Media Contact: Brian Schleter, Acting Director
brian.schleter@maryland.gov
Amber Washington, Deputy Director
amber.washington@maryland.gov
State Senator Ariana Kelly Selected as Executive Director of the Maryland Commission for Women
Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Human Services is pleased to announce the selection of Ariana Kelly as the new Executive Director of the Maryland Commission for Women (MCW).
Ariana’s passion for social justice and advocacy for women’s rights make her the ideal leader for our Commission. We are very excited to welcome her as our new Executive Director and very confident in her ability to lead us further in promoting equality and empowerment for women of our State.
Ariana brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her new position. While serving for 14 years as a current state senator representing Montgomery County and former representative in the Maryland General Assembly, she has championed legislation aimed at advancing women’s rights, improving healthcare access, protecting victims of domestic violence, and enhancing family economic security for all Marylanders. Her commitment to public service and her advocacy for women’s issues makes her an asset to the Commission, our department, and our state.
From her leadership roles as National Campaign Director of MomsRising and Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland to her service on the White House Gender Policy Council State Leaders on Reproductive Healthcare Group and her partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor to establish Maryland’s Paid Family & Medical Leave Task Force, Ariana is committed to modernizing the Maryland Commission for Women.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome of Ariana to our Commission as she embarks on this important journey to advance the rights and well-being of women and girls across Maryland beginning in May 2024.
Secretary Rafael López congratulates Executive Director Ariana Kelly and Chairwoman Tawanda Bailey on their appointments to the Maryland Commission for Women during the organization’s 2024 Hall of Fame ceremony in Annapolis.
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