Derrick Coley
Derrick L. Coley is an American politician who has served as a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 24th district since 2026.
Early life and education
Coley was born in 1975 to Francesca Brooks and Michael Brooks. He graduated from Suitland High School, afterwards attending North Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences in 1998, and American University, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in public policy in 2003.Career
Coley previously worked as a staff associate at the United States Conference of Mayors, where he managed the organization's annual "Recycling America's Land: A National Report on Brownfield Redevelopment" report and collaborated with the federal government to promote sustainable development in American cities. He later worked as an assistant to Michael Herman, the chief of staff of Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson, until 2004, afterwards serving as a deputy chief of staff to Johnson from 2004 to 2009 and as Johnson's chief of staff from 2009 to 2010. In 2011, Coley was appointed as a public affairs liaison for the Prince George's County Council. He later served as the executive director of external relations for the Maryland Higher Education Commission and as the special assistant for government operations at Bowie State University. From summer 2025 to January 2026, Coley worked as a deputy director for the Prince George's County Department of the Environment, supervising the Animal Services Division, Climate and Energy Division, and legislative affairs.Coley unsuccessfully ran for the Prince George's County Council in the 3rd district in 2006, placing third in the Democratic primary with 12.5 percent of the vote.