27 LGBTQ+ Leaders At The Helm
Queer leadership has always been a force for change, but in a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under renewed attack, having outspoken queer leaders at the helm is more vital than ever. Across industries, these trailblazers are not just making space—they’re building movements.
At The Helm spotlights 27 visionaries leading the charge, from community organizers and nonprofit directors to creatives and entrepreneurs. Their work goes beyond visibility—it’s about impact, resilience, and pushing forward even when the road gets tough. Whether they’re reimagining Pride, advocating for policy change, or creating platforms for queer stories to be told, these leaders are proving that now is not the time to be silent. It’s the time to lead.
And there’s more to come. As we gear up for Pride, we’ll be celebrating even more game-changers in our 100 Women We Love feature, our annual homage to the fierce women shaping a better world. Stay tuned for that in our Pride issue!
Darra Gordon
“I wake up every day thinking about the freedoms and safety of my family and other LGBTQ+ families,” says Darra Gordon, CEO of Family Equality. With over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, Gordon has dedicated her career to advocating for LGBTQ+ families and advancing social justice. Her journey to Family Equality wasn’t a choice—it was a calling shaped by her own experiences raising a family in a world that has yet to fully embrace equality and acceptance. Under Gordon’s leadership, Family Equality is tackling urgent challenges facing LGBTQ+ families, from legal rights to safety and inclusion. “LGBTQ+ families deserve to thrive, and I’m determined to deliver,” she tells GO. Gordon’s connection to this work is profound. She is a proud mother of three, including a non-binary child. This mission is not just professional but deeply personal. “Family is the great uniter,” she shares, emphasizing the importance of creating a world where everyone can experience the unconditional love and safety that family provides. In addition to her work at Family Equality, Gordon has held leadership positions at GLAAD and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, where she achieved groundbreaking success in expanding resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Her visionary leadership and commitment to justice have earned her multiple accolades, including the BMW Woman of Xcellence Award. Gordon continues to lead with passion and purpose, working towards a world where every LGBTQ+ family can thrive. To learn more about Family Equality visit familyequality.org.
Photo: Liz Farrell
Rev. Alyssa Kaplan
“Justice cannot be passive, and inclusion cannot be conditional,” Rev. Alyssa Kaplan tells GO, emphasizing the core values that drive her leadership. As the Executive Director of Trinity Place Shelter (TPS), a transitional housing facility for LGBTQ+ youth in New York City, Kaplan is at the forefront of creating spaces where young people are not only safe but celebrated. Her work centers around the belief that community, mutual care, and accountability are essential in healing the wounds left by exclusion and harm. Kaplan’s path to leadership was shaped by her time at Union Theological Seminary, where she earned her Master of Divinity and deepened her commitment to justice for marginalized communities, including immigrants and LGBTQ+ youth. Her leadership at TPS reflects her dedication to empowering young people and fostering a sense of belonging. “The most rewarding moments are often the quiet, everyday interactions that reveal the beauty of community and mutual care,” she says, highlighting the transformative power of simple acts of connection and support. Guided by her own queer identity, Kaplan works every day to build spaces that allow individuals to live authentically. “Queerness has taught me that life is not about fitting into pre-existing molds but about creating something new,” she reflects. Her vision for the future is one where LGBTQ+ youth not only survive but thrive, with lasting support systems in place to ensure their safety, stability, and success. Through her work, Kaplan is creating a movement of love, justice, and radical inclusion in both faith and community.
