Jheanelle Wilkins (born May 29, 1988) is an activist and American politician. A Democrat, Wilkins serves as a delegate to the Maryland General Assembly representing Maryland's District 20, the first Black woman ever elected in this district. In 2020, she was appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve as the Parliamentarian of the House of Delegates. She also serves as Chair of Election Law in the House Ways and Means Committee and as the Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland since 2022. Early life and education Wilkins was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to the United States with her family when she was five. She grew up in New Castle, Delaware with her mother and older brother. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the University of Delaware and a masters of public administration in social policy from American University. She was initiated into the Lambda Gamma chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at the University of Delaware in Spring 2006. After moving to Silver Spring, Maryland to pursue graduate school, Jheanelle became involved with local politics and began to pursue her passion for impactful policy change. She began serving on boards and commissions such as the Montgomery County Committee on Hate/Violence, leading advocacy on social justice issues, and volunteering on local campaigns before winning election to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee in 2014. Career Jheanelle has pursued her passion for advocacy at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, based in Washington, D.C. since 2009. She is currently the Director of State and Local Government Affairs. At The Leadership Conference, she has played lead roles in advocating for federal immigration reform, promoting educational equity, advancing criminal justice reform, and protecting voting rights. With her organizing background, she has shaped federal and state policy; trained and engaged activists from Portland to Biloxi on progressive issues; created and implemented issue campaigns at the federal and state levels to pass legislation that promotes equality; and facilitated the participation of thousands of people in the political process. At The Leadership Conference, Jheanelle wrote and implemented a curriculum to train parents on how to be advocates in their school systems. She is an avid public speaker and often trains advocates in various states on how to engage in the political process and lead change on issues that impact their community. Public service and Maryland