Toni-Michelle Williams (she/her/hers) is an auto-theorist, performance artist, embodied leadership/somatics coach and executive director of Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative (SNAPCO). Grounded in humor and joy, she is a celebrated community organizer in prison abolition/ criminal (IN)justice reform issues and leadership development for Black transgender, LGBQ people, sex workers, people living with HIV (PLHIV), and Black youth.

She has co- led city wide campaigns that has incubated the Atlanta Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative, cannibas reform, sex worker protections, Closing down the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC), and police accountability for the families of Alexia Christian, DeAundre Phillips, Tee Tee Dangerfield and Rayshard Brooks.

Zori Paul (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. She holds a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University and a BA in Comparative Human Development with a minor in Gender and Sexuality studies from the University of Chicago.

Her research focuses on the intersection of marginalized identities - specifically bisexual+ women of color - as well as cross-cultural relationships in professional development. Zori is also a therapist at Thoughts Out Loud Counseling, LLC and co-founder of Black in Mental Health, part of the online Black in X movement and initiatives to promote and amplify Black mental health professionals, researchers, and advocates.

Dr. Kristie Seelman (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor at the Georgia State University School of Social Work. Her research focuses on understanding and addressing health disparities affecting LGBTQIA+ people across the life course, including improving health services and education settings, developing affirming policies, and promoting resilience. Her current research projects focus on transgender adults’ experiences in accessing healthcare, resilience among LGBTQIA+ adults, and anti-racist policy analysis.

Dr. Seelman’s research has been published in journals such as Social Work, Annals of LGBTQ Public & Population Health, Journal of Gender Based Violence, The Gerontologist, and International Journal of Transgender Health. Her research has received media attention from outlets such as The Washington Post, Slate, The Academic Minute (NPR), and Newsweek. Dr. Seelman received her PhD and MSW degrees from the University of Denver. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Allegheny College (Meadville, PA).

Dr. John L. Whitehead (he/him/his) is a multi-board-certified general surgeon and specialist in gender affirming surgery. After completing medical school at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Whitehead completed a five-year general surgery residency at the same institution. He trained as a trauma surgeon at Cook County Hospital. He completed a fellowship in critical care at Northwestern University. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

Dr. Whitehead and his husband Dr. Ramirez found there was a great void in providers who would truly deliver non-judgmental care to patients who might have different ideals or values than themselves. Together they created Restore Medical Center to fundamentally change the way care is delivered to their transgender brothers and sisters – not from a technical aspect, but from a human aspect. Their practice is in Miami, Florida and is dedicated solely to gender affirmation surgery.

Dr. Elizabeth Mynatt (she/her/hers) is a Regents’ and Distinguished Professor in the College of Computing and the Executive Director of Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology that pursues innovative research to promote healthy, productive and fulfilling lives on a global scale. Elizabeth serves on the National Academies Computer Science and Telecommunications Board and the NSF CISE Advisory Board. She has been recognized as an ACM Fellow and a member of the ACM SIGCHI Academy.

Over the past two decades Elizabeth’s research has focused on the role of computing in health and wellness. She currently leads the NCI funded MyPath project, creating an application that provides breast cancer patients with personalized recommendations during their cancer journey. Elizabeth co-leads the Emory-Georgia Tech program to empower people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

She is also one of the principal researchers in the Aware Home Research Initiative; investigating the design of future home technologies, especially those that enable older adults to continue living independently as opposed to moving to an institutional care setting. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has worked for inclusion and equitable access to computing. She is excited about the opportunity to work with Dr. Seelman to chronicle the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and the COVID-19 response, in addition to launching several key programs.

Ashlei (Rabess) Petion, M.A., LAPC, NCC (she/her) is a third-year doctoral student in the Counselor Education and Practice program at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, and is an LGBTQ Institute Fellow. Ashlei’s academic and professional interests include multiculturalism and social justice in counseling and counselor education, generational trauma and healing, internalized oppression in LGBTQ+ individuals, and group work. Ashlei is also a current NBCC Doctoral Minority Fellow, CSI Leadership Intern, and serving as Editorial Assistant for the Journal for Counselor Leadership and Advocacy.

Chris Lugo (he/him) is the first Executive Director of the OUT Georgia Business Alliance, proudly serving as Georgia’s only LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce. In this role, Lugo is charged with leading the nonprofit chamber’s focus on serving the LGBTQ+ and allied business community by advocating for the most inclusive and equitable business environment; providing support and resources to fuel economic growth; and driving meaningful community connections and impact across the State of Georgia.

