GSA Network Staff

		Ginna Brelsford [1], Finance and Administrative Director Originally from Juneau, Alaska, Ginna is thrilled to have brought her administrative talents to GSA Network. Having been raised to advocate for social justice, Ginna became fully immersed in her activism while at Smith College where she was President of the Native American Women of Smith, sat on the Smith College Civil Rights Board and was a member of PRISM, the queer students of color alliance. While working at MassEquality in Boston, MA during the height of the same-sex marriage debate, Ginna embraced her passion for queer advocacy and nonprofit operations combining both to fight for social justice one spreadsheet at a time. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006, Ginna worked at the Nonprofit Finance Fund and the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water before she found her home at GSA Network. When not at the GSA Network office, she can most likely be found feeding her rugby habit while playing for the 13-time National Champion Berkeley All Blues.

		Hilary Burdge [2], Research Manager Hilary is from Seattle, Washington, but has lived and studied throughout the United States, Central America, the Middle East and Europe. In the Middle East, she studied the Palestinian/Israeli conflict and worked with the Women’s Center for Legal Aide and Counseling in Ramallah, Palestine. She also lived in Spain where she attended the European Peace University to study International Peace and Conflict Studies. In the United States, Hilary has organized against white nationalism in the Northwest; and for women’s reproductive rights. In 2007, Hilary graduated with an MA in Liberal Studies. Her graduate research relied on queer theory, feminist theory and critical race studies. In her current position as Research Project Manager, Hilary is working with students, parents, teachers, and administrators to learn more about LGBTQ curriculum inclusion in California high schools. Hilary currently lives in San Francisco with her rescued pit-bull, Betty-Lou.

		Ariel Bustamante [3], Southern California Program Coordinator Ariel is a proud Chricuahua Apache, pansexual, macho-femme, Angeleno, born and raised in Los Angeles. She is also one of Liberty Hill Foundation's 2013 Leaders to Watch. Ariel is excited to be back with GSA Network after spending time in Vermont to pursue her education. She has previous experience working with queer youth as well as on-campus organizing including promoting accessible HIV testing on campus, co-founding Green Mountain College's first "Safe Space" - a 24 hour space for students in need of various forms of support, resources or intervention- as well many other endeavors aimed at connecting Green Mountain's environmentalism focus with other systems of oppression. However, her primary interest has always been in queer youth advocacy and empowerment, thanks to her early involvement with GSA Network. When not concentrating on overcoming oppression, Ariel enjoys spending time at the beach- like any good southland native, bowling, and snuggling with her rescued boxer, Bud.

		Yvonna Cázares [4], Policy Manager Born and raised in sunny Palm Springs, Yvonna believes everyone wins when policymakers and social entrepreneurs involve directly affected constituents in crafting solutions to social problems through public, private, and non-profit sector partnerships. Additionally, people working for social justice must understand power, privilege, and the ways in which identity-based oppressions interact to create systemic inequality. Her commitment to these ideas stems from her experiences as a daughter of immigrants, working in the family business, and a Christian, out, Queer Woman of Color. Yvonna has worked in business, non-profit and government to improve services and advance sound policy solutions in the fields of healthcare, energy, immigration, and LGBTQ issues. Yvonna received her bachelors’ degree in English Literature and Public Administration from UCLA and CSUSB and furthered her education through the Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center. Currently, she serves as Steering Committee member of Desert Stonewall Democrats and Scholarship Committee Chair of ACLU SC Desert Chapter. When she is not coaching youth to be political strategists and media makers, she is spending time with family, hiking mountains, caring for animals, or dancing with friends.

		Michelle Guevara [5], Development Manager Michelle joins GSA Network with more than 6 years combined experience in fund development, communications and marketing at non-profits focused on immigration reform advocacy and Latino empowerment. She has helped craft and implement fund development strategies to increase organizational budgets up to $1.2 million, successfully securing multi-year federal, foundation and corporate grants. As part of her fund development work, Michelle has managed fundraising and public education events, including community festivals, annual galas, and a telethon event that aired live on Univisión. In 2009, Michelle received a Google, Inc. Women of Color Scholar award and was selected to speak about increasing access to technology for immigrants at the national Grace Hopper Conference for Women. Prior to her work in the non-profit sector, Michelle began her career as a journalist, writing for English and Spanish-language publications in the U.S. and Latin America, and covering topics such as corporate social responsibility, immigration reform, border security and Latino trends. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a minor in Economics from Boston College.

