Frederick Bowers Elected as President of Affirmation

In a special election concluding on February 29, 2024, voting members of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families & Friends elected Frederick “Fred” Bowers as the president of the organization. The election results were certified by the Election Committee to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors on March 1. The special election was to fill the remaining term of Melissa-Malcolm King, who resigned effective December 31, 2023. A regular election for president will be held later this year, as the next presidential term begins on January 1, 2025.

Fred’s service in Affirmation includes serving as a chapter leader, chapter-at-large leader, a board member, Affirmation International Conference chairperson, a Mortensen Award winner, and as a member of the Executive Committee.

In a statement provided when declaring his candidacy, Fred wrote that he wanted to focus on “planning thoughtfully and carefully while considering the spiritual, physical, and emotional aspects of all the people we serve. Our job is to let them know we must preserve, steward, and grow the organization… as a place for them to find a refuge to land, heal, share, and be authentic.”

“It’s pretty simple. The minute I walked into an Affirmation meeting, I knew I had found a place where I could be authentic,” Fred wrote. ” I’ve seen Affirmation in challenging times and in joyful times. I’ve observed many Affirmation leaders during my journey and have arrived at a place where I understand their leadership intent… I am looking to use the knowledge I’ve gained to make Affirmation a place where not only LGBTQIA LDS/Mormons find a refuge to land, heal, share, and be authentic but can do so in a joyful and thriving way.”

Fred transitioned from the US Air Force in 2006 after completing a 20-year career in financial management. He also began his career in management consulting in 2006 and primarily serves federal clients. Fred has worked at two Big Four Consulting Firms, drawing upon his expertise in federal project and program management, financial management, transformation delivery, and Department of Defense (DoD) information technology acquisition with numerous clients. Fred attended John Brown University and earned a BS in Organizational Management. He earned dual MA degrees in Public Administration and Management from Webster University.

Nominees for Senior Vice President and Vice President

The position of president is the only elected position in Affirmation. The president nominates two vice presidents approved by the board of directors. These three individuals form the executive committee responsible for conducting Affirmation’s day-to-day business, working closely with the director of operations to carry out Affirmation’s mission, vision, and strategic plan under the direction of the board of directors.

Fred nominated Joel McDonald and David Doyle to serve as senior vice president and vice president, respectively.

Joel McDonald, Nominee for Senior Vice President

Joel McDonald served as Affirmation’s online content manager and then director of operations from 2017 to 2023. In these roles, Joel worked to improve Affirmation’s web presence, organize Affirmation’s data, automate and streamline administrative processes, provide training and support to community leaders, and plan and execute fundraising campaigns. He also collaborated with the Affirmation Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Officers, and other committees to develop a strategic plan, plan and execute conferences and other events, develop the annual budget, establish new financial policies, publish the Affirmation Community Leaders Guide, and much more.

Joel is the web manager for a national nonprofit serving peer support professionals, owns and operates a small business providing web design, development, hosting, and consulting services to small-to-medium-sized businesses and organizations, and is working toward a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management.

David Doyle, Nominee for Vice President

A current member of the Affirmation Board of Directors, David Doyle previously served as President of Affirmation Florida, where he worked to further Affirmation’s reach. His viral blog post led to him being out to the world and attending his first Affirmation International Conference in 2017.

David served as a full-time missionary in Busan, South Korea, then attended Ricks College, Brigham Young University, and the University of Florida. He is a research administrator at a university in Tampa, Florida.

Board to Consider Nominations

The nominations of Joel McDonald and David Doyle will be considered for approval by the Affirmation Board of Directors soon.