I’m dedicated to enhancing our community's infrastructure, inclusivity, and innovation. I bring a unique and visionary approach to the Board of Commissioners, striving to make Gwinnett County a better place for everyone.
In Gwinnett County, a majority-minority county that voted Democratic in 2016, Ben made history as one of the first Democrats elected in over three decades. He’s also the first Asian American, the first openly LGBTQ+ member, and the first software developer to serve on the previously homogeneous board.
Gwinnett has undergone remarkable transformation over the past 200 years, and the board now reflects the county's diverse population.
Ben is the grandson of Chinese immigrants who played a pivotal role in engineering the original MARTA heavy rail system. There are very few people in government with deep technology experience, and Ben brings a rare long-view perspective. He was building AI software in 2001 and studied artificial intelligence in school, giving him a fundamental understanding of the technology behind today’s hype cycle. He also built some of the early websites on the internet and some of the early apps on the App Store.
Currently, Ben serves as the senior member of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and as Chair of the Internal Audit Committee. He also serves in leadership roles on multiple NACo and ACCG technology advisory boards, where he works to improve technology policy and procedures so government can be more efficient, useful, accessible, and sustainable. He also co-chairs the Public Policy committee of the Georgia chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Ben wants to make Gwinnett a better place for everyone and for Gwinnett to lead the state, country, and world by example.
Listen to my official county podcast for an inside look at county decisions, upcoming initiatives, and conversations with guests from across Gwinnett government.