Senator Katie Fry Hester is a Democrat representing District 9 in the Maryland State Senate since January 9, 2019. She serves as Deputy Majority Whip , Chair of the Rules Committee , and Chair of the Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology . Notable achievements include sponsoring SB0906 on AI guidance for education, co-sponsoring the Educate to Stop the Hate Act mandating anti-hate curriculum, and leading on education, energy, and economic work groups.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Born December 31, 1974, in New York, New York. B.Sc. in agricultural and biological engineering from Cornell University .
• Professional Experience: Senior Analyst at Arthur D. Little ; various roles at SustainAbility ; Americas Director at The Partnering Initiative . Certified Maryland Emergency Medical First Responder; registered yoga teacher.
• Political Experience: First elected in 2018. Chairs Energy Subcommittee and serves on Education, Energy, and Environment Committee. Co-chairs Senate Democratic Caucus’s 21st-Century Economy work group. Serves on Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, and commissions on AI in education, mental health, food systems, and cybersecurity. Previously on Maryland Tourism Development Board and Rural Maryland Council.