Anthony Christopher Woods (born July 20, 1980) is an American politician serving as the secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families since January 2023.

[1] Born on July 20, 1980,[2] at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, Woods was raised by a single mother who supported her family as a small business owner and housekeeper.

[5][2] Woods received a nomination from U.S. representative Vic Fazio (D CA-3) to attend the United States Military Academy.

[9] Upon return from his second deployment, the Army selected Woods to teach at West Point, an unusual appointment for so junior an officer and one which would require him to earn a graduate degree first.

[10] That year, he enrolled at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he studied for a master's degree in public policy.

While at Harvard, Woods volunteered to mentor low-income minorities applying to college and numerous other community leadership activities, including co-founding the first student chapter of The Fuller Center for Housing and making three trips to New Orleans to assist families struggling to rebuild following Hurricane Katrina.

[4] On March 18, 2009, Woods declared his intention to run in the 2009 California's 10th congressional district special election to replace representative Ellen Tauscher, who was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

He served as the Director of the "Service as a Strategy" initiative, aiding in developing volunteer-driven solutions for American cities.