As a Medical Assistant for 8 years at Whitman Walker Health in Washington, D.C. Kelli Jenkins has had a great focus of healing the needs of each and every patient she comes into contact with. Kelli has also been a delegate with 1199 SEIU for the last 7 1/2 years, she also serves as an Executive Council Board member. Kelli has critical thinking skills with the ability to think outside of the box and works well with everyone she represents. Her passion is shown in her work ethic and skills of handling multiple tasks as well as showing up for the ode who are under pressure, being discriminated against or treated unfairly especially the LGBTQ+ community. Mrs. Jenkins is also a talented cosmetologist with her own product line.

David Ott (He/Him/His) is an active LGBTQ union member with years of union and healthcare experience. He has spent his working life in nursing at a Hospital, with most of those years working in Surgical Services.

As a local SEIU Health Care Wisconsin member, David has been on the Board of Directors serving on the Building, Political Programs, Legislative, and Arbitration Committees. In addition to serving on the Board, David has been a Union Steward, Council Co-Chair and has negotiated several labor contracts.

David has been active at the SEIU International level serving his third, four-year term on the Lavender Caucus Board of Directors as the Membership Chair. He also currently serves as the Treasurer of the Central Region and served as the Co-Chair prior to his current role as Treasurer. David has attended SEIU International Conventions and was a participant in a National Lobby Day in Washington, DC. Outside of SEIU, he is also a member of Pride at Work.

In addition to having a strong union focus, David’s past volunteer efforts include serving on the Wisconsin HIV Prevention Planning Council and volunteering at Madison’s OutReach LGBTQ Community Center as a member of the Speakers Bureau and working the phone lines to provide peer and crisis counseling along with referral services.

David believes it is critical to have a strong union fighting the rights of all individuals, especially its LGBTQ members.

David Zeller (He/Him/His) has been a treasurer of the national lavender caucus since 2012. He has been a rank and file member of the lavender caucus since 2004. He is an honored retiree member of SEIU WI. David was a steward of his chapter for 30 years before retirement. He served on the bargaining team and as Chapter President. He served the Local on the board, as secretary, vice president and as a member of the finance committee, arbitration committee, delegate to the south federation of labor, and served as secretary to SEIU state council. David is passionate about equality, workers rights and fair pay. David has lived through Act 10 in Wisconsin.

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Mary Smith (She/Her) has been an active SEIU union member since 2017. Over 13 years of healthcare experience and 6 years of nursing experience. Mary has been a SEIU Lavender Caucus International board member for a year and newly appointed secretary for the Lavender Caucus. She serves as the communication chair for the Central Region. Mary believes in equality for all but a huge advocate for transgender rights.

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Travis B. Simon is a Vice President of the International SEIU Lavender Caucus and the current Director of Political and Legislative Affairs for SEIU 500. A passionate leader and advocate for LGBTQIA+ people and working families, Simon serves on the Board of Directors of AFL-CIO’s Pride at Work as SEIU’s representative. He has worked on the national Respect for Marriage Act which was signed into law by President Biden in 2022 and sits on the national Equality Act Steering Committee.

During his tenure at SEIU, Simon has worked in broad coalitions to expand the collective bargaining rights for tens of thousands of working people. Through his strong leadership and collaborative spirit, Simon has helped improve the working conditions and secure fair wages for workers across the DMV region. A passionate champion for workers’ rights and LGBTQIA+ equality, Simon believes in the power of a union and that no one should be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. An avid history enthusiast, he lives in Northern Virginia with his husband, Daniel and their dog and cat.

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