Photo: Mason Stabell
Matthieu Jost
If you’ve ever searched for LGBTQ+friendly travel resources, chances are you’ve stumbled across Matthieu Jost. As the CEO and co-founder of misterb&b and weere, the largest unified LGBTQ+ travel and social tech platform in the world, Jost has sewn his personal experiences into his company to create a safe and affirming resource for travel. “When I founded misterb&b, I was driven by a clear gap in the travel market,” Jost tells GO. “I wanted to build a platform where community and travel intersected, allowing people to explore the world without hesitation or fear.” Founded in 2014, misterb&b is the largest LGBTQ+ travel app with more than one million queer-friendly listings. Jost says building this company has come with its fair share of challenges, from fundraising to maintaining user safety, but it has been worth it to strengthen the global LGBTQ+ community. “Each challenge reinforces our purpose and mission: to foster a more welcoming and inclusive world for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Photo: Jost
Catalina Velasquez
Catalina Velasquez has spent her life turning personal struggle into collective power. She leads the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) with a vision of justice rooted in mutual aid and decolonial values. Under her leadership, WAISN has become the largest immigrant-led coalition in Washington State, securing millions in funding for healthcare, housing, and education while building critical movement infrastructure like the state’s only Deportation Defense Hotline for all Washingtonian residents regardless of their immigration status. It can be reached at 1-844-724-3737 from 6 am–6 pm PST. “When we uplift the most vulnerable and oppressed among us, we all rise together,” she tells GO. For Velasquez, leadership is inseparable from identity. “Intersectionality isn’t just a theory—it’s a lived reality,” she explains. Her experience as a transgender, refugee, Colombian-Latina feminist informs her commitment to dismantling systems of white supremacy, heteropatriarchy, and colonialism while creating spaces of healing and resistance. From co-founding the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project to advising Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, her advocacy has shaped national conversations on immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights. But for Velasquez, success isn’t just about winning legislative battles—it’s about transforming communities from the ground up. “Justice must be rooted in care and connection,” she says. Looking ahead, she envisions WAISN as a national model for grassroots organizing, base building, and resource mobilizing—one that not only influences policy but redefines what justice looks like in practice and positively impacts the material circumstances and living standards of all Washingtonians, regardless of immigration status.
Photo: Jordan Nicholson
Leila Bozorg
Leila Bozorg, the City of New York’s Executive Director for Housing, has dedicated her career to improving equitable access to housing. With two decades of experience in public service, Bozorg’s leadership is driven by a deeply personal commitment to creating inclusive communities. “Having a safe, affordable home is the cornerstone of stability,” she tells GO. Bozorg sees her current role as an opportunity to tackle New York City’s ongoing affordability crisis and ensure that every neighborhood is open to more housing and different types of families. A key aspect of Bozorg’s work is making both housing and other wealth-building opportunities more accessible. Her experience spans multiple roles, including previous work at NYC Kid RISE and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she played a pivotal role in developing policies to preserve public housing. Bozorg’s leadership has earned her accolades such as the 2022 40 Under 40 Rising Star award from City & State and recognition as a 2023 Notable LGBTQIA+ Leader by Crain’s New York. Bozorg’s identity as a queer person and the daughter of Iranian immigrants has profoundly influenced her approach to policy-making. “Growing up before queerness was widely accepted, particularly in Persian communities, I learned early on what it feels like to be on the margins,” she reflects. Her personal experiences fuel her passion for making housing policies more inclusive, ensuring all individuals—regardless of their identity, income or family structure—have access to opportunity and choice.
Photo: Natura Collective
Kayla Gore
Kayla Gore is the founder of My Sistah’s House, an organization in Memphis, TN dedicated to breaking down barriers to homeownership for marginalized communities, particularly transgender and queer people of color. With a clear vision to increase affordable housing for these communities, she has led efforts to build tiny homes. “I hope to accomplish our goal of 20 tiny homes, with 10 complete and 1 under construction,” she tells GO. We love a woman with a plan! As a published author and social justice advocate, Gore has worked with numerous organizations, including the Transgender Law Center, OUTMemphis, and the Transgender Strategy Center. However, her most transformative work has been with My Sistah’s House, where she focuses on making homeownership accessible to those who have been excluded from it for far too long. Gore’s own experiences with discrimination—both for her gender expression and the color of her skin—have shaped her commitment to advancing the housing movement for queer and trans communities. “My identity as a queer individual has given me the fuel to elevate the housing movement within queer communities,” she says. Through her leadership, Gore is not only addressing immediate housing needs but also creating long-term solutions that empower marginalized communities to thrive.
Photo: Sean Black Photography
Alexander Roque
Alexander Roque’s leadership at the Ali Forney Center (AFC) has transformed how organizations support LGBTQ+ youth in need of housing and care. Since becoming President and Executive Director in 2020, he has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives, including a pioneering residential treatment program integrating housing and mental health services. “My desire to help others and lead meaningful change, combined with my personal experience as someone who once received services, deeply inspired me to pursue this role,” Roque tells GO. Since joining AFC in 2011 to lead fundraising, Roque has helped expand its budget from $3.5 million to $25 million, allowing the center to meet growing demand. “The most rewarding part of my work is knowing I’ve contributed to creating safety, support, and affirmation for LGBTQ+ youth,” he reflects. His leadership also extends internationally, with AFC now supporting over 50 providers in 22+ countries. Having personally experienced family rejection, Roque brings deep empathy to his work. “My lived experience has been central to shaping what I do,” he says. His perspective has helped form AFC’s advocacy efforts at the city, state, and federal levels to secure better protections for LGBTQ+ youth. “This work is challenging, and setbacks are constant, but they’ve also been powerful learning opportunities,” Roque adds. “They’ve taught me to think creatively, approach problems differently, and keep moving forward with purpose.”
