About Geraldine

GERALDINE VALENTINO-SMITH (District 23A)- Geraldine Valentino-Smith was elected to represent District 23A in 2010 and was re-elected for a third term in 2018. She is a proud member of District Team 23 and is endorsed by a diverse group of community leaders, advocacy groups and citizens.

Geraldine is a mother, nurse, lawyer and lifelong resident of the District. She combines her background in nursing and law to advance access to health services for the vulnerable, advocate for sensible gun legislation improving public safety, promote the expansion of the safety net for those living in poverty and support increases in public education funding as a means of equalizing opportunity. She is a seasoned advocate for Prince George’s County and its schools, having graduated from Bowie Senior High School in 1982.

Geraldine’s 11 years of experience in Annapolis have allowed her to not only effectively advocate for District 23A, but have led to multiple appointments where she is able to work to further systemic changes. She serves on the House Appropriations Committee, is Vice Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, is a Democratic Deputy Majority Whip, is Co-Chair on the Select Committee on Homelessness, and was appointed to the Knott Commission on Interagency on School Construction which worked collaboratively with the Kirwan Commission, to produce the two most significant pieces of legislation in 2020, the Built to Learn Act and the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, complementary bills designed to allow Maryland to lead the nation in public education.

Geraldine completed her nursing and law degree from the Catholic University of America. She began her career in nursing at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) working in pediatrics. Subsequently obtaining a Juris Doctor degree she worked in the health law and legislative advocacy fields in Baltimore and Annapolis, working with the Maryland General Assembly and state regulatory authorities.

Her elective career launched in 2007 where she gained invaluable community and advocacy experience as a Bowie City Councilwoman (2007-2010) working as the Council Liaison to the Education and Diversity Committee, the Metropolitan Council on Government (COG) and as co-chair of the Children’s National Medical Center Committee on Advocacy and Public Policy. She has been married to another Bowie native, P.J. Smith, for over 25 years and they have one high school-aged son, and two grown children.