About Us

Senator Jim Rosapepe is a champion of working and retired families, who has strongly supported efforts to create jobs, expand health insurance, and protect senior citizens. He has fought to improve local public schools, boost the University of Maryland, and clean up the Chesapeake Bay. In 2006, Jim was elected to the Maryland Senate where he serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Budget & Tax Committee.

Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk has dedicated her career to advancing equity, justice, and accessible healthcare for all Marylanders. She has served as a Member of the House of Delegates since 2006 and in December of 2025, her colleagues unanimously elected her as the 109th Speaker of the House. She is the first Afro–Latina in the nation to serve as a presiding legislative officer. A tireless champion for healthcare access, public safety, and economic fairness, Speaker Peña-Melnyk continues to shape bold, transformative policies that uplift Maryland’s most vulnerable communities and build a stronger, more just state for all.

Delegate Ben Barnes is known for being one of the state’s policy leaders in both social justice and education. Delegate Barnes was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2006 and now serves as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Before being appointed as Chair of the Appropriations Committee, he held numerous roles in the House of Delegates including Chair of the Oversight Committee on Pensions, Chair of the Education and Economic Development Subcommittee, Chair of the Capital Budget Subcommittee, and Chief Deputy Majority Whip for 10 years. Prior to becoming a Delegate, he worked as the Legislative Aide to Senate President Mike Miller. Chair Barnes is a graduate of Prince George’s Public Schools and earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina and his J.D. from the University of Baltimore, School of Law. He is currently a practicing attorney in Bowie, Maryland. 

Delegate Mary Lehman is a lifelong resident of Prince George’s County and lives in West Laurel with her husband and family. She has represented District 21 as a State Delegate since 2019.  She serves on the Government, Labor and Elections Committee and is Chairwoman of the Local Government and Bi-county Agencies Subcommittee, after serving on the Environment and Transportation Committee from 2019-2025. Delegate Lehman is Co-chair of the Anne Arundel County Education Subcommittee and serves on the Prince George’s County Law Enforcement Subcommittee. She served as the District 1 Prince George’s County Councilwoman from 2010 to 2018.  She continues to be a champion of environmental stewardship and an advocate for and government that is as open and transparent as possible.