About Katie Clendaniel

For me, the Eastern Shore isn't just a district on a map—it’s home. 

Having grown up in Trappe and attended school in Cambridge, I learned early on that our rural quality of life is worth protecting. As the daughter of two longtime educators from local farming families, I was raised from a very young age to be industrious and to give back to the community.

After graduating from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School in 1999, I spent four transformative years studying Social Anthropology at Massey University in New Zealand. This international perspective fueled my later graduate work at the University of Maryland (2006–2009), where I studied Applied Anthropology with a focus on heritage tourism and the local impacts of climate change. These studies even took me to the Baltic region of Germany to learn about global parallels to our own coastal challenges.

My professional path has been a blend of local devotion and global insight. From studying Social Anthropology in New Zealand to tackling blight in Downtown Cambridge, my work has consistently focused on the intersection of our environment, our economy, and our unique heritage.

Today, I am a seasoned grassroots organizer, non-profit and community development professional. I believe the Eastern Shore deserves a leader who doesn't just respond to problems, but anticipates them with a focused vision for the future. What we do now matters. The relationships we build strengthen us and lead to transformative change. 

I am running for the Maryland State Senate in District 37 to bring transformative, regional solutions to the place I call home.