Derrick Coley served as a staff associate for the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 1998 to 2003. He later worked as a deputy chief of staff in the Office of Prince George's County Council Member Obie Patterson from 2003 to 2010. He served as a public affairs liaison for the Prince George's County Government from 2011 to 2015, followed by a role as a special assistant for government relations at Bowie State University from 2015 to 2023. He served as the executive director for external relations for the Maryland Higher Education Commission from 2023 to 2025 and has worked as an organization manager for Prince George's County since 2025. He has been a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since January 13, 2026.
