Janssen E. Evelyn

Assistant Chief Administrative Officer
Howard County Government

Janssen E. Evelyn’s commitment to justice is fueled in part by his experiences growing up as an immigrant in a Prince George’s County  apartment.

“I saw the pain and frustration my parents and neighbors felt when injustice inevitably occurred and the feeling of having no recourse,” he said.

“I believe in justice and that the law is for everyone,” he added. “I know, however, that not everyone is equal in the eyes of the legal system. Race and culture, language, education, immigration status, disability, and income are enormous barriers to using the law to get justice.”

Evelyn attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland and earned his law degree in 2006 at the Washington and Lee School of Law in Lexington, Virginia.

He worked in private practice in Baltimore for a few years before being named an associate county attorney in Prince George’s County. In 2015, he joined the Howard County Office of Law as an assistant county solicitor and two years later was named assistant chief administrative officer.

Evelyn served as the county’s acting human rights administrator for six months, helping to restructure the county’s Office of Human Rights and Equity.

He also was part of the team that helped the county government shift operations virtually at the start of the pandemic.

Outside of the office, Evelyn is a board member for the Howard County Conservancy, the county NAACP and the Village of Hickory Ridge in Columbia. He also has worked with a nearby farm to build a teaching garden to provide healthy food to people who need it – and to educate the community “about the natural world.”

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball described Evelyn as “dependable, hard-working, bright, and a champion for equity and justice.”

His skills “do not end with his office work,” Ball added. “He also projects a warm, cheerful attitude to our colleagues and residents. I have seen him resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable patience, tact, and a smile.”

“I believe in justice and that the law is for everyone. I know, however, that not everyone is equal in the eyes of the legal system. Race and culture, language, education, immigration status, disability, and income are enormous barriers to using the law to get justice.”