To Bat Award, District Heights Family and Youth Services Bureau, 2019; Inabel Burns Lindsay Social Work Education Leadership Award, Howard University School of Social Work, 2018.

Biographical Information

Born, Abilene, Texas, June 5, 1963; Charles M. Russell High School, Great Falls, Montana; Eastern Montana College, B.S. Psychology, Criminology, and Rehabilitation, 1985; Howard University, M.S.W. , 1987; Project Coordinator, National Basketball Players Association Health Education Project, The Johns Hopkins University, 1992-1993; Senior Program Officer, Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC, 1998-2004; Director, Center for Healthy Lifestyle Initiatives, Prince George's County Health Department, 2005-2009; Vice President for Governmental and External Affairs, Greater Baden Medical Services, 2009-2018; Clinical Social Worker, Public Health Specialist and Workshop Facilitator; Deputy Director, Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council, 2016-2021; Two children.