We are proud to announce LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s 2025 class of David Bohnett Leaders Fellows. These inspiring LGBTQ+ political leaders were selected to attend a three-week Executive Education program at the Harvard Kennedy School thanks to a scholarship provided by the David Bohnett Foundation.
This opportunity will provide these leaders with the tools necessary to take their activism and passion to the next level. Alumni of this program go on to serve in all levels of government across the country. Alumni include California State Commissioner of Insurance Ricardo Lara, Venezuela National Assemblywoman Tamara Adrián and Wisconsin Democratic Assembly Leader Greta Neubauer.
Below are the 2025 fellows. You can read more about the David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship here.
Lorena Austin, Arizona House of Representatives
Arizona State Representative Lorena Austin is a 5th generation Arizonan, whose lifelong love for advocacy and leadership has been rooted in Mesa for over 100 years. As a grandchild of farmworkers and child of civil rights activists, they proudly graduated from Mesa Community College as student body president with a degree in Sociology, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University with a degree in Chicano/a Latino/a Studies with a focus on U.S. & Mexican Regional Immigration Policy and Economy, and a certificate in Cross-Sector Leadership.
Representative Austin has worked in the public, private, and non-profit sectors such as Verizon’s Innovative Learning Program to bring advanced technology to Title 1 schools across the country, serving as project manager for the Maricopa County Community College District, where they designed the Maricopa Student Senate, developed to enhance the voice of students and placed a student on the Governing Board for the first time in the District’s history, as well as serving as an Advisor for Anytown Arizona Leadership Camp. Before becoming an elected official, Representative Austin worked in Higher Education for almost a decade, and served as the student government advisor at Mesa Community College.
Representative Austin is a longtime volunteer in their community and helped rally COVID-19 relief in their district, and for indigenous communities in the Navajo Nation. Representative Austin is the first Chicane, non-binary person elected to any state legislature in the country and currently serves the residents of LD9 in West Mesa and Tempe. They currently serve as the Democratic Ranking Member on the International Trade committee in addition to serving on the Appropriations and Public Safety and Law Enforcement committees. In their first term, Representative Austin succeeded in passing a $40 million dollar investment in the Arizona Promise Program which helps college students pay tuition. Additionally, Representative Austin has been a resounding voice in combating multiple anti-LGBTQ+ bills that were ultimately vetoed, and is responsible for creating the state’s first LGBTQ+ Youth Pride Day at the Capitol.
Sheena Barnes, Toledo Public Schools Board of Education
Sheena Barnes (She/Her, They/Them) is a Flint, Michigan native who has lived in Toledo, Ohio, for 18 years with her three children. With a background in trauma-informed and responsive care, Sheena specializes in addressing the impact of environmental trauma on youth, focusing on the correlation between adverse stimuli, negative behaviors, and coping mechanisms. She also brings expertise in public policy, organizational leadership and development, and youth crisis intervention advocacy.
In 2019, Sheena made history by earning a seat on the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education, becoming the first Black and openly queer woman in Northwest Ohio to hold this position. Her historic electoral achievement was archived in the Library of Congress. In 2023, Sheena successfully retained her seat through a write-in campaign, demonstrating her ongoing dedication to equitable education and leadership.
Sheena is the current inaugural Director of People and Culture for Equality Ohio and the former Executive Director of Equality Toledo and the Founder of Just ACTS LLC, a consulting agency that partners with organizations, school districts, and businesses to create affirming, equitable work environments. Her work emphasizes equity, access, and intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community.
A dedicated community leader, Sheena serves on committees for the National Black Justice Coalition Good Trouble Netowrk and Local Progress Black Caucus and sits on the boards of the Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center, Scouts of America Erie Shores Council, and The Buckeye Flame.
Ben Bowman, Oregon State House Majority Leader
Ben Bowman is an Oregon State Representative and the House Majority Leader. In his day job, he works as a school district administrator. Ben serves as Chair of the House Rules Committee and a member of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee. Additionally, Ben is a member of the New DEAL Leaders program and co-chair of the Oregon Future Caucus. Before joining the Legislature, Ben was the chair of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board and worked for the Oregon Department of Education. He graduated from the University of Oregon and earned his master’s degree from Stanford University.
Precious Brady-Davis, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Precious Brady-Davis is an award-winning advocate, communications strategist, public speaker, and the celebrated author of I Have Always Been Me. She currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Center on Halsted, the largest LGBTQ+ community center in the Midwest, where she leads organizational strategy, cross-sector partnerships, and initiatives that drive measurable impact across multiple sites.
A trailblazer in American politics, Precious is the first openly Black transgender woman elected to public office in Cook County. She serves as a Commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, elected by over one million voters. In this role, she champions clean water access, environmental justice, and the protection of Lake Michigan—drinking water source for more than five million people.
Precious began her nonprofit career at Center on Halsted as Youth Outreach Coordinator, where she launched a $1.6 million CDC-funded initiative reaching more than 3,000 African American and Latinx LGBTQ+ youth with HIV prevention, education, and leadership programming. She went on to lead diversity recruitment and policy initiatives as Assistant Director at Columbia College Chicago, advancing inclusive excellence across higher education.
