Media Contact:
March 13, 2026
Lilly Price, Press Secretary
lillian.price@maryland.gov
Phone: 443-965-1265
Honorees will be recognized during Women’s History Month for leadership across public service, health, science, and advocacy.
Baltimore, MD — The Maryland Commission for Women has named eight extraordinary women to the 2026 class of the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame, honoring trailblazers whose leadership, achievements, and service have shaped communities across the state of Maryland and beyond.
Established in 1985, the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame celebrates women whose work has had a lasting impact on the state’s social, cultural, political, and economic landscape. Inductees come from a wide range of professions and fields and inspire future generations of Maryland women and girls.
The 2026 inductees will be formally recognized during a special ceremony held during Women’s History Month, continuing Maryland’s long-standing tradition of celebrating the achievements and legacy of its women.
The 2026 Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame inductees are:
Dr. Sharon Camp: A nationally recognized public health leader and advocate for women’s reproductive health, Dr. Camp founded her own pharmaceutical company to bring emergency contraception to market, determined to put it directly into the hands of women and make abortion safer.
Sen. Delores Kelley: A champion for Maryland women, Sen. Kelley broke racial and gender barriers in her nearly three decades of service in the Maryland General Assembly. She held numerous leadership roles, including chair of the Finance Committee and vice chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, where she helped advance groundbreaking legislation protecting abortion rights, victims of domestic and sexual violence, and incarcerated women.
Susan Turnbull: For more than 50 years, Turnbull has been a leader in political organizing, community activism, philanthropy, and public service. As a democratic national committeewoman from 1992 to 2011, she championed leadership opportunities for women. In Maryland, she co-founded Emerge Maryland, served as chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, and became the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018.
Lieutenant Emily J.T. Perez: A groundbreaking U.S. Army officer and community servant, Lt. Perez earned historic recognition as the first African American and first Latina woman to serve as cadet command sergeant major. She became the first African American female officer in U.S. military history to be killed in combat and the first female graduate of the United States Military Academy to lose her life in the Iraq War, marking a profound moment in the history of women’s service on the front lines.
Elda M. Devarie: A successful entrepreneur, Devarie built EMD Sales, Inc, one of the fastest growing International Foods Distributors in the Mid-Atlantic region. What was born in 1989 from the back of a van, EMD Sales employs more than 150 employees today and services some of the largest supermarket chains, restaurants, and ethnic stores in the region.
Wendy Chun-Hoon: A nationally respected policy leader, Chun-Hoon has devoted her career to advancing equitable labor and economic policies, particularly by elevating the voices of women and others from historically marginalized communities. She has held senior leadership roles in state and federal government, as well as nonprofit organizations and is widely respected for her strategic advocacy and coalition-building.
Dr. Margaret Oakley Dayhoff: A pioneering scientist and mathematician, Dr. Dayhoff has been called the “mother and father of bioinformatics.” Her groundbreaking work continues to influence biochemists today and has been foundational to the sequencing of many important proteins, including insulin.
Annunciata “Nancy” Lombardi D’Alesandro: Described as the true politician of the D’Alesandra family, Nancy D’Alesandro was one of Baltimore’s longest-serving first ladies and the only woman in the city’s history to be both the wife and mother of Baltimore mayors. A “one-woman social services agency,” she was a tireless advocate for housing, employment, and medical care to meet the needs of Baltimore’s immigrant communities and low-income residents across the city.
About the Maryland Commission for Women
The Maryland Commission for Women is a 25-member advisory board whose purpose is to identify areas in our systems of laws, policies, practices, programs and procedures that impact women or girls disparately. Its advocacy to address those concerns continues to make Maryland a more equitable and inclusive place for all its residents.
About the Maryland Department of Human Services
The Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) is the state’s primary social services provider, serving more than one million Marylanders annually. Through its programs — including food assistance, cash support, child welfare, and energy assistance — DHS works to strengthen Maryland’s families and communities. Marylanders can check their eligibility and apply for benefits at MarylandBenefits.gov.
