A Psychologist, Educational Advocate, protector of animals
and the environment, but First a Mom!
Michele has been working to improve the lives of Maryland families for 25 years. The most challenging aspects of her own life have made her the most effective advocate for others. Her past experiences with serious medical conditions, caring for an aging parent, and parenting beautifully neurodiverse children strengthened her belief that access to high-quality medical and behavioral health care is a basic human right and that family medical leave policies should reflect this truth.
As a fierce educational advocate for children with disabilities, Michele co-founded a support group for families with disabilities and chaired the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Tourette Association of America. All three of her boys graduated from Baltimore County Public Schools and are pursuing their dreams. Her middle son, a Veteran, currently serves our country as an officer in the US Army Reserves.
A commitment to doing the difficult work on behalf of Marylanders in
Environment, Transportation and Energy
Many of Michele’s favorite people are animals and she can not imagine life without a rescue dog, or two! Currently she has a border collie mix named Pearl who can often be spotted around Annapolis during Session and a stay-at-home mutt-of all-trades, Xerses.
Her commitment to our animals, natural resources, agriculture and public safety is evident in the legislation she has sponsored over the past 8 years. As Vice Chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee, she is in the perfect place to continue working towards these priorities. The newly organized committee also encompasses energy and utilities beginning this legislative session. Particularly in rural areas of the state, there are still families without reliable internet access. In addition, skyrocketing utility bills have affected the entire eastern seaboard, but Maryland is experiencing unique challenges relating to controversial transmission projects and the planned proliferation of data centers. Michele looks forward to tackling these complicated subjects and working with colleagues, constituents, and advocates from both the utility companies and environmental groups to balance our energy needs with the protection of our fragile natural resources and communities.
Leadership and Advocacy FOR Public School
In 2015, Michele was appointed by Governor Hogan to the Maryland State Board of Education which oversees an annual budget of $8 billion, provides oversight to local education agencies, and makes policy decisions affecting public education in Maryland. She has actively worked to bring the needs of the students, teachers, and the community to the forefront of Board priorities. She initiated and chaired the State Board committee on student mental health. She has served on numerous State Commissions addressing school safety issues, graduation requirements, and adult learning, in addition to serving on the Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council. Michele currently serves on the Maryland Commission on Disabilities, as a Director of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and as president of the board of “My Heart’s Home”, a non-profit dedicated to developing integrated supportive living communities for citizens with diverse needs. Michele is proud to have a proven record of working across the aisle within the General Assembly to improve outcomes for our students regardless of politics.
Michele Guyton was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2018 and is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Environment and Transportation (and Energy) Committee. She is First Vice-President of the Maryland Legislative Women’s Caucus where she leads the subcommittee on affordable and accessible child care and serves on the legislative review committee. She is an active member of the Transit Caucus, the Latino Caucus, and the Legislative Veteran’s Caucus as a proud Army Mom!
Deeply Connected Baltimore County’s Education, Arts, and Community Life
Michele and her husband of 35 years made the choice to settle their family in North Baltimore County over 25 years ago after recognizing the unique and special qualities of the area. Dr. Greg Guyton is an Orthopedic Surgeon who has cared for thousands of patients in Maryland. He is also President-Elect of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. The entire family has been actively involved in the Baltimore theater and music communities for many years. Michele also volunteers with the Student Support Network to connect families who struggle with food insecurity to resources through Baltimore County Schools. She organized the food and essential items distributions at Cockeysville Middle School during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her mother, Shirley, is an active artist and teacher in Baltimore County. Michele also volunteers as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for children in Baltimore County who are in foster care.
Michele completed her B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from Vanderbilt University, her joint M.A. in Women’s Studies and Psychology from Radcliffe College and Brandeis University and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Brandeis University. She is committed to serving the community she loves by fighting for District 42B as fiercely as she has fought for her own family and others.