North Dakotan leads while living with HIV, earns Bush Fellowship
A Bismarck man who has experienced substance abuse, recovery and living with HIV is hoping to develop his leadership skills after being awarded a Bush Foundation fellowship.
'I've been able to change my own life and work to help others to do the same,' Jason Grueneich told the North Dakota Monitor. 'I'm just lucky to be alive and here doing the work. And it's amazing that the Bush Foundation saw something in me.'
Grueneich's work includes being an advocate for those living with HIV. He created Bismarck's first LGBTQ+ recovery group and this year founded Shine Bright and Live, an HIV-focused nonprofit, and helped repeal a North Dakota state law that he said stigmatized people who are HIV positive.
Grueneich is one of three North Dakotans awarded a Bush Fellowship in 2025. Up to 30 Bush Fellows are selected each year to receive up to $150,000 to support their leadership goals. Fellows can come from any sector — including business, nonprofit and government, according to the Bush Foundation.
Grueneich said the Bush Foundation isn't so much about funding a project but investing in leaders.
'Leaders work to bring as many people with them as possible,' Grueneich said. 'It ripples out into the community and raises people up.'
Gruenich grew up in Bismarck but said he moved away, developed a substance abuse problem and became infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
He returned to Bismarck and went through a recovery program in 2016.
Since then, 'I have dedicated myself to community,' Grueneich said.
Two other North Dakota also were awarded a Bush Fellowship.
Sarah Dixon-Hackey of West Fargo will pursue certification in suicide prevention skills, expand her expertise in digital media, and deepen her research into cultural disparities in care, according to a news release. She has created storytelling projects with college students and produced podcasts for refugee families to amplify underrepresented voices, especially on the topic of mental health.
Richard Pallay III of Fargo has used his experience as a DJ to found the cultural initiative WEAREONE. He also launched Soul Dads, a peer support network for Black fathers that blends mentorship with creative expression. Pallay will use his Bush Fellowship to launch a statewide artist network and scale Soul Dads into a model that can be replicated, the news release said.
Grueneich chairs the North Dakota HIV Advisory Board while working in state government. He has worked for the Department of Transportation for the past five years and is operations manager for the driver's license division.
After founding Shine Bright and Live in January, Grueneich spent time at the Capitol advocating for the repeal of a state law that makes it a felony to willfully transfer body fluid containing the HIV virus.
Rep. Gretchen Dobervich, D-Fargo, sponsored House Bill 1217 that repeals the law.
She said the law singled out HIV from other infectious diseases by creating the felony crime and discouraged people from getting tested for HIV, leading to the potential spread of the virus.
The law, 'had the opposite effect of what it was intended,' Dobervich said.
She said Grueneich was instrumental in getting the bill through the Legislature.
'He was able to make the issue real,' Dobervich said.
Testifying in front of a legislative committee was new for him, Grueneich said.
'A leader faces fears,' Grueneich said. 'Somebody living with HIV, standing in front of the Legislature numerous times when there's a lot of stigma about HIV can be daunting.'
In his testimony, Gruenich cited President Donald Trump, who in his first term in 2019, used the State of the Union address to announce a plan to end the HIV epidemic.
Grueneich said it was a way to find common ground on HIV issues.
'Unfortunately, we see now the administration is cutting funding for HIV prevention. It's cutting funding for the years of work we've had on finding HIV vaccination or care,' he said.
Grueneich said one way he hopes to benefit from the Bush Fellowship is learning how to deal with traumatic life experiences that come with working with high-risk communities such as HIV and recovery.
'You're continually working through trauma and loss,' Grueneich said. 'I want to learn how to heal and process those losses, so I can teach others how they can process that and then refill their cups so they can keep doing the work that's necessary.'
Editor's note: The North Dakota Monitor is a recipient of funding from the Bush Foundation through its media partnership program.
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