The 2023-2024 Executive Board was elected on Tuesday, December 14th, 2023 and took office January 1, 2024.
For more information, please contact the appropriate member below:
Michael DeLong – President
michaeldelong94@gmail.com
Michael DeLong grew up in California, went to a small liberal arts college in Oregon, and moved to Montgomery County in 2015. From 2013-2015 he worked to reduce gun violence and ran a successful campaign for County Commissioner. In 2017, Michael helped organize the successful consumer opposition to harmful health insurance mergers, and in 2017 and 2018 he also worked for Maryland State Delegates Ariana Kelly and Marc Korman. Currently he works for a consumer advocacy organization. Michael also volunteers for numerous advocacy groups, and in his spare time he likes American history, jogging, and cooking various dishes from all over the world. As President, he is working to grow and strengthen the Montgomery County Young Democrats in every part of the county.
Saif Shamim – Vice President / Treasurer
saifshamim19@gmail.com
Saif Shamim grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and attended Gaithersburg High School. He graduated with a B.A. in Government and Politics, and a minor in International Development and Conflict Management, from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2017. Since college, Saif has volunteered and worked in a variety of political roles in Maryland. He got his first experience with local and state politics when he volunteered on a campaign for the Maryland 6th congressional district in 2018. Saif was involved in both field and political operations for the campaign. He then went on to work in the Maryland General Assembly as a Legislative Aide for Maryland State Delegate Sandy Rosenberg in 2019, and in 2021 was hired back as the Chief of Staff for the same office. Since then, he has spent time organizing with Our Revolution, with both the national and Montgomery County chapters. Currently, he works as at a prominent international law firm in Washington, DC where he assists attorneys with a variety of legal administrative tasks.
Steven Cenname – Secretary
secretary@mcyd.org
Steven grew up in Derwood and currently lives in Germantown after becoming a first-time home buyer in 2021. Steven is a practicing Catholic who graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney in 2010 before earning a dual degree in political science and environmental studies from Salisbury University (where he served as president of SU’s chapter of College Democrats) and a Master’s in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Steven is passionate about voter choice to pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ Catholic Democrats and co-founded the Catholic Democrats of Montgomery County with his wife in 2022. Steven has worked for Maryland state legislators, mental health non-profits, and the federal government.
Ezra Pine – Communications Director
pine.ezra@gmail.com
Ezra Pine grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Grinnell College in 2021 with a B.A. in sociology. He was inspired to get involved in progressive politics after working as a Student Organizer at the Iowa Caucus for the 2020 Presidential Election. Since then, he has maintained an active role in his local community, working as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Maricé Morales for County Council, and as a Lead Organizer for Progressive Maryland. After the General Election in November 2022, he began working as a Legislative Aide with At-Large Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles. He worked for almost two years at the County Council, and he now works as an Alumni Specialist at Montgomery College. Ezra is an experienced researcher, writer, and communicator who has a dedicated passion for organizing for progressive causes. In his downtime, he enjoys playing and watching sports and giving back to the Montgomery County community that has helped shape who he is today.
Thomas Jackson – Membership Director
thomas.jackson.mph@gmail.com
Thomas Jackson grew up in Mississippi, where he lived through college. He moved to Missouri and then to Pennsylvania for graduate school before settling in Maryland. He now lives in Bethesda and works in public affairs for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. Thomas became active in progressive politics during the 2016 primaries and has since held various roles advocating for healthcare, economic, and education policy. He recruited and trained volunteers for the 2018 midterms, worked for municipal and state candidates in 2019, and volunteered for presidential and U.S. Senate campaigns in 2020. In 2021, Thomas joined the Democratic Central Committee in Frederick County, where he was elected treasurer and worked with candidates for city, county, state, and federal elections. He is an active voter registrar and a member of the Young Democrats of Maryland’s Legislative and Policy Committee. Thomas is a proud cat parent, a coffee fanatic, and an amateur hiker.
Milan van Dam – Programs Director
Milan van Dam is a devoted political and educational policy advocate who passionately works to promote progressive policies and turn out young voters. Through his work volunteering for several state Democratic parties and in multiple leadership positions in the High School Democrats of America, he has been a strong voice for young Americans, bringing their voices to politicians and organizers at all levels of government. In MCYD, he is working to spearhead crucial programs that inspire change and bring young people to the table.
Carlos Hernandez Tavares – Political Advocacy Director
Carlos was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela before immigrating to Montgomery County in 2004. He began his political activism as a fellow for Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s first campaign in 2022 before working as the Latino Community Organizer for Maryland Dems in 2024. Carlos has also worked in policy in Congressional and state politics as well as with labor unions. Currently, he is focused on finishing his undergraduate degree at Williams College, where he is studying political science and mathematics. In his spare time, Carlos enjoys training in Jiu Jitsu, reading for his thesis, and hanging out with his friends.