By Adam Pagnucco.
The county council has unanimously appointed former Board of Education Member Shebra Evans to the at-large seat vacated by Gabe Albornoz. Evans was defeated in her reelection bid for the school board last year after MCPS suffered a monumental sexual harassment scandal that cost millions of dollars to resolve and its prior leadership threatened layoffs even after they received a large budget increase. But that did not stop the council from giving her a more powerful position in Rockville. The council did so on the condition that she not run for a full term in this year’s primary.
Because Albornoz was chair of the council’s Health and Human Services Committee, the council needed to pick a new chair. Freshman at-large member Laurie-Anne Sayles was selected to fill that slot.
The council’s press release is reprinted below.
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Montgomery County Council Appoints Shebra Evans as Councilmember and Announces New Committee Assignments Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles will chair the Health and Human Services Committee
ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 9, 2025—The Montgomery County Council today appointed Shebra Evans to complete the unexpired term of Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, who resigned from the Council on Dec. 1, 2025.
“Shebra Evans will bring outstanding civic and professional experience to the Council as an at-large member, and we look forward to working with her as our new colleague,” said Council President Natali Fani-González. “After a thorough interview process, the Council is confident that Shebra Evans will serve the people of Montgomery County with integrity, curiosity, and fairness in this caretaker role.”
“The Council was fortunate to have many excellent applicants for this temporary councilmember position, and our decision was a difficult one. We appreciate everyone who applied and expressed a desire to serve our community,” added Council President Fani-González.
Shebra Evans is a proven leader with deep roots in Montgomery County. She served eight years on the Montgomery County Board of Education, overseeing a $3 billion operating budget and a $1.8 billion capital plan, always with a focus on aligning education with workforce development and economic opportunity. She distinguished herself on the school board with her steady and informed leadership and was elected by her colleagues to serve two consecutive terms as school board president. She lives in Glenmont with her family.
“I am honored to be appointed to serve on the Montgomery County Council until December 1, 2026,” said Evans. “With eight years of experience as a former Board of Education member, who worked in collaboration with many local and state leaders as well as residents, I will be hitting the ground running at the Council. I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues on the issues that are important to community members.”
Ms. Evans will be sworn-in later this afternoon. Her resume can be viewed on the Council’s website.
With the new councilmember appointment, Council President Fani-González also announced updated committee assignments.
Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles will chair the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee and Councilmember Andrew Friedson will join the HHS Committee, which also includes Councilmember Dawn Luedtke.
“I am honored to be appointed chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and am grateful for the confidence my colleagues have placed in me,” Councilmember Sayles said. “At a time when healthcare in our country remains inaccessible for too many and health outcomes still depend on race, income, and geography, Montgomery County cannot afford to wait for national solutions. We will become the model for what is possible.”
“As a public health professional and lifelong advocate for justice, I am committed to driving data-driven policies that strengthen our safety-net services, protect our seniors, expand behavioral health support, advance reproductive and maternal health equity, and ensure that every resident, regardless of income, race or ZIP code, can access the care they deserve,” Sayles continued.
“I look forward to collaborating with the Department of Health and Human Services, our community partners, and those on the front lines to deliver accountable, transparent, community-centered solutions that dismantle disparities and build a healthier, more resilient Montgomery County for all.”
Councilmember Sayles holds a Bachelor’s in Public Health from the University of Maryland and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore. She has served as a dedicated member of the HHS Committee since being elected to the Council in 2022. As the Lead for Eliminating Disparities in Public Health, she has built strong partnerships to improve service accessibility for residents, advocating for vulnerable populations on issues like affordable housing, food insecurity, maternal health, and mental health. As such, she is uniquely qualified to guide the HHS Committee through the upcoming year.
Ms. Shebra Evans will join the Education and Culture Committee and the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee. All other committee assignments remain unchanged.