Photo: Skye Adrian O’Niel
Amanda Babine
Amanda Babine serves as the Executive Director of Equality New York, the largest statewide organization working to advance the lives of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers and their families. Babine tells GO she is inspired by her three nieces, Olivia, Meliina, & Kali, to continue protecting young people and facilitating a world where they can thrive. “My entire job is fighting every single day for equality and inclusion and you can imagine that can be overwhelming,” she says. “Having a reason outside yourself makes it easier.” Babine has been working in the social sector for the past 15 years at renowned institutions including The New York Transgender Advocacy Group, City University of New York (CUNY), and Columbia University. She says the most rewarding aspect of her career has been teaching with Equality New York. “We run an LGBTQI Advocacy Institute which trains community organizers to implement programs and initiatives in their local community. I am always so impressed with the projects that our students create,” she tells GO. As her thriving career continues, Babine hopes to give others the chance to take on leadership roles. She believes people with lived experiences are in the best position to lead, but often don’t receive equal opportunities. “We need to change the way we do the work. I want to be someone who helps make that shift.”
Photo: Jessica Young
Wes Enos
Wes Enos sees storytelling as a bridge between generations. Inspired by his father, a history teacher who brought the past to life, Enos found his own way of preserving history: amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ elders. After his father’s passing, he sought out older community members, realizing their lived experiences held invaluable lessons. “Their stories, when brought to light, bridge generations and preserve history in its most personal form,” he tells GO. In 2015, Enos launched The Generations Project, an intergenerational storytelling initiative that connects LGBTQ+ individuals across age groups. Through live events, workshops, and mentorship programs, it provides a platform for older queer individuals to share their narratives—many for the first time—while younger generations listen, learn, and engage. “The most rewarding moments come when someone who has lived an extraordinary life but never formally shared their story finds their voice,” Enos says. With a history degree from San Francisco State University and over a decade in hospitality, Enos has built a career on fostering connection. Through The Generations Project, he strengthens community bonds, giving LGBTQ+ elders the recognition they deserve while helping younger generations understand and honor their history.
Photo: Emil Cohen
Liz Alpern
“Ask me what’s gay about soup.” Chef and cookbook author Liz Alpern has the answer. She is the creator of Queer Soup Night, a global event series highlighting queer culinary talent and raising funds for local justice organizations. When Trump was first elected in 2016, Alpern felt driven to participate in activism in the only way she knew how: “cook and throw a party.” Alpern threw her first Queer Soup Night in Brooklyn in January 2017, combining comfort food and community grassroots work. “I just want to cry and sometimes do because this community is so beautiful and powerful,” Alpern tells GO. “It’s the most rewarding thing in the world to witness what we can do together.” In the past eight years, Queer Soup Night has gone from a small gathering of gay people in Brooklyn, eating soup and searching for community, to an organization with volunteer-led chapters from Atlanta to Oakland. By exchanging soup for a suggested donation, QSN has raised around $150,000 for activist organizations across the country. Alpern tells GO there’s no sign of stopping. “I knew when Queer Soup Night first started that our work would remain relevant no matter who is in office, but this latest election feels like a brand new challenge, one that we’ll need to face together,” she says.
Photo: Jesi Kelley
Sheena Lister
“I hope that people, whether they are 18 or 88, feel seen, loved, and accepted every single day,” Sheena Lister tells GO. Inclusion has always been at the center of Lister’s entrepreneurship. In 2021, she founded The Barb Shop, a company devoted to bringing short hair products to the beauty aisle and making those who rock short cuts feel seen. The inspiration came from Lister’s own experiences with short hair. In the salon chair and within the industry as a whole, she didn’t feel like herself. As someone who struggled with their own self-image and found bliss with an affirming haircut, Lister feels overjoyed to bring that same satisfaction to others. “The most rewarding part of my work is hands down seeing our amazing customers light up and feel like themselves after using our products and meeting our brand,” she says. Lister goes above and beyond to help her community, providing resources and information on short hair terminology, styling options, and personal essays on gender-affirming haircuts. The Barb Shop also donates a number of affirming cuts to “barbs” each year. “I believe that we are creating a new hair category rooted in inclusion, acceptance, and feeling like yourself,” she says.
