The 2025 Bush Fellows have been announced — 32 visionary leaders from across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and 23 Native nations. Each Fellow will receive up to $150,000 for self-designed leadership development, driving transformative change in sectors like education, health, cultural preservation, and more.
The Bush Foundation has announced its class of 2025 Bush Fellows, honoring 32 visionary leaders across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 23 Native nations that share this geography.
The Fellowship provides up to $150,000 to each recipient for a self-designed leadership development plan over one to two years. Fellows represent a wide range of sectors—including education, public health, economic justice, cultural preservation, child welfare reform, journalism, Indigenous governance, and more—but share a commitment to building stronger, more equitable communities.
This year’s Fellows will pursue personal and professional growth through advanced study, global learning, cultural revitalization, wellness work, and deeper community partnerships.
2025 Bush Fellows
Full list of Fellows by name and city:
- Jeffrey Aguy – Maple Grove, MN
- Mohamed Ahmed – St. Paul, MN
- Arif Bakar – Blaine, MN
- Chanda Smith Baker – Minneapolis, MN
- Talaya Dendy – Hastings, MN
- Naima Dhore – Dalbo, MN
- Sarah Dixon-Hackey – West Fargo, ND
- Georgia Fort – St. Paul, MN
- James Garrett Jr. – St. Paul, MN
- Nathaniel Gibbs – Maple Grove, MN
- Jason Grueneich – Bismarck, ND
- Ma Elena Gutierrez – Sauk Rapids, MN
- Anisa Hagi-Mohamed – Bloomington, MN
- Leya Hale – West St. Paul, MN
- Kelis Houston – Minneapolis, MN
- Fatimah Hussein – Minneapolis, MN
- Carl D. Johnson – St. Paul, MN
- Marvis Kilgore – St. Paul, MN
- John Little – Vermillion, SD
- Maychee Mua – Cottage Grove, MN
- Deqa Muhidin – Apple Valley, MN
- Akram Osman – Elysian, MN
- Richard Pallay III – Fargo, ND
- Lori Pourier – Hermosa, SD
- Elvis Rivera – Brooklyn Park, MN
- Curtis Rogers – White Earth Nation
- Amáda Márquez Simula – Columbia Heights, MN
- Megan Treuer – Esko, MN
- Muhidin Warfa – Columbia Heights, MN
Meet the 2025 Bush Fellows
Jeffrey Aguy (Maple Grove, MN)
Reimagining how capital can unlock opportunity for historically excluded communities. Will deepen expertise in financial systems and capital markets to help transform regional economies.
Mohamed Ahmed (St. Paul, MN)
Advocate for amputee rights and equitable prosthetic care. Will complete a master’s in Prosthetics and Orthotics and expand advocacy in disability justice.
Arif Bakar (Blaine, MN)
Founder of Bultum Academy. Will pursue doctoral studies and global education research to improve discipline and experiential learning for immigrant and refugee students.
Chanda Smith Baker (Minneapolis, MN)
Philanthropic leader and podcast host. Will pursue leadership coaching, wellness, and development of leadership ecosystems for diverse leaders.
Talaya Dendy (Hastings, MN)
Founder of On the Other Side. Will pursue wellness certification, explore global longevity practices, and strengthen healthcare networks.
Naima Dhore (Dalbo, MN)
Certified organic Somali American farmer. Will deepen knowledge of public policy and business sustainability to champion land access and food sovereignty.
Sarah Dixon-Hackey (West Fargo, ND)
Reshaping mental health conversations in BIPOC, immigrant, and refugee communities. Will pursue suicide prevention certification and expand digital storytelling.
Georgia Fort (St. Paul, MN)
Founder of BLCK Press. Will pursue executive education and a personal wellness plan to sustain leadership in community-centered journalism.
James Garrett Jr. (St. Paul, MN)
Co-founder of 4RM+ULA architecture firm. Will explore sustainable materials and expand leadership in inclusive design.
Nathaniel Gibbs (Maple Grove, MN)
Public school leader. Will pursue graduate study to improve systems for recruiting and retaining diverse education leaders.
Jason Grueneich (Bismarck, ND)
HIV advocate and LGBTQ+ leader. Will focus on personal healing, nonprofit leadership, and destigmatizing HIV in rural communities.
Ma Elena Gutierrez (Sauk Rapids, MN)
Founder of Fe y Justicia. Will invest in growth to build sustainable cross-cultural worker movements.
Anisa Hagi-Mohamed (Bloomington, MN)
Transforming Somali and East African community narratives around autism. Will deepen academic training and lead healing-centered movements.
Leya Hale (West St. Paul, MN)
Emmy Award–winning filmmaker. Will expand Dakota language fluency and filmmaking skills.
Kelis Houston (Minneapolis, MN)
Founder of Village Arms. Will deepen policy expertise and build a national coalition for child welfare reform.
Fatimah Hussein (Minneapolis, MN)
Founder of ASIYA and GIRLSWIN. Will pursue a doctorate and develop Muslim women coaching pathways.
Carl D. Johnson (St. Paul, MN)
Connects food justice, workforce development, and community healing. Will pursue entrepreneurship education and leadership development.
Marvis Kilgore (St. Paul, MN)
Founder of Sirtify. Will expand leadership and policy expertise to build a pipeline for Black male educators.
John Little (Vermillion, SD)
Tribal education leader. Will grow leadership and organizational capacity to advance Native student equity.
Maychee Mua (Cottage Grove, MN)
First-generation Hmong Chinese American autism advocate. Will bridge Southeast Asian traditions with Western care systems.
Deqa Muhidin (Apple Valley, MN)
Leads Somali language preservation in Minneapolis schools. Will study global heritage language models and scale home language education.
Akram Osman (Elysian, MN)
Pioneering Somali American principal. Will pursue executive leadership training and policy development for education equity.
Richard Pallay III (Fargo, ND)
Founder of WEAREONE and Soul Dads. Will expand community-building networks statewide.
Lori Pourier (Hermosa, SD)
Oglala Lakota leader in Indigenous arts. Will explore investment strategies to sustain Native arts leadership.
Elvis Rivera (Brooklyn Park, MN)
Financial educator and advocate. Will expand culturally grounded financial empowerment programs.
Curtis Rogers (White Earth Nation)
Deputy Director of White Earth Nation. Will deepen legal and policy expertise rooted in cultural knowledge.
Amáda Márquez Simula (Columbia Heights, MN)
First Chicana mayor of Columbia Heights. Will support language study and develop community-led governance frameworks.
Megan Treuer (Esko, MN)
Tribal court judge and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen. Will support Ojibwe fluency and document Anishinabe justice traditions.
Muhidin Warfa (Columbia Heights, MN)
Leads multilingual programs for Minneapolis Public Schools. Will deepen language learning approaches that uplift student identity and voice.
About the Bush Foundation
The Bush Foundation, founded in 1953, invests in people and ideas to create lasting positive change across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and 23 Native nations. Learn more at: bushfoundation.org.