Del. Jazz M. Lewis Tapped to Lead State Government Relations

The University of Maryland on Wednesday named Maryland Del. Jazz M. Lewis ’11, M.P.P. ’14 as its director of state government relations.

Lewis, the House majority whip, resigned from his role in the state legislature on Tuesday during a special session; starting Jan. 5, he will lead the university’s engagement with state, county and local government partners in support of UMD’s mission and priorities.

He brings with him more than a decade of experience in state, federal and national public policy, including senior leadership roles in the Maryland General Assembly, on Capitol Hill and in one of the country’s most influential labor-environment coalitions. The Prince George’s County native has spent his career advancing economic opportunity, strengthening Maryland’s communities and championing policies that support working families.

As director, Lewis will serve as the university’s primary liaison to state and local officials, working closely with senior leadership, faculty and campus partners to advance UMD’s priorities. He will help shape the university’s overall governmental engagement strategy, strengthen relationships in Annapolis and across Maryland, and advocate for policies and investments that support UMD’s teaching, research and service mission.

Lewis is a two-time graduate of the University of Maryland, earning a Bachelor of Arts in government and politics and a Master of Public Policy degree. As an undergraduate, he participated in College Park Scholars’ Public Leadership Program, an experience he credits with launching his career in public service.

Most recently, Lewis served as legislative director for the BlueGreen Alliance, where he led its national legislative strategy on clean manufacturing, workforce development and industrial policy, including work supporting implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Earlier in his career, Lewis worked for U.S. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer ’63 (D-Maryland) as a senior policy adviser. He was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2017 to represent District 24, which includes communities such as Lake Arbor, Capitol Heights and Glenarden. In 2023, he was appointed majority whip, becoming the youngest member to serve in that position.

Lewis will replace Ross Stern, who will retire at the end of this year after more than 25 years of service leading the university’s government relations efforts.