Photo: Nadine Kopp
Chef Jullenne & Janelle El
When you combine a visionary artist with a culinary powerhouse, you get more than a business—you get Junelle’s Catering & Events. Founded by real-life power couple Chef Jullenne and Janelle El (L-R), this luxury event production company is redefining hospitality with heart, artistry, and unapologetic queer pride. Janelle, an NYC-born actor, producer, and founder of Blue Pearl Theatrics, brings her storytelling spirit to every gathering they curate. From the stage to the kitchen, she’s always been drawn to creation, performance, and community. “The most rewarding part of this work is seeing people go from stressed to fully present and glowing with joy,” she tells GO. “When our clients get to relax and truly enjoy their big moments—that’s everything.” Meanwhile, Jullenne—a third-generation chef, ultra-athlete, and former competitor on the History Channel’s The Butcher—leads with bold culinary vision and an unshakable entrepreneurial streak. “No matter what, I choose to live life on my own terms,” she says. “That is both powerful and courageous.” Together, they’ve created a company known not just for exquisite food and seamless planning, but for the joy and intention they bring to life’s most meaningful moments. Their shared vision is global: Junelle’s aims to be a household name in luxury hospitality, expanding into international events, custom venues, and even oceanic experiences. But at the core of everything is a commitment to authenticity, representation, and care, especially for their LGBTQ+ clients. Resilient, multi-dimensional, and deeply grounded in faith, nature, and self-expression, Janelle and Jullenne are living proof that love—and leadership—flourishes when it’s rooted in purpose.
Photo: El
Ben Stokes
“There’s no birth certificate to confirm it, but I recently celebrated my 40th birthday,” Ben Stokes tells GO. Abandoned as an infant in a hospital cafeteria, his official birthdate was chosen by his adoptive parents—their wedding anniversary, ensuring his dad would never forget it. That mix of resilience, resourcefulness, and humor has shaped Stokes’ approach to leadership, investment, and community-building. As the Founding Partner of Chasing Rainbows, one of the only LGBTQ+focused venture capital fund in the U.S., Stokes is rewriting the rules of startup funding. He knows firsthand the barriers queer entrepreneurs face. Many lack a traditional “friends and family” round due to rejection from their own families. Chasing Rainbows steps in as that chosen family, providing not just capital but mentorship and strategy to help founders navigate the investment world without fear of bias. “I consider my role as helping founders build a winning fundraising strategy,” he says. “It’s about making sure they’re positioned in the strongest light before meeting other investors—so they focus on their company, not code-switching.” Stokes’ influence extends beyond venture capital. He’s a sought-after speaker, a guest lecturer at Fordham, and has led discussions at the White House, U.K. Parliament, and SXSW. Despite his packed résumé, his mission remains simple: ensuring LGBTQ+ founders have the resources, confidence, and opportunities to succeed—without ever having to change who they are.
Photo: Dylan Webber
William Burckart
For William Burckart, frustration was a catalyst for action. As a longtime advocate for leveraging private capital to drive meaningful change, he found himself disillusioned with the narrow scope of sustainable and impact investing. This led him to co-found and lead The Investment Integration Project (TIIP), an initiative designed to help investors understand and manage the connection between financial performance and the health of social, financial, and environmental systems (what he dubs “system-level investing”). Through TIIP, Burckart has worked with pension funds, asset managers, private foundations, family offices, and government entities to shift investment strategies to drive system-level progress. But his commitment to inclusion extends beyond traditional finance. A few years ago, he co-founded Colorful Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in LGBTQ+ led ventures—a community that has been historically overlooked and underfunded. “In establishing Colorful Capital, we went from being gay professionals to being professionally gay,” Burckart tells GO. While Colorful Capital has since evolved, its mission continues through the work at TIIP, including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Making Missing Markets Initiative, all in the service of creating an economy that works for all. When he’s not advising major financial institutions or teaching system-level investing at Columbia University, Burckart finds exhilaration in an unexpected place—kiteboarding. “Picture a mix of euphoria and sheer panic—sometimes gracefully gliding across the water, other times flailing spectacularly,” he describes. Whether in the boardroom or harnessed to a 14-foot kite, he remains steadfast in his belief that embracing challenges—financial, social, or personal—is the key to meaningful progress.