		Amanda Harris [6], Safe & Healthy LGBT Youth Project Manager Amanda is an activist-artist-queer-southern-feminist-frequently in one helluva pair of cowboy boots-femme. She hails from rural Arkansas, where she began her youth-driven activist career and continues to serve on the board for statewide org, Center for Artistic Revolution. Prior to joining the Safe & Healthy LGBT Youth Project, Amanda spent two years working in GSA Network’s Northern California Program, providing support, training and leadership development to individual GSA activists and GSA clubs in a service area of over 400 GSAs in 33 counties. Amanda has worked on grassroots organizing and outreach with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, RightRides for Women’s Safety, and the NY State LGBT Health & Human Services Network. Prior to joining GSA Network, she oversaw a national harm reduction training program via Harm Reduction Coalition in NYC and volunteered with queer homeless youth at the Ali Forney Center. Amanda holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Central Arkansas and a Masters of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service. Amanda is passionate about the intersection of arts and activism, burlesque, rural queer organizing, photography, femme herstory and mentorship, and her ever-expanding heel collection.

		Carolyn Laub [7], Executive Director Carolyn Laub is the Founder and Executive Director of Gay-Straight Alliance Network. Carolyn received a 4-year fellowship from the Echoing Green Foundation in 1999 that helped launch GSA Network. In 2000, she was honored as one of the first U.S. recipients of the international Ashoka Fellowship, a 3-year fellowship that supports her work as a social entrepreneur. In 2012, she received the prestigious James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award in 2012 for her innovative youth empowerment model. Carolyn was a leader of the grassroots youth effort to pass the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 (AB 537), an historic law that prohibits discrimination based on actual and perceived sexual orientation and gender identity in California schools. She co-founded the Make It Real Project, a youth-led statewide initiative to implement AB 537. In 2001, Carolyn served on the California Department of Education's AB 537 Advisory Task Force. In 2002, she co-founded the California Safe Schools Coalition, which is dedicated to the full implementation of AB 537. Carolyn has co-led the coalition since its inception and helped author the coalition's groundbreaking report, Safe Place to Learn: Consequences of Harassment Based on Actual or Perceived Sexual Orientation and Gender Non-Conformity and Steps for Making Schools Safer. Prior to starting GSA Network, in 1997, Carolyn created Outlet, a support program for LGBTQQ youth living on the San Francisco peninsula. Additionally, Carolyn was the Director of the AIDS Prevention Program at the Mid-Peninsula YWCA where she developed innovative HIV prevention curriculum and published her research documenting the link between gender ideologies and adolescent sexual risk-taking behavior. She currently serves on the Board of the Transgender Law Center. Previously, she has served on the Board of Directors of Bay Area Young Positives, KQED's Community Advisory Panel, and Stanford Pride, the Stanford University LGBTQQI alumni club. Carolyn graduated from Stanford University in 1995 with a BA in Cultural Anthropology with a focus on the social construction of race, gender, and sexual orientation in the United States. Follow Carolyn on Twitter: @CarolynLaub [8]

		Dawn-Marie Luna [9], Central Valley Program Coordinator Dawn-Marie is a Central Valley native, Chicana, Mexicana mujer, born and raised in the South Valley-Tulare County. Her passion for LGBTQ+ social justice stems from the disillusionment and despair faced growing up, since understanding sexuality to be fluid as opposed to fixed is not the “norm” in a rural, agricultural, Catholic-centered town. She pursued a double BA in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Fresno State. As the Central Valley Program Coordinator, she plans to marry two passions: education and social justice through empowering and building strong youth leaders who will transform and create safer schools for LGBTQ+ students in the region. When not organizing the young people in her community, you can find her hiking in Yosemite, and or at the nearest Fresno dance floor--she’ll be the woman with the wild hair shaking her tail feather.

