14th Annual Leaders Conference Attendees – NewDEAL

Derek Slaughter

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:58 +0000

Derek Slaughter

Mayor | Williamsport, PA

Mayor Derek Slaughter was born and raised in Williamsport. He attended Williamsport Area School District and graduated from Williamsport Area High School in 1999. Mayor Slaughter earned his undergraduate degree from Penn State University in 2003 where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Sciences & Technology with a minor in Spanish. While at Penn State, he also spent a semester studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain. Mayor Slaughter completed his Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2005.

Mayor Slaughter is on the steering committee for the Mayors’ Innovation Project and serves as 1st Vice President of the Pennsylvania Municipal League (PML). Mayor Slaughter was appointed by Governor Wolf to serve as a Commission member on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Additionally, Governor Shapiro appointed Mayor Slaughter to the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). Earlier this year, Mayor Slaughter was recognized by Governor Shapiro and received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Service to Local Government.

Accomplishments:

• Secured millions of dollars in grant funding for numerous projects including public safety, parks and recreation, and infrastructure

• Prioritized the recertification of our levee; helped to secure $8 million in federal dollars to support this work; first work being done on our levee system in 50 years

• Made upgrades to nearly every park in the city; secured a grant to update our parks, recreation, open space and green infrastructure comprehensive plan

• Worked with developers to bring various economic development projects to the city including commercial, industrial, residential, and mixed-use developments

• Completely revamped the city’s finances and brought the city back to a solid financial standing – completed the StMP program, overhauled the city’s financial software to include new HR, payroll, and financial software, updated and streamlined systems, restructured the city’s financial office

• Nearly $100 million of development happening or about to happen in the city.

• Numerous investments in public safety – currently working to rollout a public safety hybrid response team to handle mental and behavioral health calls

• Transitioned our transit agency to an authority

• Created an in-house grants administrator position

Xay Khamsyvoravong

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:55 +0000

Xay Khamsyvoravong

City Councilmember | Newport, RI

Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong, Esq., known as “Xay” (pronounced “sigh”) is an experienced civic leader and trusted expert on state and local finances. Xay has spent his career helping communities address challenges ranging from funding infrastructure to improving public education. He is currently serving as the Mayor of Newport, Rhode Island.

Attracting over 3.5 million visitors per year and serving as the home to nationally important institutions like the US Naval War College, Newport’s future depends on its ability to put residents first as it addresses major challenges facing the City. As Mayor, Xay has championed policies to improve housing, infrastructure, education, and economic development. In his first term, Xay worked to crackdown on illegal short-term rentals, adopt a modern Master Transportation Plan, provide a winter warming center for the unhoused, increase after-school programming, and restructure government with a focus on resiliency and sustainability.

Dontavius Jarrells

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:48 +0000

Dontavius Jarrells

Representative | Columbus, OH

State Representative and Assistant Minority Leader Dontavius Jarrells is serving his second term in the Ohio General Assembly, representing House District 1. Growing up in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood, Rep. Jarrells witnessed firsthand the daily struggles of minoritized communities, from the lack of affordable housing to limited access to education. As a lead poisoning survivor himself, these challenges shaped his worldview and ignited his passion for public service.

With over a decade of advocacy for communities across Ohio, Rep. Jarrells is dedicated to advancing commonsense legislation to improve the quality of life for all Ohioans. During his tenure, he has secured $150 million for lead prevention programs, passed legislation ensuring no-cost lead abatement in water lines for consumers, eliminated discriminatory covenants in deed transfers, removed derogatory language from state code, designated January 11th as Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and brought back millions in funding for House District 1 and Franklin County.

Rep. Jarrells is committed to building the Ohio we all deserve.

Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:23 +0000

Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson

City Councilmember | Santa Cruz, CA

Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson is committed to community well-being and works towards this in her professional, elected and volunteer roles. Shebreh was first elected to Santa Cruz City Council in November of 2020 and reelected for a four year term in March of 2024. Shebreh’s has focused her city council work on youth well-being, addressing the challenges around homelessness, increasing affordable and workforce housing, enhancing economic vitality, environmental stewardship, climate response, and improved transportation systems. As a pro-growth leader, Shebreh has worked on housing development in the community. Shebreh formed a council sub-committee dedicated to actively revising our local Housing Element to include forward thinking policies that promote all levels of housing. One of the key initiatives Shebreh championed includes the introduction of ministerial approval for housing projects, particularly those designated as 100% affordable. In her nearly four years of service on the City Council, Shebreh takes pride in my unwavering support for housing projects, consistently voting ‘yes’ on all proposals to advance our community’s housing needs. Shebreh’s philosophy on housing is that to uphold our community’s core values of equity, diversity, and well-being, we must embrace housing diversity at all affordability levels and types.

Shebreh has also focused on a vibrant and safe downtown. She has focused on policies and initiatives such as permanent outdoor dining, downtown ambassadors’ program, activation of alley-ways, and ensuring a vibrant and clean downtown for both locals and visitors. Shebreh has supported filling empty storefronts with high-opportunity industries and implementing administrative streamlining for first-time business owners. Currently, Shebreh is leading a policy effort to address negligent property owners that negatively impact safety and experience of community members and visitors.

Shebreh is also commitment to environmental sustainability. When coastal erosion occurred during the 2023 California storms, Shebreh worked with the city teams to restore coastal safety and develop a long-term coastal resiliency plan. Shebreh also serves on the public transportation board, the Metro, and served as Board chair in 2023. Shebreh has also been focusing improved bike safety including safe routes to schools.

Shebreh has demonstrated her commitment to the community and the community has responded with the relreection to her second term by attaining over 70% of the votes.

Shebreh received her B.A. in Psychology and French/Francophonie Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) and a Masters in Social Work from San Jose State University. She is a mother of two boys, is married and lives in Santa Cruz California. Shebreh is a native of Iran and has lived in Santa Cruz, CA for over 20 years.

Juliana Stratton

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:18 +0000

Juliana Stratton

Lieutenant Governor | Illinois

Juliana Stratton is proud to serve as the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. She believes the best policy making is done in partnership with communities closest to the problem.

Juliana’s compassionate and visionary leadership has led to groundbreaking legislation to expand Alzheimer’s disease screening in Illinois and numerous statewide initiatives. She launched “We Thrive,” a trailblazing effort to empower women on their journey to financial wellness and is spearheading efforts to advance a diverse pipeline in agriculture technology and innovation. She loves to uplift small businesses across the state and has bolstered the Illinois Main Street Partnership to revitalize local economies.

Juliana is a champion for the rights of women and girls and is a strong voice for rural affairs, military economic development, and opioid recovery.

Juliana resides on the south side of Chicago with her husband Bryan and they have four daughters. While she no longer has time to train for marathons and triathlons, she still loves to run and hike. Perhaps most importantly, she is always the first one on the dance floor.

Jayme Davis

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:14 +0000

Jayme Davis

Representative | Rolette, ND

Jayme Davis (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe/Standing Rock Nation) is a dedicated pro-growth progressive leader serving in the North Dakota House of Representatives for District 9. Since taking office in January 2023, Jayme has championed policies that foster economic development, enhance social services, and strengthen the rights and opportunities of underrepresented communities. A key achievement is her role in passing North Dakota’s Indian Child Welfare Act into law. Her legislative work focuses on drafting and advocating for bills that address the critical needs of her constituents, particularly in health and human services, education, and juvenile justice reform. Jayme’s leadership is marked by her collaborative approach, working closely with fellow legislators, stakeholders, and community leaders to build consensus on impactful policies. Notably, Jayme is the first Native American to hold a leadership position in the North Dakota State Legislature, serving as the Democratic Caucus Chair.

In addition to her legislative duties, Jayme’s commitment to public service is exemplified by her role as a Policy Specialist for the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, where she ensures that tribal policies are efficient, effective, and aligned with the needs of the community and Native Nation. Jayme leverages her extensive experience in Native Nation building and strategic governance through her Circle of Nations consulting firm, which she founded to provide tailored solutions for strengthening the governance structures of Native Nations and Indigenous-led organizations. Her work across both tribal and state policy platforms highlights her commitment to fostering sustainable growth and equitable opportunities for all.

