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NYAC's Board of Directors is composed of individuals from across the United States, who bring a diverse blend of personal and professional backgrounds and experiences. The Board actively seeks applications from youth, people of color, and people of transgender experience. The following individuals are currently Directors of NYAC.
Simon Aronoff
Community Educator, Lambda Legal
Chicago, Illinois
Simon is a public interest communicator and educator with nearly a decade of experience working to advance LGBTQ civil rights.
Gregory Cendana
President, United States Student Association
Washington, D.C.
As a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Gregory Cendana received his BA in Sociology and Labor & Workplace Studies. While at UCLA, Gregory was Student Body Vice President and Campus Organizing Director for the University of California Student Association. Additionally, he served on the executive board of Samahang Pilipino, a Pilipino advocacy organization at UCLA, specifically addressing gender & sexuality issues. He also sat on United States Student Association (USSA) Board of Directors as the Community & Labor Liaison and Outreach Officer, and is a certified GrassRoots Organizing Weekend (GROW) Trainer. He was the 2008-2009 USSA Vice President and was elected as the first openly gay Asian American President. In addition to NYAC, Gregory also enjoys his roles as a national board member for Jobs with Justice & the Generational Alliance.
Fureigh
Online Strategist and Website Developer
New York, New York
Fureigh is a freelance online strategist and website developer. Fureigh recently served as the web and online communications manager for Young People For (YP4), a program of People For the American Way Foundation. Fureigh has been involved in LGBTQ organizing for 10 years and recently spent a year with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Fureigh is a proud graduate of the New Organizing Institute. A founding member of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance, Fureigh has also served on the advisory board of the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls and is the Shondes' guitarist. Fureigh co-created ResourcesPDX.org, a health resource guide for transgender people in the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area. Fureigh graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Reed College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
Chad Grandy
Network Administrator, Greenspring Media Group
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Chad Grandy started working within the LGBTQ civil rights movement in high school as a member of the GLSEN Jump Start Leadership program. While attending Central Michigan University he served in several leadership positions for the university's GSA and local LGBTQ community organizations. He later served as a board member of Triangle Foundation, Michigan's leading LGBT organization, and now sits on the organization's board of advisors. Chad was a member of the 2006 Soulforce Equality Ride - featured in the full-length documentary Equality U. is currently the Network Administrator for Greenspring Media Group, a Minnesota based publishing company.
Lisbeth M. Meléndez-Rivera
Principal, Intersections Consulting
Washington, D.C.
Lisbeth M. Meléndez-Rivera is a 25+ year veteran of the social justice movement. She has worked in Labor, Environmental Justice, Occupational Health and Safety, LGBT and Racial Civil Rights and last but not least youth rights. She lives in Metro DC with her wife of 10 years, her godson, and the animal farm. Finally, she cooks for relaxation, and it's glad her friends enjoy it!
Daniel O'Connor
Student Leader
Princeton, New Jersey
Daniel O'Connor is a recent high school graduate and will be attending Occidental College starting in September 2010. In high school, he served as president of the school's Gay Straight Alliance for two years. During that time he was also involved in outreach programs to underpriveledged youth and worked for the Cornell University LGBT Resource Center. In his free time, Daniel enjoys hikes and watching movies.
Carla Odiaga
Nurse, Children's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
Shannon Perez-Darby
Youth Program Coordinator, The Northwest Network of Bi, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse
Seattle, Washington
Shannon is the Youth Program Coordinator at The Northwest Network of Bi, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse offering broad support to LGBTQ youth especially around issues of violence, crime and healthy relationship skills. Shannon has a strong commitment to multi-issue activism and hopes to continue to pursue her passion for supporting queer and trans folks around issues of trauma through a commitment to sustainability, community support, somatic body work, and being in our bodies.
Kyle Rapinan
Student Leader
Seattle, Washington
Queer identified student at the University of Washington. Employed at Casey Family Programs and a volunteer (and new incoming co-chair) for Safe Schools Coalition.
William Rawls
Sales and Marketing, Washington Blade
Washington, D.C.
William is a native of Washington, DC. After attending Arizona State University, William moved to Los Angeles where he worked for Giorgio Armani, handling celebrity clients and studo accounts. During that time, he worked with AIDS Project Los Angeles, assisting with community outreach. From '05 through '08, he was Executive Director of Client Services for myspace.com where he oversaw the domestic team of Account Managers, working with brand advertisers and marketers. Today, William is back in DC where he works for the Washington Blade.
Rae Charnelle Wright
Youth Activist Coordinator, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH)
Chicago, Illinois
Rae is an activist living, learning and loving in Chicago. Rae works in partnership with the IL Youth Policy Council, a youth activist project of Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH) to organize, lobby and advocate for local, state and federal sexual health education reform. She enjoys volunteering, the arts, politics and sweet tea.
Gregory Varnum
Executive Director, National Youth Advocacy Coalition
Washington, D.C.
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