Bold local leadership is what we need in this moment.Â
Our national network of local elected officials is officially more than 1,500 members strong – representing 46 states and DC. We’re majority women, majority people of color, and fiercer than ever. And the collective power we’ve built will continue to fuel our work for the next four years and beyond.
Today, we’re excited to share an exciting announcement and introduce our four new board members:
🎉 Our new co-chair: Gabriela Santiago-Romero (she/her), Detroit City Councilmember Â
She joins Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson as board co-chair, stepping into the role after the formidable Kristerfer Burnett concluded his last term in office in December. We’re excited to have the two of them leading our network together!
Gabriela is an immigrant from Mexico and a Southwest Detroit native. First taking office in 2022, she made history as the first out female LGBTQ+ Detroit Councilmember and the first queer Latina legislator in the state of Michigan. In the past year alone, she helped relaunched the Detroit ID program, led the passage of ground breaking ordinances (including the fugitive dust ordinance to combat industrial pollution), and helped secure more than $2.6 million in budget wins for expansive city services. She’s a community activist and organizer who has extensive experience working for Detroit nonprofits and local government. Love and food fuel her work.
🎉 Our new board members:
- Yterenickia ‘YT’ Bell (she/her), Clarkston City Councilmember, GA. A native Georgian, YT has worked as a social worker and public policy professional serving vulnerable communities and solving complex problems for over a decade. In addition to her work on the Clarkston City Council, she works as the Georgia State Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. Previously, she was the Director at the Progressive Governance Academy, a project between the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), Local Progress Impact Lab, and re:power to build and develop the leadership and governance skills of progressive state and local elected officials across the country.Â
- Johana Bencomo (she/her/ella), Las Cruces Mayor Pro Tem, NM. Johana has committed to a career in social justice and building power with historically excluded communities, primarily focusing on immigrant and workers’ rights and supporting other women in politics. She migrated to the United States with her family when she was 8 years old. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Government and Masters in Social Work from New Mexico State University. Johana also works with Electing Women Alliance-NM, where she gets to support other women running for public office. Prior to this she served as the Executive Director for NM CAFé, a faith-based community organizing non-profit in Southern NM. Within the LP network, she served alongside Sherri as one of the inaugural co-chairs for the Women’s Caucus.Â
- Sherri Jones (she/her), Florence Unified School District Governing Board Member, AZ. Sherri has dedicated her career to enhancing educational opportunities for young children and advocating for teachers and families in Arizona’s rural, urban, and tribal communities. Elected to the FUSD Governing Board in 2020, Sherri has demonstrated her commitment to educational excellence. She is an active board member of Leading for Change, a leadership development organization, and the Community Action Human Resources Agency in Pinal County, addressing rural community needs and promoting social and economic well-being. Alongside Johana, she was one the inaugural co-chairs for the Women’s Caucus.Â
- Elliott Payne (he/him), Minneapolis City Council President, MN. Elliott began his time in work in city government in 2016 as a member of the Office of Performance and Innovation before being elected to the City Council in 2021. During his first term, he led the charge on expanding alternative responses to public safety through budget amendments to expand the city’s mental health response and to create a Public Safety Ambassador Program. Last year, he was elected as City Council President and secured the passage of one of the most equitable budgets the city has ever had. Elliot has also served on LP’s Public Safety Steering Committee, helping to inform and drive the network’s work on community-led safety solutions.
We’re so grateful to have their leadership on our board to help drive and grow our work in the months and years to come.Â
We’re also immensely grateful to our four departing board members – Kris Burnett, Alexsandra Annello, Dr. Kelly Kent, and Shane Larson – whose commitment and vision have helped grow our network into what it is today.Â
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to this incredible group! And if you’re joining us in Chicago in July, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to them in-person!
