On May 23, 2019, Victory Institute announced this year’s Victory Empowerment Fellows, naming two Ford School alumni, Brenda Duverce (MPP ‘16) and Preston Parish (MPP ‘18). Victory Empowerment is a national organization that strives to promote openly LGBTQ leaders as key actors in all levels of government. Its Victory Empowerment Fellowship program, established in 2015, recognizes outstanding LGBTQ leaders of color and/or trans leaders, providing them with networking and training opportunities designed to further its mission.
Duverse, who currently resides in Washington, D.C., works with Deloitte Consulting as a management consultant. While there, she has also co-led their LGBTQ resource group, leading “local community engagement efforts and their internal mentorship development program.” Before joining Deloitte, Duverce was a legislative fellow on Capitol Hill and a Fulbright Fellow in Botswana.
Parish has focused his career on elevating progressive policies as an analyst, with experience in multiple levels and sectors of government and private work. His emphasis has ranged from
“LGBTQ workforce equality and environmental justice to public health and education.” Parish, an enrolled member of the Bay Mills Indian Community, intertwines this work with issues directly related to native tribes. He currently serves as a State-Tribal Policy Analyst in Montana, focusing on the impact of “budget and tax decisions on tribal communities.”
Congrats, Brenda and Preston!
Read the original Victory Empowerment Fellows announcement here.