Who we are

Click on a heading to learn more most our board, staff, working groups and National Advisory Quango.

Board of Directors

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Yves Averous

Yves Averous is a writer, linguist, translator and project-management professional person with an all-encompassing background in journalism, localization and the QA aspects of bringing applied science products to market place. In 2017, he joined the FinTech company Square in San Francisco every bit localization project manager following over 10 years working as a linguistic communication consultant and contractor for a range of Bay Expanse tech companies including Mindjet, Apple, LinkedIn Sony and E.piphany. From 2000 to 2010, he served on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Translators Association. He has too worked regularly as a French language voice-over artist, and his writings accept been published in French Elle, Paris Lucifer, and Tetu, the leading LGBTQ publication in France. As a French activist, he was one of the founding members of Human action UP Paris earlier moving to San Francisco in the 1990s.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Tali Bray

Tali Bray is head of Technology Various Segments, Representation and Inclusion at Wells Fargo. Previously, she was main information officer for the Enterprise Technology business organization unit. She is a recognized leader in driving large-scale, technology-based transformations. Tali has a bachelor's degree in English from Tufts University and studied classical vocal operation at the New England Conservatory. Tali is currently a Lath member for Earth Institute on Disability. Prior to joining WID'due south board, she served as president of the board of directors for the Computer Technologies Program and served on the board of directors for the Randall Museum.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

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Ben Gilliam (Treasurer)

Ben Gilliam is managing primary and national market place leader for Coldwell Broker Commercial. He oversees the corporate real estate portfolio for Realogy Holdings, the parent company of Coldwell Bankers, Sotheby's and xl other affiliated existent-estate brands. He has served on numerous boards and committees in his 35-yr career and was instrumental in getting powerlifting back in the Gay Games for 2022. He holds a B.S. in business administration from the Academy of Colorado and an Grand.B.A in strategic management from Regis University.

Pronouns: he/him/his

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Mason J. (At-Big Member of the Executive Committee)

Mason is a Black and Indigenous San Francisco-born creative person, historiographer, media strategist and community organizer. Their focused passions include land use, youth empowerment, LGBTQ senior services, inability justice, intersex rights and gender/sexuality. In add-on to previous jobs handing out condoms and hugs every bit a kid during the AIDS Walk and more recently working with the San Francisco Public Library's James C. Hormel Center, Transgender Cultural District, and RADAR Productions, Mason takes great pride in their Public Health Nerd, Ii-Spirit, Jewish, HIV State of war Survivor, Nightlifer, Ballroom, Leather, Punk and Soulie identities.

Pronouns: they/them/theirs or he/him/his

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Kyle Levinger (Secretary)

Kyle Levinger currently works on the donor-advised funds team at the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation, where he assists donors in making approximately nine,000 grants per year. When not at work, Kyle performs around the Bay Area every bit Kylie Minono, his drag persona. As Kylie Minono he was proud to serve San Francisco as Grand Duchess 39 with the Thousand Ducal Quango, raising funds and sensation for local charities, and still spends much of his time supporting the council'southward efforts.

Pronouns: he/him/his

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Rigoberto Marquez

Dr. Rigoberto Marquez is the associate director of Stanford's Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. Earlier joining Stanford, he was a fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University. Rigoberto's research and community work focus on the roles family and customs play in the lives of queer youth of color and the implications this has for theory, policy and practice. He is excited to back up the work of the GLBT Historical Society and to find new ways of introducing students and researchers to the importance of archives.

Pronouns: he/they/them

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Maria Powers (Chair)

Maria Powers has worked in finance in the nonprofit sector for virtually of her professional career. She has served equally CFO/CIO at the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium (SFCCC) for the by 20 years, overseeing the fiscal management of SFCCC's $10 one thousand thousand upkeep. She as well works with the Consortium's partner clinics on various IT initiatives, including increased capacity for exchanging wellness care information in a protected and secure way amid the Metropolis's primary health care clinics and the local hospitals. Prior to SFCCC, Ms. Powers was the CFO/CIO for other local and national nonprofit agencies located in Washington, D.C. One of her kickoff jobs was an internship with the National Building Museum.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

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Francisco Rosas

Francisco Rosas has worked in fine art museums for over ten years. He is the artistic and content banana director at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (encompassing the De Young Museum and the Palace of the Legion of Honor), and is an active leader on the museums' Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Commission. A Bay Surface area native, Francisco received his master'due south degree in arts administration and policy from the School of the Art Found of Chicago.

