National Convening Program Books 2016 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 51

YEO NATIONAL CONVENING 2016

ALEX GARZA City Councilman
Taylor, Michigan

City Councilman Alex Garza serves on the Taylor, Michigan City Council. Garza has previously
worked as a legislative aide for Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh and for State
Representative Rashida Tlaib. Garza serves on Taylor’s downtown development authority and
works as a research and policy analyst. He most recently worked as a field director for Organizing
for America. Garza is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of
Michigan-Dearborn. @alex4taylor

DONESIA L. GAUSE City Clerk
Carson, California

Donesia L. Gause was appointed city clerk of the City of Carson in February 2012. She is a
member of the City Clerks Association of California, International Institute of Municipal Clerks,
and California Association of Clerks and Election Officials. Gause is currently pursuing an
elections and registration administrator certification. She has 12 years of public service experience
directly related to the day-to-day operations of the city clerk’s office. Prior to being appointed
clerk, she worked for the City of Long Beach as the city clerk analyst, and served as the City of
Compton’s deputy city clerk. She is a proud mother of one daughter, Kalyn Gause.

ANDREW GILLUM Mayor
Tallahassee, Florida

Andrew D. Gillum is the mayor of Tallahassee, Florida. A Florida A&M University graduate and
former FAMU student government president and board trustee, he was elected to the Tallahassee
City Commission in February 2003 and was elected to a four-year term as mayor in August 2014.
Gillum serves as the Director of Youth Leadership Programs at People For the American Way
Foundation, which encompasses three program areas: Young People For, the Front Line Leaders
Academy, and the Young Elected Officials Network (YEO). He’s on the board of directors for the
Schott Foundation for Public Education and the New World Foundation, and he is a member of
numerous other organizations. Andrew, his wife R. Jai, and their one-year-old twins Jackson and
Caroline reside in Tallahassee.

DANIEL GORDON City Councilman
Bowling Green, Ohio

Daniel Gordon is city council president pro tem and 1st Ward councilman in Bowling Green,
Ohio. First elected in 2011, when he unseated an incumbent, and reelected in 2013, he is
the city’s youngest elected official. Gordon’s mission has been to improve quality of life for
all citizens by providing for social, economic, and environmental justice through community
development, neighborhood revitalization, and citizen empowerment. Gordon spearheaded the
creation of Ridge Park, the first public park in the history of his district; established the CityUniversity Relations Commission, whose mandate is to improve relationships between student
and permanent residents; and promoted Complete Streets legislation to revamp transportation
infrastructure. Gordon earned his bachelor’s in political science and philosophy and master’s in
public administration with a concentration in politics and public policy from Bowling Green State
University, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. @dg4bg

YEO BIOS

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