Mike (they/them) is the Director of Public Health Policy at Equality Federation. In this role, they lead our Public Health Department, which mobilizes our state partner organizations to leverage their advocacy capacity to influence Public Health policy and ensure effective implementation of those policies, with a focus on HIV and other health issues that disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ communities. 

They have spent the last 14 years rooted in LGBTQ+ political and community organizing ranging from LGBTQ+ policy work with state and local elected officials in Texas to HIV advocacy fighting against HIV Criminalization laws and for adequate public health funding and culturally competent prevention services. Most recently, Mike was elected as Vice Chair of the U.S. People Living with HIV Caucus. 

Mike is very proud of their role as former President of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, growing the organization to be one of the most diverse and largest membership-driven LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations in the South, which held local elected officials accountable to the LGBTQ community while helping elect pro-LGBTQ+ candidates.