National Convening Program Books 2014 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 46

YOUNG ELECTED OFFICIALS

46

Jeremy Farmer
Vice Mayor
Lawrence, Kansas
Jeremy Farmer serves as the vice mayor for the city of Lawrence, Kansas.
Born and raised in Lawrence, he attended seminary and obtained his
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clinical pastoral counseling. Farmer is
also the chief executive officer of Just Food, a food bank which has innovative
programs to emancipate people from poverty and to empower them to be
self-sufficient. Vice Mayor Farmer has spoken all over the country about issues related to poverty
and food justice. During his tenure with the city of Lawrence, he has worked on sustainable food
systems, key economic development initiatives, as well as a rental registration and inspection
program. He is most passionate about bringing together people with varying perspectives and
working towards compromise. Farmer serves on the advisory board for Leadership Lawrence
and is an avid blogger, social media junkie, and storm chaser. @jeremyfarmerks

Wesley Farrow
Neighborhood Council Member
Los Angeles, California
Wesley Farrow serves his home neighborhood as treasurer of the Del Rey
Neighborhood Council and co-chair of the education committee. Council
Member Farrow is the west coast manager for the Robert F. Kennedy
Center’s Speak Truth to Power program. After studying economics and
psychology at the University of Michigan, he spent time in Latin America,
southeast Asia, and eastern Africa working with start-up nonprofits. He then worked for Teach for
America Los Angeles as a secondary special education teacher and administrator. He served in
United Teachers Los Angeles’ House of Representatives and played an active role in cultivating
teacher leadership through NewTLA. He also holds the honorary position of international
development director for the women and children’s agenda in Northern Uganda. He is engaged
in board and committee leadership with Students of the World, The Ed Agency, Coro Southern
California, Young Elected Officials Network, Islah LA, and the South Los Angeles WorkSource
Center. @wesleyfarrow

Mark Ferrandino

State Representative
Denver, Colorado
Mark Ferrandino is the state representative for House District 2 in Denver
and, since November of 2012, the speaker of the Colorado House of
Representatives. After being elected speaker by his colleagues, Ferrandino
resigned his post as the ranking Democrat on the joint budget committee,
which writes the state’s annual budget and has had the task of trimming more
than $5 billion from state expenditures since the 2008 recession. Speaker Ferrandino sponsored
legislation granting needy homeowners threatened with foreclosure 90 extra days to work with
their lenders to come to a good solution. He led the fight to crack down on payday lenders,
reducing their 300 percent interest rates. He sponsored legislation allowing state employees to
designate their unmarried partners as insurance beneficiaries, and he championed civil unions
for gay and lesbian couples.

2014 Young Elected Officials Network National Convening