The Register of Wills is a local government office responsible for supervising the verification process after a person dies. Its duties include validating wills, opening estates, appointing personal representatives, issuing legal documents such as Letters of Administration and ensuring that debts, taxes and assets are properly handled or distributed according to the law.
The Prince George’s County office assists in collecting inheritance taxes, audits estate accounts and provides secure storage for wills. The position carries a salary of up to $172,463. This year, there are 11 candidates running for the office. The following information comes from their campaign materials.
Antwan C. Brown
Brown describes himself as an administrator and educator, and that his work centers on mentorship, advocacy and strengthening communities. He served in the United States Army, and earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in, respectively, computer information systems, management and leadership, and social work. He has served in leadership roles in the Oxon Hill Civic Association and the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee.
He currently serves as the administrative director for African Affairs and Middle Eastern American Affairs in the Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. Brown says he is running for office because he believes leadership requires action, accountability and a commitment to serving others.
Kayla D. Bryant
Bryant is a Prince George’s County native and legal professional who says she is dedicated to serving families during some of life’s most difficult moments. She wrote that while working in the Prince George’s County Register of Wills office from 2022 to 2023, she saw how the probate process can affect grieving families. She’s continued working in estate administration and legal support roles while pursuing her law degree to strengthen her knowledge and ability to serve the community.
Bryant says she is running for Register of Wills because she believes the office should operate with compassion, transparency and accessibility for every resident, and she hopes to bring fresh leadership and a people-centered approach to the role.
Belinda Queen Cunningham
Cunningham says she has served as a community advocate, nonprofit leader and elected official in Prince George’s County. She earned an associate degree in accounting. Her experience includes serving on the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee from 2014 to 2018 and as secretary of the county’s Park and Recreation Advisory Board during the same period. From 2018 to 2022, she was the elected Board of Education representative for District 6. She feels her leadership reflects a strong commitment to civic engagement, community empowerment and improving quality of life for Prince George’s County residents.
David Jack
Jack says he is committed to serving Prince George’s County residents, and that he has focused much of his effort on grassroots community involvement and outreach to support local families and youth. He describes himself as having actively organized and participated in community service initiatives across the county, including school supply drives, youth engagement activities and neighborhood giveback programs, through which he worked to address residents’ everyday needs while encouraging stronger community connections and civic participation.
Januari McKay
McKay has served vulnerable communities across Washington, D.C., Prince George’s County and Baltimore. She began public service as an instructional aide for students with emotional and intellectual disabilities before joining Advocates for Youth, an advocacy organization for sexual health and reproductive rights, where she led HIV and AIDS educational workshops in D.C. public schools. She later worked as a Prince George’s County Department of Social Services case manager, helping young adults transitioning from foster care to obtain housing and employment training. She currently works as a chief of staff in the Maryland General Assembly. She writes that her experiences working with youth, families and underserved residents inspired her to pursue public office and advocate for policies that better support working-class communities.
Rosalyn E. Pugh
Pugh is an attorney in Prince George’s County. She earned a bachelor’s in elementary education from Bowie State University and a juris doctor from the University of Baltimore.
Pugh served as clerk of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court from 2001 to 2006, where she managed court operations, provided court services to the public and safeguarded official records. She says she is committed to improving customer service and accessibility, timely and accurate estate administration and modernizing processes to better serve residents.
Stephanie V. Overton Stanard
Stanard has a background in federal and county administration, human capital management and organizational leadership. She operates her own consulting firm focused on workforce development and organizational strategy and currently serves as acting chair of the Prince George’s County Revenue Authority Board.
Stanard holds a Ph.D. in human development from Virginia Tech and a bachelor’s in journalism from Bowie State University. She has held senior roles at federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, the CIA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Postal Service and FDIC, focusing on operations, compliance and large-scale personnel systems. She said the Register of Wills needs greater automation to address manual processes that create unnecessary delays for families.
Jocelyn Route
Route is a former Bladensburg City Councilmember and is a mental health advocate and social worker with over 15 years of behavioral health experience. She is a Howard University graduate with a master’s in social work. She currently serves as a senior advisor and wellness integrator for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Department of Parks and Recreation, responsible for applying holistic wellness frameworks across employee and community initiatives. She was formerly a public health advisor for the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, where she oversaw mental health awareness grant programs to promote wellness and recovery nationwide.
Route is running because the Register of Wills “should do more to simplify information, improve communication and ensure residents understand what documents are needed and what steps to expect.”
Starsha Sewell
Sewell’s background includes cybersecurity and risk management for federal agencies and Maryland state government, and she describes herself as a chaplain supporting individuals and families through grief and life transitions.
Sewell is CEO of the Cyberdemics cybersecurity training and consulting firm. Her platform emphasizes transparency, accountability and public access within the probate system, with a focus on modernizing office operations while keeping the human impact of probate at the center of service delivery.
Desdemona B. Smith
Smith currently serves in the Register of Wills as the assistant chief deputy and supervisor of the New Estates Division, where she oversees estate administration operations.
Smith’s platform emphasizes improving accessibility, transparency and operational effectiveness within the office, providing guidance to families and protecting the integrity of estate records.
If elected Smith says she would bring continued leadership focused on fairness, efficiency and compassionate service in probate administration. She is committed to ensuring families receive clear guidance while protecting the integrity of estate records and the legacy of loved ones.
Linda Thornton Thomas
Thomas’ experience includes working as a school principal, a U.S Labor Department administrative law judge, an education program specialist in the Department of Education, and an elected member of the Prince George’s County Board of Education. Thomas also founded a consulting firm that collaborated with organizations focused on underserved communities.
Thomas believes the Register of Wills office plays a critical role in protecting families, preserving legacies and ensuring estates are managed fairly and efficiently. Her platform emphasizes democracy, equity, civility and strong community outreach, and bringing transparency, accountability and compassionate public service to the probate process while helping residents navigate estate matters with confidence and dignity.
Cam Crossett is a University of Maryland graduate student at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism interning with the Greenbelt News Review.