ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families Secretary Tony Woods will transition from his cabinet position on May 11 to return to the private sector in a role with a technology startup. Deputy Secretary Ross Cohen will serve as acting secretary to ensure continuity of service and support for Maryland’s veterans and military families while a search to fill the secretary’s post is underway.

“Secretary Tony Woods has made Maryland a national leader in how we care for those who serve. He has reshaped the department with heart, vision, and an unwavering commitment to veterans, military families, caregivers, and survivors across our state,” said Gov. Moore. “From improving care at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home to reducing appointment wait times at the department’s benefits service offices, Tony has delivered transformative leadership for Maryland’s veterans and military-connected community; his impact will be felt for generations to come, and I am proud to have served alongside him.”

Under Secretary Woods’s leadership, the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families delivered for Maryland’s military-connected community, raising the standard of care at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home by navigating a successful leadership transition and converting all temporary nursing staff into full-time roles. Secretary Woods oversaw a benefits service program that captured nearly $45 million annually in federal VA benefits for Maryland veterans and maintained a 94% claims approval rate. And through data-informed decision-making, the department reduced appointment wait times from as high as 65 days to under a week at every in-person location across the state.

During his tenure, Secretary Woods championed groundbreaking initiatives for military families that garnered national recognition. He expanded eligibility at Maryland’s veterans cemeteries to include spouses at no cost for the first time and launched the first online application for the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund, streamlining access to emergency financial assistance. He led the successful renaming of the department to include “Military Families,” implemented the “Year for Military Families” in 2024, and launched Maryland Joins Forces, a public-private partnership attracting more than 30 organizations dedicated to supporting veterans and their families across the state.

He holds the distinction of being Maryland’s first openly LGBTQ+ cabinet secretary and used his platform to advocate for transgender service members and veterans, both within the state and at the federal level.

“It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life to serve Maryland’s veterans and military families,” said Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families Secretary Tony Woods. “I’m especially grateful to the 130 dedicated public servants at the department who are among the most mission-driven colleagues I’ve ever known. I’m honored to have stood alongside this extraordinary team in service to Maryland’s military-connected community.”

Ross Cohen most recently served as the deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. He is a former enlisted Army infantryman who deployed to Afghanistan as a paratrooper. Prior to joining the department, he held senior leadership roles at Blue Star Families, Hiring Our Heroes, and JPMorgan Chase’s Veteran Jobs Mission, where he advanced employment and support for the military-connected community. 

Cohen earned his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his masters degree in public affairs from Princeton University.