Meet Laurie -Anne
Maryland native Laurie-Anne Sayles proudly calls Gaithersburg, a Character Counts “Tree City”, home. Laurie-Anne is a life-long public servant and envisions a more inclusive, informed, and innovative Montgomery County, led by a responsive and conscientious government. On the evenings of June 22nd and June 23rd, surrounded by family and friends, Laurie-Anne launched her campaign for County Council At-Large.
The Primary Election Day is now on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, and Early Voting is July 7-14, 2022.
Read on to learn more about Laurie-Anne Sayles, the candidate for S.M.A.R.T. government!
THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPION
Laurie-Anne Sayles is an experienced leader, change agent, policymaker, and advocate who believes that you can achieve any goal you set for yourself if you work smart. This motto has afforded her many opportunities to overcome challenging situations and use her life experiences to fuel a steadfast commitment to helping others who are underserved, underrepresented, and less fortunate. She has fought for expanded access to early childhood education, a $15 minimum wage, equal rights, immigration reform, and a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment, to name a few.
Elected in 2017, Laurie-Anne made history, becoming the first African American councilmember elected in Gaithersburg, and she has hit the ground running ever since.
In the National League of Cities, Laurie-Anne is the past chair of its Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee and serves on its Board of Directors. This leadership opportunity enabled the City of Gaithersburg to share best practices regarding “floating zoning” policies, locally funded toolkits supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs, and residential housing construction for low-income residents, including the elderly, with local leaders from across the country. She also serves on their Transportation and Infrastructure Services (TIS) Committee and two of its constituency groups; twice on the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials as Region 3 Director and as second vice chair of Women in Municipal Government (WIMG). She was also the 2020 WIMG Leadership Award winner.
Recognized for her substantial community involvement and advocacy for increased female representation in public service, Laurie-Anne was also awarded the 2018 Daily Record Top 100 Women in Maryland award.
Laurie-Anne currently leads the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee as chair and serves on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Municipal Leagues’ (MML) Legislative Committee.
In both of these roles, she tracks legislative developments at the federal and state levels for implications to local governments and recommends policies to include protecting the bay, policing, racial equity, affordable housing, and infrastructure investments.
FAMILY VALUES
Laurie-Anne Sayles is a first-generation Jamaican American born and raised in Maryland. She is the youngest of six children to Hilda and Perry Sayles, Jamaican immigrants and public servants who dedicated their lives to their country and community and inspired her commitment to the community.
Her father, a retired Oncology Nurse and veteran of the U. S. Army, served our country with honor and bravery. Her mother, a retired Montgomery County social worker, dedicated her life to counseling domestic violence and substance abuse victims with fairness and compassion.
These values will guide Laurie-Anne’s service as our next Councilwoman.
CAREER
Laurie-Anne is no stranger to hard work. In addition to her public service, she balances a full-time career. Throughout her career in public health, Laurie-Anne has advocated for health equity and access to care. Professionally, she is a Paraeducator with MCPS and a senior consultant with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, working to ensure academic achievement for our unique learners and the manufacturing and distribution of effective and safe drugs, treatments, practices, and medical products for all residents in the United States.
EDUCATION
Laurie-Anne earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore, School of Public and International Affairs.
Laurie-Anne also accomplished the following:
-
Leadership Montgomery's Connecting Our Regions Executives (C.O.R.E.) program
-
A William Donald Schaefer Center for Public Policy fellowship
-
Omicron Delta Kappa (OΔK) National Leadership Honor Society
-
The Walter Sondheim Jr. Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Program.
-
Prince George's County International Ambassador (P.G.C.I.A.) Scholar
-
America Indivisible: Public Leaders for Inclusion Council
A PASSION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
On a personal level, she is the Founder of the Gaithersburg Upcounty Breakfast Club. She is involved in a variety of leadership roles within the nonprofit sector, including Vice-Chair of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC), Political Affairs Committee Chair of the Black Ministers Conference of Montgomery County, Treasurer of the Association of Black Democrats (previously served as President); and Director of the Muddy Branch Alliance Watershed (previously served as Editor).
She lives in Gaithersburg with her daughter, Mikaylah, an MCPS and the University of Maryland College Park School of Communications graduate (Go Terps!), and her two rescue dogs, Bella and Max.
During her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, cooking, supporting small businesses across the county, and volunteering.
“Laurie-Anne has been a passionate advocate for responsive and inclusive government for all our people. Her public devotion and joyful service to the community give me a lot of hope for our County.”
-Rep. Jamie Raskin,
U.S. Representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district
