{{Short description|American politician (born 1979)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sarah Wolek | image = Sarah Wolek (53529427695).jpg | caption = Wolek in 2024 | state_delegate = Maryland | district = 16th | term_start = April 3, 2023 | term_end = | alongside = Marc Korman and Teresa Saavedra Woorman | appointer = Wes Moore | predecessor = Ariana Kelly | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|11|6}} | birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S. | party = Democratic | spouse = | children = 3 | education = | alma_mater = University of Maryland, College Park (BA, BS)<br>Columbia University (MBA)<br>University of Chicago (MA) | occupation = College professor | website = {{Official website|https://votesarahwolek.com}} }} '''Sarah Siddiqui Wolek'''<ref name="Vacancy" /> (born November 6, 1979) is an American politician who is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 16.<ref name="legbio">{{cite web |title=Delegate Sarah Wolek |url=https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/Details/wolek01 |website=mgaleg.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland General Assembly |access-date=April 3, 2023}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Wolek was born in New York City<ref name="legbio" /> and spent part of her childhood in Pakistan. She grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland after her family moved so that her younger sibling could attend special education programs,<ref name="Vacancy" /> and graduated from Thomas S. Wootton High School.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pollak |first1=Suzanne |title=Maryland Professor Chosen to Fill District 16 Vacant Delegate Seat |url=https://www.mymcmedia.org/maryland-professor-chosen-to-fill-district-16-vacant-delegate-seat/ |access-date=March 23, 2023 |work=Montgomery Community Media |date=March 22, 2023}}</ref> Wolek earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and Bachelor of Science in information technology from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), and later graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Business Administration degree and from the University of Chicago with a Master of Arts degree in public policy.<ref name="legbio" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Sarah Wolek, Senior Faculty Specialist |url=https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/directory/sarah-wolek |website=Robert H. Smith School of Business |publisher=University of Maryland, College Park |access-date=March 21, 2023}}</ref>
==Career== Wolek worked for the federal government after graduating until shortly after the 2016 presidential election, working in positions including the United States Mission to the United Nations, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Management and Budget, and the United States Department of the Treasury.<ref name="Vacancy" /><ref name="Lab" /> In 2017, Wolek returned to UMD to teach classes and workshops focusing on purpose and character, community, relationships, nature, prosperity, and wellness.<ref name="Lab">{{cite news |last1=Goldberg |first1=Chloe |title=UMD's Intentional Life Lab aims to help students explore who they are beyond academics |url=https://dbknews.com/2020/11/09/umd-intentional-life-lab-smith-business-school/ |access-date=March 21, 2023 |work=The Diamondback |date=November 9, 2020}}</ref>
From 2018 to 2022, Wolek served as a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee from District 16.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local Central Committees |url=http://2020.mdmanual.msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/40party/html/deml.html |website=msa.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=March 21, 2023 |date=July 31, 2020}}</ref> In November 2018, she was named as a member of Montgomery County Executive-elect Marc Elrich's transition team.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Elrich Kicks Off MoCo Transition Process: 'Not the Usual Suspects' |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2018/11/14/elrich-kicks-off-moco-transition-process-not-the-usual-suspects/ |access-date=March 21, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=November 14, 2018}}</ref> In December 2018, Wolek graduated from Emerge Maryland, a group dedicated to training and electing Democratic women to office.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gaines |first1=Danielle E. |title=Remember These Names: Emerge Maryland Announces New Class |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2018/12/13/remember-these-names-emerge-maryland-announces-new-class/ |access-date=March 21, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=December 13, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cassie |first1=Ron |title=Women Legislators Emerge in Record Numbers |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/women-legislators-emerge-maryland-record-numbers/ |access-date=March 21, 2023 |work=Baltimore Magazine |date=January 15, 2019}}</ref>
In March 2023, Wolek was one of eighteen candidates to apply to fill a vacancy in the Maryland House of Delegates left by the appointment of then-delegate Ariana Kelly to the Maryland Senate. On March 21, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee voted 16–8 to nominate her to serve the rest of Kelly's term.<ref name="Vacancy">{{cite news |last1=Gaines |first1=Danielle E. |last2=Kurtz |first2=Josh |title=To fill House vacancy, Montgomery Democrats pick university professor and former Obama White House official |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/03/21/to-fill-house-vacancy-montgomery-democrats-pick-university-professor-and-former-obama-white-house-official/ |access-date=March 22, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=March 21, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Vacancy1" />
==In the legislature== Wolek was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on April 3, 2023. She is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.<ref name="legbio" /> Wolek is the first Muslim woman to serve in the Maryland General Assembly.<ref name="Vacancy" /> In February 2026, Wolek, alongside state delegates Sean Stinnett and Caylin Young, established the Maryland Muslim Caucus.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ford |first1=William J. |last2=Sears |first2=Bryan P. |title=Crosby out, Collins in, a Muslim Caucus forms and Nkongolo reflects on Lincoln, in political notes |url=https://marylandmatters.org/2026/02/16/crosby-out-collins-in-a-muslim-caucus-forms-and-nkongolo-reflects-on-lincoln-in-political-notes/ |access-date=February 17, 2026 |work=Maryland Matters |date=February 17, 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Wolek is married to her husband, a Catholic Polish immigrant. Together, they live in Bethesda, Maryland and have three children.<ref name="Vacancy" /><ref name="Vacancy1">{{cite news |last1=Bixby |first1=Ginny |title=Former HUD official Sarah Wolek tapped to fill District 16 delegate vacancy |url=https://moco360.media/2023/03/22/former-hud-official-sarah-wolek-tapped-to-fill-district-16-delegate-vacancy/ |access-date=March 22, 2023 |work=MoCo360 |date=March 22, 2023}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change | title = Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee District 16 election, 2018<ref>{{cite web | title = Montgomery County, Maryland 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election Official Results | work = Montgomery County Board of Elections | url = https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Elections/Resources/Files/htm/2018/precinctresults/Recount%20updated%20cumlative.HTM }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Sarah Wolek |votes = 7,951 |percentage = 67.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Ann Racuya-Robbins |votes = 3,781 |percentage = 32.2 }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{commons category-inline}} *{{cite web |title=Sarah S. Wolek, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa18534.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=June 2, 2023 |date=May 25, 2023}}
{{Current members of the MD House of Delegates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolek, Sarah}} Category:21st-century Muslims Category:Columbia University alumni Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates Category:Living people Category:Pakistani Muslims Category:Politicians from Bethesda, Maryland Category:Politicians from New York City Category:University of Chicago alumni Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni Category:1979 births Category:Asian-American state legislators in Maryland Category:Muslims from Maryland Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly Category:21st-century American women politicians