Michele Douglas

Michele Douglas is a retired public policy expert and longtime advocate for social justice and healthcare equity in Maryland. As a partner at the influential lobbying firm Public Policy Partners, she played a central role in advancing legislation to expand earned sick leave, improve long-term care quality, and establish the state’s Alzheimer’s Disease Commission. In recognition of her impact, she received the George N. Manis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.

Douglas’s public service career spans leadership roles including Director of Public Policy for the AIDS Administration at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and State Policy Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Maryland Chapter. She has also contributed to reproductive health policy through her work with Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

A resident of Ellicott City, Douglas shares her life with her spouse, Laura Howell, Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Community Services. The pair was recently honored among Maryland’s “power couples” for their shared dedication to public service.