National Convening Program Books 2016 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 38

YEO Bios
SARAH ANTHONY County Commissioner
Lansing, Michigan

Sarah Anthony was elected as Ingham County Commissioner in 2012 and reelected in 2014.
Anthony serves as the chair of the county’s Finance Committee and a member of the Human
Services Committee, and she previously served as the chair of the Ingham County Commission’s
Caucus for her party. To date, Anthony is the youngest African-American female county
commissioner in the country, and has worked hard to be a voice for disadvantaged communities,
working families, and young people. As liaison to the commission’s Equal Opportunity
Committee, she worked to pass a countywide “ban the box” policy. Anthony was born and raised
in Lansing’s Southside, graduating from Everett High School, as well as Central and Western
Michigan Universities. In 2007, she worked with State Representative Joan Bauer, where
she served as the community relations’ liaison and worked closely with Rep. Bauer on higher
education policy. Anthony is involved with her political party’s county affiliate and Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority Inc., among others.

JESSIE BAINES Park Board Commissioner
Tacoma, Washington

Jessie K. Baines Jr. was elected in November 2015. He grew up in a large family and has strong
community ties. In the 1950s, his grandmother helped found the Tacoma Colored Women’s
Club. Metro Parks played a key role in both his family life and his personal development. Baines
earned associate’s and bachelor’s degrees at Tacoma Community College and Washington
State University, respectively, and is working on a master’s in public administration at Seattle
University. He is a board member of the Seattle-based Economic Opportunity Institute and
has worked as a career navigator for Port Jobs, as an intervention specialist for the Northwest
Leadership Foundation, and as athletic director of the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Topping Hope
Center.

MANDELA BARNES State Representative
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

In 2012, Mandela Barnes was elected to serve in the Wisconsin State Legislature. Barnes
graduated from Milwaukee’s John Marshall High School in 2003, and graduated from Alabama
A&M University in 2008. Barnes was sworn into office on January 7th, 2013, and currently
serves on the Corrections, Education, Jobs & the Economy Committee and Small Business
Development Committee. During his first legislative session, Representative Barnes authored bills
that would protect voters from fraud, provide small businesses with tax relief, safeguard children’s
health, enhance public safety, encourage responsible gun ownership, and ban employment
discrimination. Barnes was elected chairman of the legislature’s Black and Latino Caucus, and
had the honor to serve on international delegations to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
@TheOtherMandela

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YEO BIOS