PR 26-0710 — Commission on Human Rights Reverend Thomas Bowen Confirmation Resolution of 2026

Director of African American Strategic Engagement, Executive Office of the Mayor Washington, DC |October 2021 to February 2024 Served as both the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs (MORA) and the Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs (MOAAA).

Led an enhanced and coordinated community outreach and engagement efforts in the Executive Office of the Mayor.

Served as the primary liaison to the Commission on African American Affairs, Commission on Fathers, Men and Boys, and the Mayor’s Interfaith Council.

Oversaw MORA’s efforts to engage the faith community to identify and resolve challenges and guide the MOAAA’s efforts to engage and expand the capacity of community organizations and advise on policies and programs impacting African American communities.

Rev.

Thomas L.

Bowen Resume, 1 Director, Office of Religious Affairs, Executive Office of the Mayor Washington, DC | June 2016 to February 2024 Served as a liaison to the faith community in the District of Columbia.

Provided support to the Mayor's Interfaith Council.

Collaborated with the faith community to assess their concerns and needs.

Facilitated public-private partnerships that promoted government action and enhanced the program efficiency and effectiveness of the faith community.

Worked with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Office of Human Rights to ensure appropriate responses to incidents of hate and bias.

Interim Executive Director, Office on African American Affairs, Executive Office of the Mayor Washington, DC | November 2018 – March 2019 | September 2020 to October 2021 Served as an advocate for the needs of the District’s African American community in the areas of housing, health, education, employment, social services, public safety, and business opportunities.

Provided technical assistance to community-based organizations in developing and submitting grant applications for programs and services administered by the Office of the Mayor, the City Council, and other District government agencies.

Interim Executive Director, Commission on Fathers, Men, and Boys, Executive Office of the Mayor Washington, DC | November 2018 – January 2019 Advised the Mayor, the Council, and the public on the social issues and needs of fathers, men, and boys in the District of Columbia and the services available to support them.

Director, Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Outreach, Cover Communications Washington, DC, December 2014 – June 2016 Served as a lead consultant and strategist for clients looking to build and implement their stakeholder engagement and corporate social responsibility goals.

Helped develop key messaging points to amplify their exemplary corporate citizen commitment and increase their presence in the faith community and communities of color.

OTHER RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE • Adjunct Preacher, Mount Zion Baptist Church of Oberlin, Ohio, 2021-Present • Religion Editor, The Washington Informer, 2001-2003 • Senior Religious Advocate, Children’s Defense Fund, 2001 – 2003 • Associate Minister, The Third Baptist Church of Chicago, 1999-2001 • National Correspondent, PoliticallyBlack.com, 2000-2001 • Senior Field Organizer, Children’s Defense Fund/Black Community Crusade for Children, 1996-1999 • Executive Director, Midnight Basketball League of Lorain County Inc., 1995-1996 • Project Coordinator, The Urban Child Research Center at Cleveland State University, 1994-1995 • Elected Member and Vice-President, Elyria (OH) City Schools’ Board of Education, 1992-1996 • Assistant Director, Oberlin College Upward Bound Program, 1991-1994 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS Member, Board of Directors, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 2023-2024 Member, Socially Responsible Investment Advisory Council, American Baptist Home Mission Society, 2017-2024 Participant, Sojourners Thriving in Ministry Racialized Policing Cohort, 2019-2020 Participant, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Inaugural Advancing Racial Equity Cohort, 2019-2020 Inaugural Member, America Indivisible’s Public Leaders for Inclusion Council, 2019 Charter Member, Greater Washington Urban League Guild, 2017-Present Member, Leadership Council, United Negro College Fund, Washington, 2017-2019 Board Member, Creation Justice Ministries, 2016-2019 Member, Board of Directors, United Black Fund, 2015-2017 Rev.

Thomas L.

Bowen Resume, 2 Member, African American Ministers Leadership Council of People for the American Way, 2012-2017 Panel Member, Washington Post on Faith/Local Panel, 2011-2013 Member, Board of Trustees, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, 2004-2008 Founding Member, Board of Directors, The Jamestown Project, 2004 Board of Trustees Member, Lorain County Urban League, Inc., 1994-1996 Member, Ohio Council of Churches ’Task Force on African American Males, 1994-96 Member, Ohio Commission on African American Males ’Education Sub-Committee, 1993-1996 Member, City of Elyria Martin Luther King, Jr.

Holiday Commission, 1993-1996 EDUCATION Co ntinuing Education, Yale Divinity School, Divinity, New Haven, Connecticut Additional Study, The University of Chicago – Divinity School, Divinity, Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts, History, Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia Rev.

Thomas L.

Bowen Resume, 3 Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments John A.

Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004 Th omas L.

Bowen Mr.

Thomas L.

Bowen is a nationally recognized executive with over 20 years of experience leading public engagement initiatives and advising organizations on social impact, corporate social responsibility, and religious affairs.

An ordained minister and strategic communications professional, Mr.

Bowen is widely respected for his ability to build bridges across cultures, communities, and sectors to drive meaningful change and advance inclusion.

Mr.

Bowen currently serves as the Chief Engagement Officer of EngageFaith, a consulting firm he founded in 2025.

In this role, he leads national initiatives that empower faith leaders, nonprofits, and institutions to advance equity and navigate societal change.

He is also a Founding Partner of Black Diary 1887, a platform dedicated to preserving and celebrating Black history.

Previously, Mr.

Bowen served as a Senior Advisor for Faith Engagement in the Biden- Harris White House Office of Public Engagement, where he acted as a key liaison between the administration and faith communities nationwide to advance justice- and equity- centered initiatives.

Prior to his White House service, Mr.

Bowen held senior leadership roles in DC Government, including leading the Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs and the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs.

A Ward 5 resident, Mr.

Bowen earned his Bachelor Arts in History from Morehouse College and completed additional study at the University of Chicago, as well as continuing education at the Yale Divinity School.

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor To:

Kimberly A.

Bassett, Steve Walker From:

Betsy Cavendish Date:

January 15, 2026 Subject:

Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing Rev.

Thomas Bowen as a member of the Commission on Human Rights This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and found it to be legally unobjectionable.

If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-727-0872, or me at 202-724-7681.

______________________________ Elizabeth Cavendish ______________________________________________________________________________ The John A.

Wilson Bu• 1350 Pennsylvania Avenu•, Suite 300 Washington, D.C.

2• Office (202) 724-7681