Pronouns: he/him/his

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Lito Sandoval (Vice Chair)

Lito Sandoval works as a program managing director with Notified and has served on many nonprofit boards in the Latino and LGBTQ communities. He is a former board member of the San Francisco Latino Autonomous Club. He also founded the Queer Latinx Social Guild. Lito's essay "I Dearest You Alto" appears in the anthologyVirgins, Guerrillas y Locas: Gay Latinos Writing on Honey (Cleis Printing, 1999).

Pronouns: he/him/his

Oliver Slate-Greene

Oliver Slate-Greene is a surfer, poet, whole-foliage tea enthusiast and head of growth for a venture studio in the Bay Surface area. He spent over x years at enterprise-level consumer packaged goods companies optimizing marketing funnels, creating content and navigating the ever-changing world of media. He enjoys partnering with passionate startup founders who are out to change the globe by offering practical guidance and demystifying the world of growth. He is committed to social justice, anti-racist work and elevating the images/stories of revolutionaries, radicals, and people who live(d) their lives on their own terms.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Open Meetings

In compliance with the requirements of the City and County of San Francisco, ii Board of Directors meetings per twelvemonth are open up to attendance by the public. The next public meetings are in April and October 2022 at our offices at 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, and/or online. Meetings outset at 6:00 p.m. To attend or to asking an calendar in advance, write at least 72 hours earlier the meeting to board@glbthistory.org.

Staff

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Finance Manager

Daniel Bao

Daniel Bao'southward relationship with the GLBT Historical Order began in 1990 as a graduate educatee doing research in the athenaeum. Since so, he'southward taken on many different roles at the society, from Archives Committee volunteer to Board Fellow member to Acting Executive Director. He received his primary's degree in Latin American studies from Stanford Academy in 1990.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Interim Co-Executive Director/Director, Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections

Kelsi Evans

Kelsi Evans has been working in the field of archives for over 13 years. Prior to her role with the Society, she worked on the AIDS History Project at the University of California, San Francisco Archives and Special Collections and managed archival projects at the Fales Library of New York University, the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami, and the Foundation for Landscape Studies. Kelsi holds an M.A. in archives and public history from New York University and an M.A. in history from the Academy of California, Santa Cruz. She is active in professional person organizations, including the Club of California Archivists and the Society of American Archivists.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Reference Archivist

Isaac Fellman

Isaac Fellman has worked in athenaeum at the California Historical Society, the Charles Thou. Schulz Museum and Oregon Wellness and Science University. He earned his MLS from Emporia Land University and his M.A. in English from the Academy of Oregon. Isaac is also a Lambda Literary Honour-winning writer.

Pronouns: he/him/his

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Project Archivist

Megan Needels

Megan Needels has worked in various Bay Expanse athenaeum, including Canyon Picture palace, the Prelinger Archives, San Francisco Cinematheque and Oddball Films. They hold an MLIS in media archival studies from the Academy of California, Los Angeles and a BA in picture and digital media product from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Pronouns: she/her/hers/they/them/theirs

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Manager of Museum Feel

Leigh Pfeffer

Leigh Pfeffer has held a variety of roles in nonprofits and museums, from plan and events coordination to visitor services. Leigh manages the society'south museum operations, public programs and volunteers, and is excited about cultivating relationships with community members who share a passion for our mission. Earlier joining the GLBT Historical Society, they worked for the Exploratorium and managed a volunteer speakers panel program and operations at the Variety Center in Santa Cruz. In their spare time, Leigh produces and is co-host of the podcast "History is Gay."

