Jay was the first openly gay elected official in Virginia history, when he was elected to the Arlington County Board in 1997.  He chaired the board in 2001 and 2005.  He also served as the Director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia, and was on the Board of Directors of EV and The Commonwealth Coalition.  Jay is the immediate past President of the Virginia Municipal League and was appointed by Governor Warner to the Virginia Housing Development Authority.  In 2007, Jay was the recipient of the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments’ Scull Award for regional leadership.  Jay and his partner, Bob Rosen, celebrated their 25^th anniversary in 2008.