Sarah Wolek
Democratic Delegate Representing District 16
My Why
With experience, I have come to believe that our world changes for the better by moving two main levers.
The first lever we can move is the kind of person we choose to become. That means living lives that are authentic to us, where we show up with kindness and integrity, seek out and live our purpose, cultivate meaningful relationships and belonging, contribute and connect to our community, and honor our planet. We often overlook this, but our individual mindset, character, and actions are the fundamental unit of change.
The other way change happens of course, is by shaping systems and institutions that govern our lives so that each one of us can reach our potential. This to me means building an education experience that develops our humanity and our intellect and economic system that creates opportunities for meaningful work and liveable wages. As a member of the both Education and Economic Development (EED) subcommittee and the Oversight Committee on Pensions within the Appropriations Committee, I work to build both on behalf of residents of District 16 and the state of Maryland.
My Education & Experience
I graduated from Wootton High School in Montgomery County, Maryland and then earned a BS in Decision Information Sciences and a BA in Economics both from the University of Maryland, College Park. I pursued graduate education at Columbia University, where I earned an MBA, and the University of Chicago, where I earned an MA in public policy.
Driven by a desire to make a positive impact in the world, I joined the federal government and spent over decade working at White House Office of Management and Budget, the United States Mission to the United Nations, the US Department of Treasury, the US Department of Commerce, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. In doing so, I developed expertise in budget, management, and policy development and implementation.
I ultimately left the federal government because the politics changed in 2016 and I felt called to push back and resist in Maryland. I also wanted to be much closer to my work and see its direct impact. Thus I got involved in politics locally running for office and supporting Democratic candidates. I also began my teaching career at the University of Maryland where I spent seven years creating and teaching courses on self-leadership, flourishing, and wellbeing. This work was immensely rewarding and it was a privilege to see students grow in front of my eyes each the semester.
But working on systems change called once more, and I joined the Maryland State Legislature in 2023. I am so grateful to be able to apply my policy and management skills as well as my knowledge around human flourishing and wellbeing to bettering my community as your Delegate.