Gail Bates was appointed to the Maryland State Board of Education in 2019. As a member of the Maryland General Assembly, serving in both the Maryland Senate and Maryland House of Delegates, Ms. Bates served on the Appropriations Committee, the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, and the Special Joint Committee on Pensions.
Ms. Bates previously taught mathematics and home economics in Anne Arundel County. She was also a tax supervisor and manager for the Records and Tax Department of the Maryland Farm Bureau, and since 1984, has been a sole proprietor as a Certified Public Accountant. Ms. Bates was also an assistant to the Howard County Executive.
Ms. Bates has been an active member of different organizations to include the Howard County Republican Club, the Maryland Federation of Republican Women, the Howard County Republican Central Committee (previously serving as Treasurer), the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants, and the Howard County Republican Women (serving as president since 2001).
Ms. Bates She was a board member of the Howard County Chapter of the American Red Cross from 1996 until 1999. She has served with the Christian Jail Ministry since 1997 and the Howard County Farm Bureau since 1998. She has been the Treasurer of the Howard County Tourism Council since 2004. She is a member of the Therapeutic Horsemanship Association and received the Life Achievement Award from the Howard County Republican Central Committee in 1990.
Ms. Bates graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Education.