He has been instrumental in leading the organization’s rebranding effort, statewide expansion, and COVID-19 response, in addition to launching several key programs and initiatives, including the 2021 launch of the OUT Georgia Impact Fund, powered by United Way of Greater Atlanta. Lugo is honored to serve on the City of Atlanta Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board alongside fellow corporate, nonprofit, and community leaders, and he is co-chair of its Economic and Community Development Committee. 

He is also a member of Cobb Chamber’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and the LGBTQIAP Advisory Council led by Dr. Sheila Gregory of Clark Atlanta University for a special research project identifying strategies to improve access to resources for LGBTQIAP students of color.

Lugo previously held marketing, fundraising, and nonprofit management positions with IBM Corporation, Direct Energy Business, Alzheimer’s Association, and most recently The Cavaliers, a Chicago-based nonprofit developing young leaders through the performing arts, where he served as the organization's first-ever Executive Director.

Lugo is a proud alumnus of the University of Florida and is married to his long-time partner and husband Tommy Allen, who both reside in Atlanta, Ga., with their dog Varik.

Gabrielle Claiborne (her/hers) has been an out and active transwoman since 2010 and is the Co-founder and CEO of Transformation Journeys Worldwide, an inclusion training and consulting firm with a transgender focus. She helps cutting-edge organizations position themselves to attract and retain the best talent, foster collaborative working environments, and drive innovation by creating fully trans-inclusive cultures.

She served on the Executive Board of Atlanta Pride for the past 5 years and currently serves as Co-Chair of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s TGNC Inclusion Task Force, as Co-Chair of the Trans Affairs Committee on the City of Atlanta’s LGBTQ Mayoral Advisory Council, as Inclusion Chair and Secretary on the Board of the Out Georgia Business Alliance, as Chair of the OUT Georgia Business Alliance’s TGNC360 Workplace Initiative and as Advisory Board Member of Out Front Theater Group.

In 2020, she published her memoir meets self-help book Embrace Your Truth: A Journey of Authenticity. In 2019, the Atlanta business Chronicle acknowledged her as their Diversity & Inclusion “Outstanding Voice” Award recipient and she delivered a TEDx talk for Centennial Park Women TEDx, Building Your Courage Muscles. In 2018, Gabrielle received the Georgia Small Business Administration’s LGBT Small Business Champion Award in recognition of her efforts in advancing LGBT business ownership.

In 2015, Gabrielle was chosen as Atlanta’s Best Trans Activist, and her work was featured in Forbes in 2018 and the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2017. Transformation Journeys Worldwide was honored to be chosen as the Out Georgia Business Alliance 2018 Small Business of the Year, and to receive the Atlanta Hawk’s prestigious 2019 True Comes in All Colors award for their cutting-edge inclusion work. The firm is proud to be an NGLCC certified LGBT Business Enterprise.

Franco Dispenza, Ph.D. (him/his), is Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling and Counselor Education at Georgia State University and is a Licensed Psychologist (GA) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Originally born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Franco Dispenza moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 2007. His clinical, social justice, and research interests are in the areas of sexual and gender minority populations, persons living with chronic illness and disabilities, career development, and counselor education/psychologist training.

Dispenza is also actively involved in professional service with Divisions of the American Psychological Association, ALGBTIC, and is involved in community service in the metropolitan Atlanta area.  Dr. Dispenza's scholarship and clinical specialization is in the area of multiculturalism, sexual and gender diversity (i.e., diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer), and health psychology.

He focuses on three particular aspects with this population: (1) the experience of Chronic Illness and Disability (CID); (2) lifespan and career/vocational development; (3) rehabilitation/mental health practitioner training, education, and supervision.

Nicole Young-Turner (her/hers), is the founder and chief consultant of Kaleidoscope Village, is a #Brave Educator, and a courageous advocate for elevating and empowering LGBTQIA2s+ communities of color and cultivating allyship. Her identity and lived experience as a Southern Black Queer Woman fuels her passion for educating diverse leaders and mobilizing underrepresented people through an equity and inclusion lens. Nicole began her journey as a first-generation college student at Georgia Tech where she received a President’s Undergraduate Research Award for a study focusing on media representations of LGBTQ+ families. 

