NOTE: The Office of the Governor shared the following press release:
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointment of Gabriel M. Moreno to District 13; Derrick L. Coley to District 24; and Darrell C. Odom, Sr. to District 27A of the Maryland House of Delegates.
“Gabriel Moreno, Derrick Coley, and Darrell Odom, Sr. will bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to public service to the Maryland House of Delegates,” said Gov. Moore. “Each of these leaders has a proven track record—from empowering vulnerable communities and serving in vital county government roles to protecting our state and nation. These are dedicated public servants, and I am grateful that they each raised their hands to represent their districts in Annapolis.”
Gabriel M. Moreno: District 13 (Howard County)
Gabriel Moreno most recently served as the chief executive officer of the Luminus Network for New Americans, a nonprofit focused on supporting immigrants with their legal needs. In this role, he led strategic initiatives to provide legal services and community resources to immigrants, refugees, and asylees, while overseeing fiscal management and advocacy strategies.
Moreno has also served as a national senior attorney for Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) from 2015 to 2023. During his tenure, he provided direct representation to children affected by family separation policies and mentored hundreds of pro bono attorneys across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. regarding immigration and federal litigation.
Moreno brings deep ties to the community through numerous appointed and elected roles. He currently serves on the Maryland Attorney General’s Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention and the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic and Latin American Community Affairs. Additionally, he is an elected member of the Howard County Democratic Central Committee and serves as a character committee member for the Maryland Judiciary.
Moreno earned his law degree from the Massachusetts School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Maryland, Massachusetts, and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned his bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas A&M University.
Derrick L. Coley: District 24 (Prince George’s County)
Derrick Coley currently serves as deputy director for the Department of Environment for Prince George’s County, a position he has held since January 2025. In this role, he oversees the Animal Services Division, Climate and Energy Division, and legislative affairs, while managing personnel and assisting with the annual budget process. Coley previously served as executive director for external relations with the Maryland Higher Education Commission, and as the special assistant for government relations at Bowie State University.
Coley also brings extensive experience from the Prince George’s County Office of the County Executive, where he served as chief of staff from 2009 to 2010 and deputy chief of staff from 2004 to 2009. In these capacities, he managed daily functions, directed federal appropriation requests, and implemented countywide programs.
Coley earned his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and his master’s degree in international environment policy from American University. He is currently a Doctor of Education candidate at Bowie State University.
Darrell C. Odom, Sr.: District 27A (Prince George’s and Charles counties)
Darrell Odom, Sr. served with the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department from 1980 to 2004, rising through the ranks from firefighter to lieutenant colonel and deputy fire chief. He retired as the department’s acting fire chief, where he was responsible for the daily management of the department and the implementation of the Fire/EMS Paramedic Ambulance program—decreasing response times and effectively dispatching Emergency Medical Paramedics County-wide.
Odom also had a distinguished military career spanning 31 years, including two years in the U.S. Army active duty assigned to Germany, and 29 years in the U.S. Coast Guard active and reserve duty. He retired as a master chief maritime enforcement specialist and served as the reserve command master chief for the Deployable Operations Group. In that role, he managed the activities of more than 1,200 reservists across 27 specialized units.
Odom earned his bachelor’s degree in fire science from the University of Maryland University Global Campus and an associate degree from Prince George’s Community College. He is also a graduate of the National Defense University’s Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course.