Saturday, May 6, 2023
1:30pm-2:20pm
Members of the Association of Secular Elected Officials will share their experiences as atheist elected officials. Explore why it is critical for humanists and other secular people to vote intentionally and also to serve in elected office as openly secular individuals—especially under the ongoing shadow of Christian Nationalism.
Danny Choriki is the Treasurer of the Association of Secular Elected Officials. Born and raised in Montana, Danny moved to New York City in his twenties to figure out how people cope with rapid social and technical changes and how to encourage humans to pay more attention to long-term dangers such as climate change. An environmental social scientist, Danny has been a humanist all of his life and a non-theist since high school. He has been involved in politics and culture, and social change all of his life. He is currently a member of the Billings City Council in Montana. He has been the President of the Billings Association of Humanists since 2013 and has worked to advance public policy driven by science and data.
Kristiana de Leon is a board member of the Association of Secular Elected Officials. She serves on the Planning/Community Services Committee and Budget/Finance/Administration Committee on the City Council in Black Diamond, Washington, where she openly identifies as an atheist and Secular Humanist. She was elected to the four-year position in 2019 and has spent her time working on issues related to diversity and inclusion, transportation, environmental concerns, and lobbying for the needs of her neighbors through working with additional state and federal offices. Kristiana grew up in Kent, Washington and received undergraduate degrees in Global Studies, Chinese Studies, and Scandinavian Studies, as well as her Master’s Degree in Education, at Pacific Lutheran University. Kristiana worked in the public education system for seven years, first as an administrative assistant in a high school counseling center, and later as a secondary teacher for ELL (English Language Learners) and English Language Arts. When she is not engaging in her passion for local politics, she enjoys Star Trek, painting, hiking, trail running, and attending group fitness classes. She lives with her spouse and is owned by two pesky dogs.
Leonard Presberg is the Founder and President of the Association of Secular Elected Officials. He has been a member of the Fayette County School Board since December 2011 and is a former Chair of the Fayette Democratic Committee. Leonard graduated with a BA from Oberlin College and a JD, magna cum laude, from University of Richmond. He is a former preschool teacher and currently serves as the CFO for Women’s Medical Center. Leonard has served as a coach and volunteer in various non profits. Currently, Leonard serves on the Boards of the Red Clay Storytelling Festival and Fayette Votes! He and his wife Elizabeth have three children.
