Rising Stars: Seve Christian, Legislative Director, Office of Sen. Scott Wiener

If you follow California legislation around artificial intelligence, LGBTQ rights, or public health, chances are you’re familiar with the work of Seve Christian, Legislative Director to Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). At just 29 years old, Christian has already left an enduring mark on California policy.

Raised in northern California, Christian moved between Ukiah, Dairyville, Chico, and Red Bluff growing up. They recall having a strong relationship with their parents, who were very accepting of their gender and sexual identity. Christian’s father was often deployed in the National Guard, and those experiences introduced them to the complexities of conflict and justice from a young age.

“I got thinking a lot about what it means to achieve justice in the world, without even having that vernacular,” Christian says. “I just knew that there were forces at play in the world that were much larger than what I was seeing in front of me and learning about.”

Family has taken on many different meanings for Christian, who discovered through an ancestry test that the man they consider their dad is not their biological father. Eager to dig deeper, Christian has embarked on a creative project: a memoir exploring truth and identity.

“To me, family really is the people that show up for you and are there for you,” Christian says. “I think especially as someone that identifies within the LGBTQ community, there’s this notion of choosing your family. For me, it doesn’t require or necessitate a biological connection so much as an emotional investment.”

Christian studied comparative religion and multicultural and gender studies at Chico State. They grew up in the Catholic church, and they struggled to reconcile the Church’s professed framework of love with practices that they found unloving. They confronted this paradox in their studies, diving into ancient teachings to provide a lens for justice and social responsibility.

They understood that social inequalities aren’t restricted to history books from a young age. Christian was often one of a handful of people of color in their community when they moved homes. They faced firsthand the realities of racism, a truth underscored by the murder of their uncle, who was targeted on the basis of his skin color.

“I think especially as someone that identifies within the LGBTQ community, there’s this notion of choosing your family. For me, it doesn’t require or necessitate a biological connection so much as an emotional investment.”

Seeking to take this lived experience and transform it into a career, they worked at the Gender and Sexuality Equity Center at Chico State, where they hosted events and connected people to campus resources. In 2017, they became a fellow for Equality California in Assemblymember Blanca Rubio’s office (D-Baldwin Park), which they describe as their “Devil Wears Prada” moment, where Anne Hathaway gets momentarily overwhelmed but snaps herself out of it, determined to excel.

Christian was then selected as an Assembly Fellow for former Assemblymember David Chu, now City Attorney of San Francisco. There, they engaged in substantive analysis for bills such as AB 857, a public banking bill, which ultimately got signed into law. During this time, Senator Wiener was chair of the LGBTQ caucus, and Christian continued their political career as his consultant, working on legislation and caucus events.

Cassidy Denny, Chief of Staff to Senator Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento), worked with Christian in Sen. Wiener’s office for almost two years, and she was always impressed by their maturity and leadership potential.

“They’re just so self-aware and a great advocate for humans,” says Denny. “Every time I talk to them, I’m like, ‘let me write that down in my journal.’ Seriously, I have so many little quotes from when I worked with them.”

Christian then assumed a Legislative Aide position in Sen. Wiener’s personal office for a year, before being promoted to their current position of Legislative Director.

“Year after year my office takes on major legislation, and the pressure that spotlight exerts can be intense,” says Senator Wiener. “As Legislative Director, Seve is right in the thick of things, and our whole team relies on them for their brilliant policy insight, sharp strategic instincts, and flawless interpersonal skills – all delivered with wry humor and a solid smoky eye. Seve truly uplifts our office and the work we do.”

That extends beyond the office as well, Wiener says.

“Even after handling tense negotiations, I hear from stakeholders large and small how much they respect and enjoy working with Seve. That’s the sign of a consummate leader and a person of tremendous character.”

Some of Christian’s greatest legislative achievements include SB 132 (2020), which ensures transgender people who are incarcerated can choose housing based on their safety, and SB 957 (2024), requiring the Department of Public Health to collect sexual orientation and gender identity data. Despite its ultimate veto, SB 57 (2022), a safe injection sites bill, also brought a great deal of pride to Christian, who lost a friend to a drug overdose during that period and sought to bring awareness to the impacts of overdose.

“There’s a phrase: don’t marry your bills,” says Christian. “I fundamentally disagree. I think at a minimum you should be in a situationship with your bills. It would be bizarre to compartmentalize to that degree on such an emotionally charged issue.”

The most demanding bill to date was SB 1047, Sen. Wiener’s 2024 AI legislation that aimed to establish safety protocols for advanced AI models. Although it was vetoed, Christian feels rewarded in the bill’s national impact and the discourse it generated.

“It felt like the first of its kind in the nation, and possibly in the world,” says Christian. “I don’t think I understood the gravity of that until after its veto. But with all due respect, I’m very proud to have gotten a three page veto from the governor.”

For Christian, the fierce debate underscored California’s responsibility of leading innovation and pursuing the potential benefits of AI, while ensuring that legislators mitigate its potential harms.

“When I decided to take on major AI legislation, there was no question that Seve would be the point person,” says Senator Wiener. “They immersed themselves in a topic so dense it intimidates most policymakers, and before I knew it they were running briefings on the topic and organizing major tech companies, Nobel laureates, and even Hollywood movie stars to go to bat for the bill. Governor Newsom declared that SB 1047 ‘created its own weather system,’ – well, behind that weather system was Seve, moving mountains and changing the weather in order to build a better California.”

Christian is now staffing SB 53, Sen. Wiener’s 2025 AI bill. They’re anticipating the recommendations and analyses from the Governor’s Working Group and talking through what safeguards and capacity building mechanisms could be used to codify the bill into law.

“It’s rare to find an operative who can advise you on both legislative strategy and the ideal shade of green a middle-aged gay man should paint his nails, but they haven’t steered me wrong yet.”

Despites the demands of life in the Capitol, Christian has no plans to leave. While they don’t see themselves becoming a Chief of Staff, they are open to other opportunities such as a committee consultant role, trusting that their intuition will guide them to their next step, as it has for each one so far.

“I’m lucky to call Seve my colleague and my friend,” says Sen. Wiener. “It’s rare to find an operative who can advise you on both legislative strategy and the ideal shade of green a middle-aged gay man should paint his nails, but they haven’t steered me wrong yet. I know they won’t – and I know their talent and heart will take them to new heights for many years to come.”

That comes as no surprise to Denny, who notes that Wiener “always wants Seve to run his priority bills and his biggest bills,” something she calls “a testament to not only how good of a manager they are” but “also how good of a staffer they are.”

And all while always keeping their internal focus intact.

“They have such a fearless ability to be their genuine authentic selves, no matter the situation. This building can push you and pull you in certain ways. Senator Wiener is an amazing boss but also runs really tough bills. I always really admired how they’re able to be loyal to Scott and get the work done but never falter in their own beliefs and what they are here for.”