Party Staff

An Atlantic City, NJ native and graduate of Morgan State University, Karen Darkes previously served as Major Gifts Director at Emerge. Karen started her career in political fundraising on the Brown-Ulman 2014 Maryland gubernatorial campaign. After that race, Karen worked as a national political fundraiser at a well-respected Democratic consulting firm in Washington, DC.  During her time there, Karen raised over 40 million dollars for her clients that included Congressman Elijah Cummings, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congresswoman Lucy McBath, from donors across over 20 states. Karen has also raised over 1 million dollars as a non-profit fundraising consultant.

A resident of Baltimore City, Joe got his start as a Baltimore City Public School teacher. He is a seasoned political operative, serving as Director of Government Affairs for the Comptroller of Maryland. Prior to, Joe was the Campaign Manager for the successful Brooke Lierman for Maryland campaign, helping elect the first woman to win an independently elected statewide constitutional office.

Joe also served as Executive Director of Strong Schools Maryland, leading the campaign to pass the most significant investment in Maryland public schools in generations.

A Montgomery County native and University of Maryland graduate, Aaron has over a decade of fundraising experience in Maryland and beyond having served most recently as Finance Director and Senior Political Advisor for Rep. Raskin (MD-8). He previously served as Finance Director on a number of key races across the country, including DCCC designated Red to Blue race in Florida, and worked at a top fundraising firm on Capitol Hill. As an independent fundraising consultant, he has worked with candidates, nonprofits, advocacy groups and clubs, as well as other organizations raising millions of dollars for Democratic causes.

Marklyn L. Bailey (she/her) serves as the Operations Director at the Maryland Democratic Party. In
this role, she oversees critical functions of the organization, including strategic planning and
programmatic priority setting.
With nearly a decade of experience in organizing, operations and advocacy, Marklyn’s broad range of
experiences has given her a deep understanding of the political landscape. Marklyn brings an
extensive expertise and vision to the organization, helping to optimize project management and
operational strategies. She keeps the team on schedule by meticulously managing the reporting,
financials and business strategies that drive the organization’s value-driven campaigns.
Marklyn holds a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.

Justin is our Party Affairs Coordinator. He started with the Party during the 2018 Coordinated Campaign and has served in various roles at MDP since then, including Field Organizer & Regional Organizing Director for CD-01, Deputy Organizing Director, and, most recently, as Organizing Director. A proud Easton native, you can find Justin enjoying the charming small towns of the Eastern Shore when he isn’t traveling across Maryland supporting our County Parties and Democratic Clubs.

Ryan currently works as a Finance & Operations Associate, supporting operations, administration, compliance, and fundraising efforts across the party. He was previously an intern during the 2022 election cycle. Ryan lives on the Eastern Shore, where he was born and raised. He’s also the President of the Eastern Shore Young Democrats. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys hiking, reading, and watching soccer.