Youngest Council Chair Elected To Serve Prince George's County

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The youngest council chair to serve in Prince George's County has been chosen.

District 8 Council Member Ed Burroughs, 32, replaces former Chair Jolene Ivey, who had to suspend her campaign for county executive last month due to health concerns, she disclosed. Burroughs has been serving as vice chair since December since no one on the 10-member council could draw the six votes needed to become chair.

In 2010, he became the youngest elected official in Maryland when was elected to represent District 8 on the Prince George’s County Board of Education. Burroughs, a life-long Prince Georgian, spent 13 years serving as a Board Member, starting in 2008 when he was selected by his peers as a student member when he was a sophomore. He went on to work in the Office of the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney, leading the youth court division and developing ways to steer young people away from the criminal justice system. He was sworn into his seat on the Council in Feb. 2022.

The council's new vice chair will be the former representative for District 7, Krystal Oriadha. She was sworn into her seat on the Council in Dec. 2022. Her previous career accomplishments combine more than a decade of professional experience within the public, private and nonprofit sectors. She is co-founder of PG ChangeMakers, a grassroots organization addressing housing, food insecurity, healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, police reform, education and systemic racism. She was the recipient of the 2019 Innovation Fund 40 under 40 Award for Public Service and the 2018 Howard University Alumni MoveMakers Award. She also served on the 2019 Clinton Foundation’s 20|30 Leadership Council.

In a joint statement, Burroughs and Oriadha shared what they'll focus on as they serve the county.

"We look forward to working together and with our Council colleagues to advance policies that uplift our communities. Together, we will focus on expanding economic opportunities, improving public safety, and ensuring every resident can access quality services. We are committed to fostering collaboration, transparency, and equity in all we do.”

Read more at Maryland Matters