		Jill Marcellus [10], Communications Manager Jill originally joined Gay-Straight Alliance Network and moved to San Francisco to coordinate the Make It Better Project [11], and, as Communications Manager, continues to spread the message that Gay-Straight Alliance clubs can make it better now for LGBT youth in schools. Prior to joining GSA Network, Jill fought for a more inclusive media landscape at the Women’s Media Center. In addition to media-training women scholars, journalists, and other experts, she worked with girl activists at WMC to fight sexualization in the media, and campaigned for fair coverage of women candidates during 2010’s “man up” midterm election season. A writer of sorts, she blogged for the Wall Street Journal’s “Hire Education” about her post-college job search, and reported and conducted research for findingDulcinea.com. Born and raised in New York, Jill earned her BA in English from Barnard College and studied at Oxford University, choosing the unusual Victorian literature route to social justice work, feminism, and queer activism.

		Alan Ratliff [12], National Network Manager Alan was born in Honolulu, Hawai'i to a military family. Inspired by his Filipina mother's immigration story, his Midwestern father's involvement with workers’ unions, and his own experiences growing up in southeastern Virginia, Alan developed a passion for racial, economic, and social justice. Working to empower youth in communities of color and LGBT communities through programming, community organizing, policy and research, Alan served as the Youth Programs Manager at the Asian Community Development Corporation, worked as a Policy Fellow with MassEquality and the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth and was the LGBT Outreach Coordinator for the Ohio Democratic Party. Alan received his Bachelors in Political Science and minor in Asian American Studies from the Ohio State University, his Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Northeastern University and his Masters of Public Policy in Social Policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University. His graduate research focused primarily on the impact of policy on youth with intersectional identities. While not at GSA Network, Alan enjoys playing volleyball and hanging out with his pug Bibingka.

		Jennifer Raviv [13], National Policy Manager Originally from the Washington, DC metro area, Jennifer is thrilled to have found her home in San Francisco in 2011 and to bring her passion for equality and social justice to the GSA Network as National Policy Manager. Jennifer grew up in a culturally diverse community and family, being of Moroccan, Lithuanian and Jewish descent; and was raised to respect and appreciate all individuals and their unique cultures and perspectives. As National Policy Manager, Jennifer is thankful to have the opportunity to marry her professional experience to her passion; bringing more than 15 years of strategic communications, policy advocacy and coalition building experience to GSA Network’s focus on facilitating alliances at the intersections of LGBTQ, racial and economic justice to grow peace, safety and true freedom for all individuals. Jennifer enjoys making music, performing drag, and fundraising for LGBTQ and other social justice-focused charities.

		Laura Valdéz [14], Deputy Director Laura was born and raised in El Paso, Texas on the U.S. – Mexico border. Her social justice framework embraces the intersection of multiple oppressions, and is rooted in her life experience as a daughter of Mexican immigrants, migrant worker and queer Chicana. As a National Urban Fellow, she earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the City of New York's Bernard M. Baruch College, School of Public Affairs. She has over 17 years of leadership experience in nonprofit administration, public policy and grassroots organizing. Laura is a human rights activist who brings a broad range of skills with her passion for social change including significant volunteer and community involvement. Over the past fifteen years, she has served as a board member or active volunteer in twenty-five organizations. She currently serves on the board of StreetSide Stories and Parent Leadership and Action Network (PLAN). In 2001, she had the special honor of being an official delegate to the World Conference against Racism, Homophobia and other Forms of Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa. She was also chosen as a LeaderSpring Fellow, Class of 2009, completing a two-year, on-the-job leadership training program for nonprofit executive directors in the San Francisco Bay Area.

		Christopher White [15], Director of the Safe and Healthy LGBT Youth Project Chris was raised in Odessa in the desert plains of West Texas, where “real” men played football or worked on oilrigs. Growing up as an effeminate, smart, gay boy and inspired by the determination of his teen parents, he has chosen a life-long career of activism, advocacy, and research with regards to LGBT rights and sexual/reproductive health and rights, particularly for young people. Chris earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) and went on to earn an MA from New York University in human sexuality education before returning to UT for his doctorate in health promotion. He was the cofounder of the Gay Youth Media Project, a collaboration between OutYouth Austin and the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, and his research has focused on preparing teachers and others who work with young people to meet the needs of LGBT youth. He was most recently the Director of Education and Training at the National Sexuality Resource Center at San Francisco State University and is adjunct faculty in the Human Sexuality Program at Widener University. When he’s not striving to promote the health and well being of young people, Chris can usually be found at a dance class, riding his bike, or exploring the Bay Area.