Kesha Hodge Washington

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:14 +0000

Kesha Hodge Washington

City Councilmember | Phoenix, AZ

Kesha Hodge Washington was sworn in as District 8 Councilwoman on April 17, 2023, she is the first African-American woman to be elected to the Phoenix City Council. Councilwoman Hodge Washington serves on the Audit Committee, the Economic Development and Housing and Transportation Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittees, and her top priorities in the district are homelessness, affordable and attainable housing, and economic development.

Within months of joining Council, Councilwoman Hodge Washington stepped up to co-chair the general obligation bond outreach campaign and worked diligently to ensure its successful passage, becoming the first bond package passed in over twenty years. With her leadership, the bond received overwhelming support to secure $500M investment for various city projects ranging from public safety and infrastructure/new and renovated facilities to economic development and sustainability measures.

On Council, Councilwoman Hodge Washington remains a vocal advocate for housing protection and combatting the devasting, long-lasting impacts that flow from an eviction and homelessness. Among other measures, she leads in calling for protective initiatives, such as right to counsel programs, that bring balance and fairness to the eviction process. Councilwoman Hodge Washington also values inclusivity and transparency in all aspects of government. She ensured those principles were extended to the City’s Civilian Review Board and successfully championed for the inclusion of ethical standards and procedural safeguards to ensure equal access for information, further fostering a more accountable and just system.

James Maroney

Rachel Walsh — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:05 +0000

James Maroney

Senator | Milford, CT

James Maroney was first elected to represent the 14th District (Milford) in 2018.

Senator Maroney currently serves as the Co-Chair of the General Law Committee. In his time as co-chair of the committee, he has passed comprehensive consumer data privacy laws, children and consumer health data privacy laws, a law governing state government use of AI, laws modernizing and expanding the practice of pharmacy in Connecticut, among others.

Recently Senator Maroney was named to the inaugural Leadership Council of the Future of Privacy Forum Center for Artificial Intelligence. Senator Maroney’s work on tech legislation has been recognized nationally.

Megan Srinivas

Andrea Cruz — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 04:00:46 +0000

Megan Srinivas

Representative | Des Moines, IA

Dr. Megan Srinivas grew up in small town Iowa as the daughter of two Indian immigrants and is serving her first term in the Iowa House of Representatives (House District 30). She is an infectious disease physician and translational health policy researcher who focuses on delivering care to rural and low-resource settings in the US and globally. Dr. Srinvias recently led a NIH-funded study analyzing legislative defunding of family planning health centers that was published in JAMA. She also recently co-led a World Health Organization project advancing access to sexual and reproductive health care in resource-limited settings. She is the host of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health equity podcast, Stories of Care. Additionally, she serves at the infectious disease expert for Iowa Primary Care Association’s Project ECHO.

Dr. Srinivas was the youngest member on the Iowa State Board of Education, appointed by Secretary Tom Vilsack. She is a national delegate to the American Medical Association, a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity, sits on Iowa’s National Alliance for Mental Illness’s Board of Directors, and serves on the Iowa Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. In the legislature, Dr. Srinivas has been a leader on reproductive health, mental health, and opioid harm reduction issues. She is a large proponent for workers’ rights, inclusive public education, and regenerative agriculture policies.

Bob Morgan

Andrea Cruz — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 04:00:41 +0000

Bob Morgan

Representative | Highwood, IL

Representative Bob Morgan serves Illinois’ 58th District. He lives in Deerfield with his wife, Sonya and two children. Bob serves as the chair of the Firearm Safety Reform Working Group and led the passage of the Protect Illinois Community Act which banned the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in the state. He also leads on legislative issues involving healthcare, serving as Chair of the House Healthcare Licensing and Vice Chair of the Insurance Committee.

Bob previously served as the lead healthcare attorney for the State of Illinois where he was instrumental in securing health insurance coverage for over 650,000 Illinois residents and implementing the Illinois Medical Cannabis Program. Active in the local community, Bob is a tireless advocate for those without a voice. He is an active Board Member of the Anti-Defamation League and serves on the Board of Trustees of Equip for Equality.