Sarah Wolek

Sarah Siddiqui Wolek (born November 6, 1979) is an American politician who is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 16.[1]

Sarah Wolek
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 16th district
Assumed office
April 3, 2023
Serving with Marc Korman and Sara N. Love
Appointed byWes Moore
Preceded byAriana Kelly
Personal details
Born (1979-11-06) November 6, 1979
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children3
ResidenceBethesda, Maryland
Alma materUniversity of Maryland, College Park (BA, BS)
Columbia University (MBA)
University of Chicago (MA)
OccupationCollege professor

Early life and education

Wolek was born in New York City[1] and spent part of her childhood in Pakistan. She grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland after her family moved so that her younger sibling could attend special education programs,[2] and graduated from Thomas S. Wootton High School.[3] Wolek earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and information technology from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), and later graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Business Administration degree and from the University of Chicago with a Master of Arts degree in public policy.[1][4]

Career

Wolek worked for the federal government after graduating until shortly after the 2016 presidential election, working in positions including the United States Mission to the United Nations, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Management and Budget, and the United States Department of the Treasury.[2][5] In 2017, Wolek returned to UMD to teach a career preparedness course,[6] before founding the Intentional Life Lab in February 2020, which hosted classes and workshops focusing on purpose and character, community, relationships, nature, prosperity, and wellness.[5]

From 2018 to 2022, Wolek served as a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee from District 16.[7] In November 2018, she was named as a member of Montgomery County Executive-elect Marc Elrich's transition team.[8] In December 2018, Wolek graduated from Emerge Maryland, a group dedicated to training and electing Democratic women to office.[9][10]

In March 2023, Wolek was one of eighteen candidates to apply to fill a vacancy in the Maryland House of Delegates left by the appointment of then-delegate Ariana Kelly to the Maryland Senate. On March 21, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee voted 16–8 to nominate her to serve the rest of Kelly's term.[2][11]

In the legislature

Wolek was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on April 3, 2023. She is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.[1] Wolek is the first Muslim woman to serve in the Maryland General Assembly.[2]

Personal life

Wolek is married to her husband, a Catholic Polish immigrant. Together, they live in Bethesda, Maryland and have three children.[2][11]

Electoral history
Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee District 16 election, 2018[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sarah Wolek 7,951 67.8
Democratic Ann Racuya-Robbins 3,781 32.2

References
  1. "Delegate Sarah Wolek". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  2. Gaines, Danielle E.; Kurtz, Josh (March 21, 2023). "To fill House vacancy, Montgomery Democrats pick university professor and former Obama White House official". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  3. Pollak, Suzanne (March 22, 2023). "Maryland Professor Chosen to Fill District 16 Vacant Delegate Seat". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. "Sarah Wolek, Senior Faculty Specialist". Robert H. Smith School of Business. University of Maryland, College Park. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  5. Goldberg, Chloe (November 9, 2020). "UMD's Intentional Life Lab aims to help students explore who they are beyond academics". The Diamondback. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  6. "Connecting students to purpose and passion". charleskochfoundation.org. Charles Koch Foundation. June 30, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  7. "Local Central Committees". msa.maryland.gov. Maryland State Archives. July 31, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  8. Kurtz, Josh (November 14, 2018). "Elrich Kicks Off MoCo Transition Process: 'Not the Usual Suspects'". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  9. Gaines, Danielle E. (December 13, 2018). "Remember These Names: Emerge Maryland Announces New Class". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  10. Cassie, Ron (January 15, 2019). "Women Legislators Emerge in Record Numbers". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  11. Bixby, Ginny (March 22, 2023). "Former HUD official Sarah Wolek tapped to fill District 16 delegate vacancy". MoCo360. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  12. "Montgomery County, Maryland 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election Official Results". Montgomery County Board of Elections.
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