		Chris Wilson [16], Southern California Program Coordinator Born and raised in LA, Chris is a proud Angeleno who currently calls the Mid-City neighborhood home. Chris most recently worked as a Social Worker Associate at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in the Risk Reduction Program (RRP) - Division of Adolescent Medicine. The program offers comprehensive services for youth living with HIV, targeted prevention services for at-risk youth, as well as clinical research and capacity-building assistance for providers. As part of his HIV prevention work, he worked to provide services for transgender, gay and bisexual youth including comprehensive risk counseling, primary and secondary interventions and health education groups. Chris has been involved in various community initiatives, including Los Angeles Connect2Protect Coalition seeking to prevent HIV among youth, with an emphasis on young gay men, bisexual and transgender youth of color. He also served as a Youth Advocate at the Jeff Griffith youth center operated by the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center where he worked with homeless youth. He graduated from Crenshaw Senior High School in Los Angeles and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology & Sociology from Wiley College of Marshall, Texas. When Chris is not working in the community, you can find him playing video games, checking out the latest gadgets, or blasting out the latest tunes at karaoke.

		Geoffrey Winder [17], Senior Manager, Racial & Economic Justice Programs Geoffrey Winder is a youth organizer with over 10 years of experience in the GSA student movement. Geoffrey entered youth organizing by starting and leading the GSA club in high school. He continued his activism at GSA Network as a youth trainer and member of the Youth Council and then the Board of Directors. As the Anti-Racism Initiative Coordinator in 2001, he examined the effectiveness of GSA clubs in schools and communities of color. His political lens has been formed through his deep involvement in the GSA and queer youth movements; as well as organizing in the global justice, housing rights, labor rights, prison abolition and anti-war movements for over a decade. He studied politics and history and holds a bachelor’s degree in Change Theory and Globalization from New York University's Gallatin School for Individualized Study. In 2011, as GSA Network's Racial and Economic Justice Manager, and currently as the Senior Manager for Racial and Economic Justice Programs, Geoffrey continues deepening GSA Network’s educational justice analysis and alliances to ensure the needs of LGBTQ low-income youth of color are represented in national school reform efforts.

GSA Network Interns - Fall 2012


		Tammie Valer [18], SoCal Intern Tammie was born in Glendale, CA. She is majoring in Graphic Design at The Art Institute of California - Hollywood. Tammie first got involved with GSA organizing by joining her high schoolʼs GSA club and photographing a few events. Post high school, she has worked in an office environment for two years as well as a part-time photographer. By joining GSA Networkʼs internship program, she hopes to broaden her knowledge on what the GSA movement is all about. In her spare time, she works on film and photographic projects, does karaoke, and plays billiards with a few close friends.

		Cherrish Ward, Administrative Intern Cherrish is 16 years old, attends Metwest High School, and interns at GSA Network. They enjoy getting involved with other queer people like them and love giving back to the community. Currently they are working on starting a GSA at their school and also, doing more in order to help other schools in California be safe and secure. It’s very important that the homophobia and transphobia end so that students who are LGBTQ are safe and don’t feel like they’re being harassed, or bullied, or disrespected. They hope they can help students like them find happiness and peace in their schools so they can be focused and have a stable education.

		Javi Pinedo [19], Racial & Economic Justice Trainings Intern Javi is an 18 year old psychiatry major at Las Positas Community College in Livermore, California and has been an intern for GSA Network's Racial & Economic Justice program since 2011. Javi serves as Vice President of his college's Gay-Straight Alliance, and was the president of his high school's Gay-Straight Alliance for four years and an active member on GSA Network’s Nor Cal Youth Council. Javi has represented GSA Network nationally, even traveling to the White House and speaking to President Obama. As a national trainer he works with youth activists in different regions of the country on the effects of zero tolerance policies and punitive discipline on LGBTQ youth. Javi is a young activist, and also an aspiring artist and florist.