Tenure

Member of the Maryland House of Delegates, 2003-2017. Appointed to the Maryland Senate and sworn in May 4, 2018. First elected to the Maryland Senate in November, 2018. Member of the Senate since January 9, 2019.

Current Assignments

2019 Judicial Proceedings Committee

2020 Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Federal Relations

2023 Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Ending Homelessness

2023 Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families

2023 Legislative Policy Committee

2019 Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight

2023 Chair, Senate Select Committee No. 11, Baltimore City Delegation

2018 Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

2018 Women Legislators of Maryland

2019 Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus

Past Senate Service

Marijuana Legalization Work Group, 2019; Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review, 2019-2023; Juvenile Justice Reform Council, 2019-2021.

Past House Service 2003-2017

Judiciary Committee, 2003-2017; Family Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, 2015-2017; Chair, Juvenile Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, 2011-2017; Chair, Estates and Trusts Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, 2007-2011; Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, 2005-2006; Juvenile Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, 2003-2005; Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2004-2006; Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, 2003-2017; Women Legislators of Maryland, 2003-2017.

Public Service

Task Force to Study Compensation and Student Members of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, 2023-; Commission on Trauma Informed Care, 2021-; Maryland State Council for Interstate Juvenile Supervision, 2020-; COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force, 2020-2021; Lead Poisoning Prevention Commission, 2020-2024; Violence Intervention and Prevention Advisory Council, 2019-; Pimlico Community Development Authority, 2018-; Task Force on Juvenile Court Jurisdiction, 2013-2014; Governor's Commission on Minority Business Enterprise Reform, 2003; Executive Director, Maryland Minority Business Association, 2002; Minority Business Enterprise Certifcation Advisory Committee, Department of Transportation, 1998-2000.

Memberships

Founder and President, Walter P. Carter Foundation, 1998-; Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee, 2006-2010; Founding Member, Black Lawyers Group; Maryland State Bar Association; Monumental City Bar Association; Maryland Association for Justice (formerly the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association); St. James Episcopal Church, Baltimore, Maryland.

Awards

Maryland's Top 100 Women, The Daily Record, 2022, 2006.

Biographical Information

Born, Baltimore, Maryland, June 18, 1964; Western High School, Baltimore, Maryland; Loyola College, B.A., English, 1988; University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1992; Admitted to the Maryland Bar, 1993; Journalist, Afro American Newspapers, Inc., 1987-1988; City Council Assistant, 5th District, Baltimore City, 1988-1990; Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Kenneth Lavon Johnson, Circuit Court for Baltimore City, 1992-1993; Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Bureau, Inc., 1994; Assistant Public Defender, District 1, Baltimore City, 1995; Associate, Warren A. Brown, P.A. 1995-1996; Hearing Officer, Civil Service Commission, Baltimore City, 1995-1996; Assistant City Solicitor, Baltimore City, 1996-1998; Sole practitioner 1998-2017; Member of the Maryland House of Delegates, 2003-2017; Director, Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement, Baltimore City, 2017-2018.