Lorig Charkoudian is a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 20 in Montgomery County, which includes Takoma Park and Silver Spring. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1973, she was first elected in 2018 and has served since January 2019. She is the first Armenian American elected to the Maryland state legislature in recent memory, hailing from a politically active family originally from Newton, Massachusetts. Charkoudian lives in Takoma Park with her two children, Aline and Raffi, and is known for her community activism, including expanding access to healthy food, launching the TPSS Community Kitchen for micro-entrepreneurs, and advocating for restorative justice, environmental justice, consumer protections, economic justice, sustainable energy, public transportation, and criminal justice reform. Notable achievements include three-time recognition as Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record , Sharon Pickett Award , Azalea Award , Mary Parker Follett Award , Judge Robert M. Bell Award , and Community Leadership Award from the Maryland NOW . She currently serves as Vice Chair of the House Economic Matters Committee , member of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, Co-Chair of the Maryland Transit Caucus, and member of the Latino Legislative Caucus and Women Legislators of Maryland.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Attended Newton public schools; B.A. in mathematical economics from Pomona College ; Ph.D. in economics from Johns Hopkins University .
• Professional Experience: Executive Director, Community Mediation Maryland , advancing mediation and restorative practices to disrupt mass incarceration; President, Board of Directors, Crossroads Community Food Network and TPSS Food Co-op; Past Vice-President, Board of Directors, Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research; Chair, Maryland Association of Community Mediation Centers ; Director of Training and Research, Maryland Association of Community Mediation Centers ; Adjunct Professor, University of Baltimore ; Member, Maryland's School to Prison Pipeline and Restorative Practices Commission; Leadership Maryland ; Emerge Maryland .
• Political Roles: Elected to Maryland House of Delegates, District 20 ; House Chair, Joint Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight ; House Chair, Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight ; Member, Low-Income Utility Assistance Workgroup , Maryland Food System Resiliency Council , Southern States Energy Board , and Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review .