For over a decade, Nicole has played an integral role in educating communities and establishing transformational Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives on a regional and national level, including launching the national LGBTQ+ Community Alliance at Teach For America, leading Employee Resource Communities, and serving as the current Board Chair of the Prism Metro Atlanta Coalition.

Mrs. Young-Turner currently lives and leads in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia with her wife and co-creator, Margo Young-Turner, and is energized to continue her work as the Founder of Kaleidoscope Village, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm and community nonprofit with the mission to elevate the voices of our community, educate all leaders on building truly inclusive cultures, and creating empowering spaces for all people in our village to connect and thrive!

Ian Siljestrom (he/him) is the Safe and Healthy Schools Associate Director for Equality Florida. He is responsible for fighting the extensive risk factors, which disproportionately affect our LGBTQ youth in school, including bullying, homelessness, self-harm, and HIV transmission. He works directly with 20 school districts across Florida to assist in the implementation of professional development and comprehensive best practices to ensure the empowerment of all students’ identities. Ian has extensive speaking and professional development experience, including at local, state, and national conferences.

Previous to joining Equality Florida, Ian also taught for several years in a Title 1 elementary school in Jacksonville, Florida as a 5th-grade science/health teacher. In his classroom, he was dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all students, while practicing culturally responsive pedagogy. Ian is a graduate of the University of Florida where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Sustainability and the Built Environment and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning.

Brianna Jamison (she/hers) is an LGBTQ youth activist (Chair, 2019 GSA Banneker High School) and entrepreneur. Brianna comes from Rockford, Illinois and graduated from Benjamin Banneker High School. At Banneker, Brianna was the Chair of The Gay-Straight Alliance and was also a star athlete on the girl’s basketball and softball teams. She is in the midst of becoming a self-made entrepreneur in the making, creating two businesses that she believes will powerfully impact and influence the community.  

The drive for becoming the leader for the movement of elevating the LGBTQ+ community, especially in schools, stems from her experience as an LGBTQ+ student of color. She believes it is imperative that the youth have someone they can relate to and trust--many young people shy away from adults because they feel adults aren’t relatable and can misinterpret the students' intentions; her leadership working alongside other LGBTQ youth fuels her mission to serve as a friend and mentor. Brianna's vision isn’t to just educate the students, but to help them dig deep into the part of themselves they haven’t reached, yet, so that they can become the best version of themselves while maintaining a good education. One of her goals is to start a Youth Program that revolves around bettering the youth community to increase positive mental health. 

Mason Bec (he/his) is an LGBTQ youth advocate and transgender activist. Mason lives in Norfolk, VA, and is a passionate LGBTQ youth activist and advocate for Transgender equality and inclusion. Mason began his journey in 2017 with hormone replacement therapy as a teenager and student. He is a strong warrior in the fight for transgender visibility and defending equality for the LGBTQ+ community; he believes that sharing his personal experiences will make a true difference in the lives LGBTQ+ youth and families. Mason is excited to continue his education and will be starting a new role in August!

In his spare time, he plays guitar and likes to sing, hike, swim, work and go to the dog park with his doggo Buddha. Mason really enjoys visiting with his family because he spent a lot of time with them before he recently moved. In addition to calling them as often as possible, Mason is appreciative of his siblings and his parents “who have been some of the most accepting individuals.”

Dr. Anneliese Singh (she/they) is Professor and Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Chief Diversity Officer at Tulane University. Her scholarship and community organizing explores racial healing, racial justice, and the resilience, trauma, and identity development experiences of queer and trans people of color. Anneliese is the author of The Racial Healing Handbook: Practical Activities to Help You Challenge Privilege, Confront Systemic Racism, and Engage in Collective Healing and The Queer and Trans Resilience Workbook. Anneliese is co-founder of the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition and the Trans Resilience Project. Dr. Singh is @anneliesesingh on Twitter and Instagram, and her website is www.anneliesesingh.com.

Tameeka L. Hunter, Ph.D, LPC, NCC, CRC (she/her) joined the faculty at the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2020 as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Counselor Education Program. Dr. Hunter is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and a Board-Certified Counselor. Dr. Hunter received her master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and her doctorate in Counselor Education and Practice from Georgia State University. She had a 17-year career in disability services before beginning her doctoral studies. Dr. Hunter’s research focus is on the resilience of marginalized, and multiple marginalized populations, including people of color, sexual and gender-expansive persons, women, and persons living with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Her work examines the impact of resilience and strength-based approaches on the psychosocial, educational, and vocational functioning of marginalized populations.