She later held multiple senior roles at the Sierra Club, including Associate Regional Communications Director. Her work spanned national campaigns promoting renewable energy, environmental justice, and corporate accountability, crafting communications strategies that mobilized grassroots action and influenced federal policy.
Venton Jones, Texas House of Representatives
State Representative Venton Jones is currently serving his second term in the Texas House of Representatives. Elected in 2022, he represents the district where he was born and raised. House District 100 is located in the heart of Dallas County, and includes South Dallas, West Dallas, East Dallas, Victory Park, and Oak Cliff.
Representative Jones was appointed by the Speaker of the Texas House to serve as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Corrections and on the coveted Appropriations Committee, serving on the Article II Subcommittee that appropriates funding for the state’s Health and Human Services. In addition to his committee appointments, he serves in multiple leadership positions, including Whip of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, Vice Chair of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, Parliamentarian of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, Legislative Chairman of the Aggie Caucus, and Chair of the Dallas County Delegation. He is also an active member of the Texas Energy & Climate Caucus and the Legislative Study Group. In his inaugural term during the 88th Legislative Session, his leadership was honored by his colleagues, who named him “Freshman of the Year” of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus.
Professionally, Representative Jones is a non-profit CEO, Texas Realtor, and a committed servant leader with a long history of service to his own community and to others. He is the Founder & CEO of the Southern Black Policy and Advocacy Network (SBPAN), where he leads the organization’s mission to advance the health, social, and economic well-being of Black communities in the Southern United States. Since the inception of his career, Representative Jones has been a tireless advocate for marginalized communities and working-class families, with over 20 years of experience championing improved healthcare access and affordability, affordable housing, economic development, voting rights, and a better life for all.
Representative Jones earned his Bachelor of Science in Community Health from Texas A&M University, his Master of Science in Health Care Administration from The University of Texas at Arlington, and holds a global certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
In his free time, Representative Jones enjoys karaoke, do-it-yourself home improvement projects, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, as well as the NAACP.
Micah McCarey, Athens City Council, Ohio
Micah McCarey is an experienced community engagement leader, educator, and public servant dedicated to strengthening partnerships among higher education, local government, and community organizations. With a background in interpersonal and organizational communication, human development, and strategic leadership, he has played a critical role in advancing public engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and civic innovation in Athens, Ohio. His leadership spans both municipal governance and higher education, positioning him as a bridge-builder between institutions and the communities they serve. Recognized nationally for his contributions, Micah was awarded the National League of Cities’ Centennial Under 40 Impact Award (2024) for his leadership in municipal governance, civic engagement, and public policy. With a deep commitment to strategic planning, equity-driven policymaking, and interdisciplinary problem-solving, Micah continues to lead efforts that bridge the academic, civic, and nonprofit sectors to drive meaningful progress in Athens and beyond.
Jason Morgan, Michigan House of Representatives
State Rep. Jason Morgan is serving his second term representing Michigan’s 23rd District. He is the Minority Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee and Founder of the Public Transportation Caucus. He recently served as Vice Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party and a member of the Democratic National Committee.
The son of a commercial fisherman and union laborer, Rep. Morgan was raised in Pinconning, Michigan. Rep. Morgan worked his way through college as a first-generation college student, earning a bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Michigan.
Prior to the legislature, he served as a government teacher, the first-ever LGBTQ Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, and a Northern Michigan University trustee. He is also a service member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Over the last 15 years, Rep. Morgan has worked in various leadership positions in Michigan and Washington, D.C. He served in senior staff positions to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and five members of Congress, including Representatives Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens, Elissa Slotkin, John Dingell, and Bart Stupak.
Rep. Morgan lives in Ann Arbor with his husband Jon and their cats, Doug and Joey.
Adrian Tam, Hawaii House of Representatives
Adrian Tam was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives in 2020 to represent House District 24. During his time in office, he served in several leadership roles, including vice-chairing the Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs (CAI) and the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness (HHH), eventually chairing the CAI Committee in 2023
In 2022, Tam founded the Hawaii Legislative Equality Caucus to advocate for legislation for LGBTQ+ people, which he currently chairs. Tam currently Chairs the House Committee on Tourism (TOU). Tam is credited for passing several bills relating to noise, tax transparency, youth homelessness, and protecting funding for HIV and STD treatment in the state budget.
Tam is a licensed realtor outside of the Legislature and serves as Secretary on the Kalani High School Endowment Board of Directors. In 2024, Tam served as Interim Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.
Zoey Zephyr, Montana House of Representatives
Representative Zooey Zephyr represents Montana’s 100th House District in the Montana House of Representatives and is the first trans woman to hold public office in the state of Montana. Throughout her time in office, Representative Zephyr has been a fierce advocate for affordable housing, healthcare, and human rights throughout Montana.
Prior to the legislature, Representative Zephyr worked at the University of Montana, where she oversaw the administration of the university’s curriculum approval process. She also worked as an activist, helping people file discrimination claims, drafting human rights policies for the city of Missoula, and working as a de-escalator at protests to ensure protester safety.
When the Legislature is not in session, Representative Zephyr works with people across Montana, the nation, and the world to help them get involved in the fight for progressive policies.
