Al Carr ’84

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

After earning an engineering degree, Al worked in telecommunications for twenty years. He became responsible for business management, sales, marketing, and engineering to achieve operational efficiencies and cost savings through technology and gained recognition for his leadership skills. However, after being enlisted by a neighbor to remedy a traffic issue, Al became intrigued with improving safety issues communitywide and pursued getting elected to his town council. Before long, he became focused on leaving the corporate world for a new career as a public servant.

In 2007, Al was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. He is currently in his third term representing the 18th District serving on the Health and Government Operations Committees. He is the vice chair of the Montgomery County Delegation and chair of its Metropolitan Washington Committee. Additionally, Al is the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Federal Relations and is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.

Al has written and successfully secured passage of legislation for environmental protection, education, open government, community parks, affordable housing, public safety, transportation and housing. Al is humbled to serve and improve the lives of others. He has received top ratings and awards from groups advocating for conservation, civil rights, municipal government and consumer protection and has received endorsements from national leaders like U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Jamie Raskin and organizations such as the Montgomery County Education Association, Sierra Club and the Association of Black Democrats.

Education

BS, Electrical Engineering, University of Rochester

Current Occupation

Legislator, State of Maryland

Achievements

• Writing and securing passage of legislation to provide tax credit refunds to 5,000 low income homeowners who were shortchanged by a state agency
• Changing the culture at a large county housing agency toward accountability through legislation and advocacy
• Voting in favor of marriage equality. Passage of this 2012 law in Maryland led to the Obergefell decision which made marriage equality the law of the land in the entire U.S.
• Helping entry-level workers to pass legislation to eliminate non-compete clauses in employment contracts
• Expanding health insurance to include coverage for treatment of conditions like PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders) and lymphedema
• Voting for the nation’s strongest law protecting reproductive rights in anticipation of the supreme court’s decision