Photo: Burckart
Andrew Barret Cox
Andrew Barret Cox is a powerhouse creative whose work spans music, theater, nightlife, and television. Whether composing for Emmy-winning shows, crafting show-stopping performances, or curating immersive nightlife experiences, he thrives on building spaces where artistry flourishes. “Since I was a kid, I’ve been directing, choreographing, designing, and writing,” Cox tells GO. “Leadership didn’t come naturally—I had to learn what it truly meant: to uplift others, create a space where people feel valued, and hold myself accountable in moments of doubt.” As a driving force behind OSCAR at The Crown, Cox served as composer, music director, choreographer, and costume designer. His work with DaddyTV, where he has composed for hundreds of OUTtv episodes, further cements his creative influence. Beyond theater and television, Cox thrives in nightlife. As the longtime emcee of NYC’s Hot Rabbit and the mastermind behind Apocalypse Noir, he seamlessly blends music, drag, and immersive storytelling. For Cox, leadership is about championing others. “If I see something special in you, I’ll go to the ends of the earth to make sure others see it too.” As he continues to push boundaries, his mission remains clear: amplify queer voices and create art that resonates.
Photo: Grace Chu
Johanna Toruño
“My pride comes from watching my work take a life of its own and have its own relationship with folks on the street,” Johanna Toruño tells GO. Toruño began living in the U.S. after she was displaced by El Salvador’s civil war at 10 years old. Her experience as a lesbian migrant has been sewn into the fabric of her political street art. “Without my queerness I wouldn’t hold such a resilient and disruptive lens,” she says. Her project, The Unapologetic Street Series, utilizes public space to disrupt the norm and engage strangers in LGBTQ+, political, and social issues. Walking down the streets of LA, you can find one of her signature posters, “Blessed are the queers growin’ food for each other.” Toruño began sharing photos of her radical art on Instagram in 2017. At that time, she was pasting up posters in New York City advocating for the dismantlement of ICE and the overall decriminalization of Black and brown people. Over the past seven years, she has gained more than 100,000 followers, hosted art pop-ups across the U.S., completed an art residency in Italy, and was given the Yo Soy/I Am award for Creative Excellence by Instagram and The Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “I’ve accomplished so much of what I could have never dreamt—I’ve created a body of work that has truly resonated with people, given them something to feel seen and heard by, and for that I will always be proud,” Toruño tells GO.
Photo: Mercedez Zapata
David Hatkoff
Queer stories have the power to transform lives—something David Hatkoff knows firsthand. The books, films, and TV that shaped his identity didn’t just provide representation; they affirmed his existence. “Queer stories changed the way I understand myself as a human being and helped me believe I have value,” he tells GO. As Executive Director of NewFest, New York’s leading LGBTQ+ film and media organization, Hatkoff is dedicated to ensuring others see themselves represented on screen. Since taking on the role in 2019, he has expanded NewFest’s annual film festival into the largest queer film festival in the U.S. and launched two additional festivals—NewFest Pride and Queering the Canon. He’s also introduced vital initiatives like the Black Filmmakers Initiative and the New Voices Filmmaker Grant. Beyond growth, Hatkoff sees his work as a direct response to attacks on LGBTQ+ rights. “There are people who want to silence us,” he says. “We need to double down on creating community spaces and uplifting queer voices.” With over a decade in nonprofit arts leadership, including 11 years at Signature Theatre, Hatkoff brings expertise in sustaining arts organizations. But his queer identity remains central to his leadership. “I can’t—and don’t want to—leave my identity at the door,” he says. Through NewFest, he ensures queer storytelling remains a force for connection, visibility, and change.
