Cheryl Kagan

Cheryl Kagan is from Montgomery County, Maryland. She obtained a degree in political science from Vassar College and took graduate courses in public policy at the University of Maryland. Kagan represented District 17 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1995 to 2003. After that, she served as the executive director of the Carl M. Freeman Foundation and then the director of community engagement for BBYO. As of 2020, Kagan was the chair of the Maryland Next Generation 911 Commission and the outreach and development coordinator for Community Reach of Montgomery County (formerly the Community Ministries of Rockville).[1] In 2020, Kagan established the national Nonprofit Legislative Caucus. As of 2021, she served on the boards of the American Jewish Committee and the National Association of Jewish Legislators.[2]

Kagan has earned the following awards:

2021: American Jewish Committee's Hyman "Bookie" Bookbinder Award

2019: Maryland League of Conservation Voters Legislator of the Year Award

2019: Maryland State Fireman's Association's Senator William H. Amoss Memorial Legislative Award.

2018: Next Generation 9-1-1 Institute's National Leader Award

2017: Center for Nonprofit Advancement Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Award

Cheryl Kagan has not yet completed [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Send a message to Cheryl Kagan asking her to fill out the survey.

If you are Cheryl Kagan, click here to fill out [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out the candidate survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete [the profile publisher]'s Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's [the profile publisher] profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 32,000 candidates have taken [the profile publisher]'s candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Cheryl Kagan to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@CherylKagan.org.

Cheryl Kagan did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Kagan's website highlighted the following campaign themes:

Civil Rights and Liberties:

Cheryl Kagan recognizes that civil liberties are among our most cherished birthright as Americans.

Cheryl will continue the work she began as a staffer at NARAL, standing up for women’s right to privacy and the freedom to make our own reproductive decisions.

Cheryl proudly supports equality for all Marylanders, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Cheryl will protect our voting rights and Maryland’s election process from those who would seek to undermine our democracy.

Cheryl is committed to reforming our campaign finance laws, ensuring that special interest funding does not overshadow the efforts of grassroots support.

Domestic Violence:

Domestic violence and sexual assault are persistent and tragic problems in Maryland. Every instance of domestic violence profoundly affects a woman, a child, and a family. Unfortunately, Maryland is the only state in the nation that places significant barriers in front of domestic violence victims seeking protection through our judicial system.

Cheryl supports making it easier for victims to obtain protection from the courts; increasing penalties for those who commit crimes in front of children; and ensuring that rape victims aren't forced to share parental rights with their attackers.

She will work with domestic violence advocates and survivors to raise awareness and enact stronger legal protections for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends.

Education:

A good education is the main key to success in today’s society. Maryland is fortunate to have the best schools in the nation and the most dedicated teachers. However, our schools still face challenges. The minority achievement gap threatens to leave many of our children behind, while crucial building and modernization projects in Montgomery County have been put on hold for lack of funding.

As a K-12 graduate of Montgomery County Public Schools and former substitute teacher, Cheryl understands the importance of public education.

She’s committed to investing in education, supporting our teachers, and protecting every child’s chance to succeed. She’ll support the expansion of voluntary Pre-K for Maryland 4-year-olds. And she’ll fight to make sure Montgomery County schools get the funding from Annapolis our students deserve.

Environment:

Maryland has been blessed with incredible environmental resources. From the Chesapeake Bay to our beautiful state parks, our vibrant and diverse ecosystems are critical recreational, economic, and natural resources for all Marylanders. We have an obligation as stewards of this planet to protect and restore our environment so that parks, clean air, clean water, and clean energy options are available for future generations.

Cheryl doesn’t just support “green values” as a campaign issue—she lives them every day! She shifted to 100% wind power for her home six years ago, and she minimizes carbon pollution by living within walking distance of her workplace.

In the State Senate, Cheryl will pursue an environmental agenda to encourage Smart Growth development; fund mass transit and transportation improvements; control storm-water runoff; and aggressively limit greenhouse gases.

Gun control:

Maryland has made great strides against gun violence in recent years. However, as we’ve seen in Aurora, CO; Sandy Hook, CT; and Maryland’s own Columbia Mall, we must do more to protect our communities from senseless gun crimes.

Cheryl has always been a strong advocate for tough gun control laws. 20 years ago, she worked as a federal lobbyist with Jim and Sarah Brady to pass the Brady Bill and federal Assault Weapons Ban.

When she uncovered inexcusably long delays by the Maryland State Police in conducting background checks on gun purchases, Cheryl blew the whistle and saw to it that the backlog was addressed.

As our State Senator, she will continue working to keep dangerous guns off our streets.

Health Care:

We all share a responsibility to provide quality health care to every Marylander. Universal access to health care helps create stronger families, communities, and workplaces. Despite the real progress that has been made under the Affordable Care Act, there’s more yet to be done.

In the State Senate, Cheryl will work to ensure Maryland Health Connection offers every family and employer quality care at reasonable prices. As a longtime advocate for women’s health care, Cheryl will demand that better coverage be made available to more women.

Cheryl also supports increased funding for mental health services, so that those who are too often forgotten can get the help they need.[8][9]