Ryan M. Roemerman (he/him) serves as the Executive Director of the LGBTQ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which connects academics and advocates to advance equity through research and education focused on the American South. Ryan began his career working to protect students from bullying and harassment by founding a non-profit that helped pass statewide comprehensive safe school and civil rights laws. Since then, he has created a certification program to ensure safe and equitable learning environments with support from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institute of Justice. While at the Center, Ryan has also served as senior strategist and director of innovation, helping the center to become a locally grounded, nationally relevant cultural institution that connects the U.S. Civil Rights Movement to the human rights challenges of today.

Dr. Eric R. Wright is Distinguished University Professor of Sociology and Public Health and Chair of the Sociology Department at Georgia State University. He holds a BA in sociology from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and an MA and PhD in sociology and human sexuality from Indiana University Bloomington. His scholarship centers on social and public policy responses to mental health and illness, substance use and addictions, and sexual health and sexual behavior. Currently, Dr. Wright is working on several projects to understand and ameliorate social and health problems and disparities in minority and other vulnerable communities, including homeless youth as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people (LGBTQ). Professor Wright also is an award-winning teacher and deeply committed to involving students in research and service-learning projects to make learning more relevant and to build stronger bridges between the academy and the community.

Madison Higbee (she/her) is a graduate student in sociology at Georgia State University. She received her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in sociology this past spring, and she has worked directly with the chair of GSU’s sociology department, Dr. Eric Wright, on two major quantitative studies: the 2018 Atlanta Youth Count (a study of homeless youth in the Metro-Atlanta area, particularly youth who have experienced some form of labor/sex trafficking and LGBTQ+ youth) and the 2017 LGBTQ Institute Southern Survey (an online study of LGBTQ+ adults across 14 Southern states). The latter study provided her with the data to conduct her undergraduate Honors Thesis at Georgia State, titled "Conversion Therapy in the South: Prevalence and Experiences of the Survivors" which she presented in two roundtable sessions at the 2019 American Sociological Association (ASA) Annual Meeting, and the manuscript’s publication in the Journal of Homosexuality is forthcoming. 

Samuel Landis (they/them) is the senior designer at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights where they shepherd and created a cohesive visual brand with the marketing team and collaborate with the exhibition team in designing new experiential content and maintain The Center’s existing exhibits. Before coming to The Center, they have experience working in marketing & design agencies, non-profits, and higher education. They moved to Atlanta to attend Savannah College of Art in Design where they received their BFA, graduating Magna Cum Laude. While there, Samuel’s passion for social justice and design was ignited in his role as president of SCAD Atlanta’s LGBTQ student organization. As a designer, artist, and advocate, Samuel is driven by a desire to connect people to stories that matter and create art that shares the beauty of being human.

Myles Markham (he/him or they/them) is the Impact Producer at Multitude Films, an LGBTQ-led independent production company dedicated to telling stories by and about underrepresented voices. He is currently leading the public engagement campaign for PRAY AWAY (Tribeca 2020), which explores the history and continuation of the conversion therapy or ‘pray away the gay’ movement. Myles has worked for almost a decade in grassroots organizing to advance LGBTQ inclusion and racial justice in evangelical and conservative churches and constituencies. He is based in Atlanta, Georgia where he is finishing a Master of Arts in Practical Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary and exploring the role religion and faith can play in liberation within queer and trans communities of color.

Casey Pick (she/her) is the Senior Fellow for Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people. She works to advance state and federal policies that support LGBTQ youth in crisis, educating policymakers and the public about LGBTQ youth/mental health issues. Casey holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from Claremont McKenna College and a juris doctorate from the UCLA School of Law, and in 2019 was named one of the National LGBTQ Bar Association’s “40 Best LGBTQ Lawyers Under 40.”

Roland Behm (he/him) serves on the board of Directors for the Georgia chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Roland completed his undergraduate education at Southern Methodist University in 1982 and received his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1987.  For the past decade, Roland has advocated for mental health and suicide awareness matters at the state and national levels. Roland and AFSP have created a coalition of more than 35 state and national organizations that are advocating to pass legislation denying mental health professionals licensed in Georgia from providing conversion therapy to minors (see converse-ga.org).