Photo: Mettie Ostrowski
NiK Kacy
NiK Kacy is a visionary entrepreneur and activist breaking gender barriers in fashion while championing LGBTQ+ visibility. As the Founder and President of NiK Kacy Footwear, they launched the first gender-equal luxury footwear brand, ensuring people of all identities can find shoes that fit both their feet and their sense of self. They also founded Equality Fashion Week, the first LGBTQ+ fashion week in Los Angeles, proving that fashion can be a force for activism and community building. “I never consciously ‘took on’ a leadership role,” Kacy tells GO. “It was a response to a lack of representation I personally felt. I wanted to create community, and as it grew, I realized I had a responsibility to use my platform to elevate others.” Their journey began with frustration, struggling to find masculine shoes that fit. Kacy’s designs have redefined the industry with gender-free sizing and timeless craftsmanship. “The most rewarding part—whether designing shoes or organizing Equality Fashion Week—is seeing my community thrive,” they share. Kacy remains committed to ensuring that all LGBTQ+ individuals feel seen, valued, and celebrated.
Photo: Nicolette J. Pownall
Robyn Electra
Robyn Electra is the founder of Gaff and Go, a pioneering transgender lifestyle brand specializing in lingerie, swimwear, and accessories for trans women, nonbinary individuals, and those who tuck. Since launching the company at just 20 years old, she has revolutionized gender-affirming fashion with products designed for comfort, safety, and confidence. “Growing up, I faced the harsh realities of being a transgender individual in a world that often didn’t see or understand me,” Electra shares with GO. “I experienced firsthand the discomfort and fear that came from not having gender-affirming care products that catered to my needs, safety, or affirmed my identity.” Determined to change that, she launched Gaff and Go in 2017, expanding to include a cosmetics line in 2018, swimwear in 2021, and sportswear in 2022. “My identity as a transgender woman is the foundation of everything I do,” she explains. “The most rewarding part has been hearing from the transgender individuals whose lives we’ve touched,” Electra says. “Every time someone writes to us to say that one of our gender-affirming care products helped them feel more at ease in their body or gave them the confidence to embrace who they truly are, it’s an indescribable feeling.” Beyond business, Electra co-founded Trans Celebration, a trans-led, grassroots organization dedicated to issues affecting trans and gender-diverse people. Through her advocacy and innovations, she continues to push for greater trans visibility, safety, and empowerment.
Photo: Electra
Dr. Carla Smith
Dr. Carla Smith’s journey to becoming CEO of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center) in New York City is rooted in a lifelong commitment to advocacy. Raised with the values of inclusion and care instilled by her grandmother, she has spent over 25 years fighting for marginalized communities. “My inspiration comes from a deep passion for equity and inclusion within the LGBTQ+ community,” she tells GO. As the first person of color to lead The Center, she sees her role as both a responsibility and an opportunity to ensure that all LGBTQ+ individuals—especially communities of color—feel represented in its mission. Taking the helm in 2024, Dr. Smith oversees The Center’s financial, programmatic, and operational functions. A historic meeting space, its 50,000-square-foot West Village hub serves as a sanctuary for thousands of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, offering HIV testing, mental health therapy, a youth drop-in center, and more. “Many describe entering The Center as ‘getting a hug,’” she shares. “I feel that way every day I walk through our doors.” Dr. Smith’s career includes leadership roles at Urban Resource Institute, Housing Works, and the NYC Anti-Violence Project. A recognized authority on social issues, she has spoken at the NYC City Council and national conferences. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Executive Leadership from Saint John Fisher College and lives in New York with her wife, Jackie, their five children, and grandchild. As she leads The Center, she remains dedicated to fostering an inclusive and empowered LGBTQ+ future.
Photo: Marcus Cooper
Corina Luckenbach
Corina Luckenbach is a community-driven entrepreneur whose work has long centered on creating inclusive spaces for queer joy and connection. For a decade, she ran Bebop Waffle Shop in Seattle, a beloved brunch spot that was not just a restaurant but a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community, employing a majority queer, trans, and POC staff. Closing Bebop in 2024 due to rising costs was heartbreaking, but Luckenbach knew it was the right decision. “It was devastating to take away a space that meant so much to so many,” she tells GO. “But I don’t expect the restaurant industry to become any more sustainable.” Instead of walking away, she pivoted. Keeping the Bebop lease, she is transforming the space into Corina’s Livingroom, a community-centered event venue for gatherings, performances, and pop-ups. This isn’t her first time building a space for connection—she previously ran South Park Hall, a rentable venue that closed during the pandemic. She also co-founded One Million Tampons, a grassroots initiative that has donated over 250,000 menstrual products to people in need. “I love making beautiful things for people—whether it’s food, events, or opportunities to come together,” she says. With Corina’s Livingroom, she’s continuing her mission: fostering community, creating space, and making sure no one is left behind.