Pronouns: they/them/theirs

Development Coordinator

Mikaela Rioux

Mikaela Rioux has held several positions in nonprofit development and assistants with various LGBTQ- and women-focused organizations, including Equality California, the Global Fund for Women and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. When she'south not in the office, you can find Mikaela designing i-of-a-kind costumes from upcycled materials and singing with her treble choir, Conspiracy of Venus.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Communications Manager

Marker Sawchuk

Mark Sawchuk received his Ph.D. in European history at the University of California at Berkeley in 2011 and taught as a lecturer there for 5 years. His research focused on nationbuilding and political culture in 19th-century France. He has worked with nonprofits in various capacities for much of his career.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Interim Co-Executive Manager/Director of Evolution and Communications

Andrew Shaffer

Andrew Shaffer directs the society'due south outreach, media and fundraising programs. Prior to joining the society, he led development efforts with multiple local nonprofits including the Immigrant Legal Resource Heart and the California Preservation Foundation. He is besides trained as a historian, and his academic background includes graduate work at the Academy of San Francisco and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he helped to build that city'south first permanent LGBTQ athenaeum.

Pronouns: he/him/his

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Museum Registrar & Curatorial Specialist

Ramón Silvestre

Ramón Silvestre is an expert in material culture studies. He previously was a Visiting Fellow at the Smithsonian'due south National Museum of Natural History, and has published in many national and international professional journals, including The Smithsonian Establishment Scholarly Printing. He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology and a primary's degree in curatorial and museum studies from the University of Arizona, School of Anthropology. He has conducted fieldwork and museum collections acquisitions amid the Kalinga and Ifugao tribes in northern Philippines, the Iban in Indonesia and the Dayak in Borneo.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Working Groups

The GLBT Historical Order's volunteer working groups go on the system's tradition of engagement, passion, and creativity with deep roots in the community. They are informational and operational bodies that comport out designated functions focused on key initiatives under the direction of the executive director and the supervision of each working grouping chair.

Members of the working groups are asked to commit to a six-month term of service, offering volunteers the opportunity to make a more sustained delivery to the guild. The system currently has four standing working groups. Active working group members receive a i-twelvemonth regular membership in the GLBT Historical Society.

Please read below to find out more about each group. If you are interested in more than information or joining one of the working groups, delight contact that group's chair.

Archives

Chair: Al Bersch

The Archives Working Grouping consists of volunteers who serve in an advisory chapters to the director of archives and special collections and archives staff. The group is responsible for advising on collections policies and participating in assigned archival projects, including collection system, description and preservation. The Archives Working Group charter is available here.

Exhibitions

Chair: Elisabeth Cornu

This ad-hoc group consists of volunteers who serve in an advisory capacity to the director of exhibitions and museum experience, in conjunction with community input, regarding the society's upcoming exhibitions content and calendar.

Historic Places

Chair: Shayne Watson

This working group directs the GLBT Historical Society'south efforts to preserve historic structures and sites associated with LGBTQ history.

National Advisory Council

The society's National Advisory Quango advises and supports our staff and Board on the fulfillment of our mission, with item emphasis on guiding our campaign to institute a New Museum of LGBTQ History and Culture—a world-class museum, archives and public history eye in San Francisco that nosotros believe is vital to the preservation of our heritage and the representation of our diverse LGBTQ communities.

Co-Chairs

Mark Leno

Alfredo Pedroza

Gayle Rubin

Susan Stryker

Amy Sueyoshi

 Members

Dustin Lance Blackness

Jennifer DeVere Brody

Steven Correll

Ms. Bob Davis

Cheryl Dunye

John D'Emilio

Ramzi Fawaz

Estelle Freedman

Alicia Garza

Thomas Horn

Cleve Jones

Jordy Jones

Tirza Latimer

Stu Maddux

Shannon Minter

Jim Obergefell

Hunter O'Hanian

Rebecca Prozan

Julia Serano

Sarah Schulman

Mike Shriver