Photo: Dawndra Budd
Krysta Jones
As the founder of The High Country Girls (also known as THC Girls), Krysta Jones knows a thing or two about empowering fellow entrepreneurs. THC Girls helps new cannabis businesses learn how to professionally network themselves and develop their brand with one-on-one coaching and project management—all while staying connected to cannabis’s culture. “I want to help normalize cannabis in mainstream industries, showing that cannabis entrepreneurs are dynamic, capable, and here to stay,” Jones tells GO. Her experiences as a queer person in professional spaces have inspired her to foster inclusivity, acceptance, and representation in the cannabis industry. “Being queer has taught me resilience and the power of authenticity, which I infuse into everything we do,” she says. “I want THC Girls to be a space where anyone can feel at home, feel seen, and feel empowered to show up as themselves and grind.” Jones tells GO that Relentless by Tim Grover has taught her to stay focused under pressure, never settle, and continue pushing herself every day. “That drive, that relentlessness—it’s a big part of what fuels me in leading THC Girls and breaking boundaries in this industry.”
Photo: Jones
Amy Alonso
Amy Alonso has been creating joyful, affirming spaces for queer women for over two decades. As co-founder of Pandora Events, she helped build a legacy of unforgettable gatherings—Girls in Wonderland and the Women’s White Party among them—that have become cornerstones of Pride celebrations across Florida. But Alonso’s impact doesn’t stop at the dance floor. Today, she serves as Executive Director of Our Rainbow Nest, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and couples on their family-building journeys. The inspiration? Her own path to parenthood, a beautiful but at times isolating experience that ignited her passion to help others feel seen, supported, and liberated. “Watching people go from overwhelmed to empowered—it’s everything,” Alonso says. “There’s no one right way to build a family—just your way.” Alonso’s vision for the future is expansive: to make Our Rainbow Nest a go-to hub for LGBTQ+ family-building resources nationwide. With plans to grow their offerings and deepen partnerships across fertility, legal, and adoption services, she’s laying the groundwork for a more inclusive future, one chosen family at a time. Married for nearly 20 years and raising a daughter with her spouse, Alonso is proof that queer love and leadership can create powerful, lasting change.
Photo: Alonso
Matt Seniz-Cheng, Zoë Gorringe & Joshua Woods
Behind the marches, rallies, and other opportunities to gather, there is a dedicated team working year-round to ensure that New York City Pride is more than just a single weekend. Matt Seniz-Cheng, Zoë Gorringe, and Joshua Woods (L-R) are at the heart of that mission, shaping the future of NYC Pride through their leadership, vision, and commitment to community. Whether it’s forging meaningful partnerships or creating inclusive spaces where every queer person feels seen, these three leaders exemplify what it means to be at the helm of Pride. Joshua Woods, Associate Director of Operations, has a decade of experience optimizing efficiency, and his leadership has helped NYC Pride reduce operational costs by 15%. But for Woods, the work is about more than numbers—it’s about people. “The most rewarding aspect is deepening our connection to the community,” he tells GO. By opening NYC Pride’s office to organizations like PFLAG and Trans Formative Schools, he ensures the organization remains a true resource beyond June. Matt Seniz-Cheng, Associate Director of Partnerships, has been instrumental in diversifying NYC Pride’s revenue streams, reducing reliance on corporate funding. He’s committed to fostering genuine, long-term collaborations. “I work with partners to move beyond superficial ‘rainbow-washing’ to real, year-round inclusion,” he explains. By connecting companies to LGBTQ+ nonprofits, vendors, and policy discussions, Seniz-Cheng ensures that corporate partnerships extend beyond performative gestures to create real impact. Zoë Gorringe, Associate Director of Events and External Relations, started at NYC Pride in 2018 and has been instrumental in executing the Pride March and coordinating citywide collaborations. With a background in theater, they bring a creative and community-centered approach to leadership. “At its core, my leadership is rooted in the belief that community is everything,” they say. Passionate about fostering safe and empowering spaces, Gorringe finds the most fulfillment in building bridges between organizations, resources, and people, making everyone feel seen and valued within the NYC Pride ecosystem. Together, Woods, Seniz-Cheng, and Gorringe are ensuring that NYC Pride remains a lasting movement dedicated to uplifting and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community every day of the year.
Photo: NYC Pride
