Aaron Harris

Aaron Harris graduated in 2022 from Ventura Adult Continuing Education’s Digital Multi-Media Technician and Studio Set Technician programs. Before his triumphs of returning to school with his newfound passions and career goals, in 2015 to 2017 he went through homelessness during his gender transition. Although faced with struggles of learning disabilities Aaron’s tenacity, optimism, artistic, and creative abilities have always been an anchor in his childhood and adolescence which helped propel his career such as owning a nonprofit rescuing wild mustang horses. This helped create an environment of learning key skills in business ownership and program management. During 2021 he felt lost on his career path. He began making memorial videos and small commercials all while reuniting with his birth family across the United States and getting in touch with his indigenous roots thus igniting his passion for filmmaking and telling stories through the lens. This led him to create four documentary short films and getting contracted as a freelance videographer through his company FiveOne Productions. He currently works as a freelance videographer, professional Photographer, and Production Assistant on major film studios while continuing his creative avenues of screenwriting and directing. His goal by the end of 2022 is to establish his nonprofit Creative, Artists, and Visionary Effort Program (CAVE Program) with the mission of making set life, Production Assistance and filmmaking a more inclusive and open space for LGBTQIA+ and POC filmmakers while offering career building and internship opportunities.

Through the Lens
April 2, 2022 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Aiden Yang

Aiden Yang is the author of The Spineless Porcupine, an all-ages fable based on his journey of self-discovery as a queer, transgender Asian American man. He’s delivered engaging talks on creativity, diversity, and storytelling to global audiences at Lesbians Who Tech, Grace Hopper Celebration, Cisco, Oracle, and Women Who Code. Aiden is the Sr. Marketing Manager of Employer Brand at Udemy, a global destination for learning and teaching online. He lives in Oakland, California, and loves drumming, karaoke, and performing standup comedy.

Being LGBTQ+ is a Superpower
April 2, 2022 9:00 pm - 9:30 pm

AJ Scruggs

AJ Scruggs (DaLavendarBandit) on social media; is a 34yr old black man of trans experience from the east coast. The Trenton, Baltimore, Philadelphia native got his start in organizing and advocacy in high school. Where he helped start his school’s first GSA, and the following year he was selected to become a peer leader. Since then, he has founded Visible Truth 365 or Visible T. A national grass roots organization that offers help connecting folks of trans experience to opportunities for personal, spiritual, or professional growth. As well as consulting for projects, campaigns, HIV projects specifically.

Welcome to the Table
April 3, 2022 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Alexis Lucio

Alexis Lucio (she/her, they/them) is a queer latinx femme from Southern California. By day, Alexis works as the Senior Accessibility Lead at Splunk, where they raise awareness, provide education, and establish best practices for web accessibility (a11y). She also brings accessibility awareness to local organizations, and in the past, has worked with Oaklash, the Bay Area’s annual drag festival, and DisibiliTease Festival, a disabled burlesque performer festival.

Introduction to Accessibility Design
April 3, 2022 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Andrea Breanna

Andrea Breanna is the founder and CEO of RebelMouse. RebelMouse is a creative agency and CMS platform for enterprise brands and media companies. The platform reaches 160 million people monthly. Before launching RebelMouse, Andrea was CTO of The Huffington Post. Andrea is also on the Consumer Advisory Board for American Express, and is an advisor to Lerer Hippeau Ventures. Andrea is proudly and openly transgender. She lives with her wife and 4 kids in Brooklyn NY. You can find her on Twitter @AndreaBreannaNY.

Contagious Media
April 3, 2022 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Andrés Felipe

Andrés Felipe Cabrera, is an internationally known celebrity makeup artist best known for his work with the Miss Universe Organization.

A prominent member of New York’s vibrant Colombian-American community, Cabrera was born in Colombia, and moved to the United States at a young age to pursue a career in the arts. He proudly considers himself a New York City native. His creative talents emerged while working in dance and theater. Cabrera developed his passion and honed his precision and skill while doing makeup for several long- running shows in New York City.

Cabrera’s work has appeared globally in film, television, commercials, music videos, and live productions. In addition to the Miss Universe Pageant, his clients include Coca Cola, Chanel, Telemundo, Univision, TV Azteca, NBC, Latin Billboard Music Awards and Premios lo Nuestro. Cabrera is the CEO and founder of MUBA by Andres Felipe in Miami, where he is the creative director for MUBA Cosmetics, MUBA Skincare & MUBA by Andres Felipe.

Beauty Means Business: The Service, The Experience, The Brand
April 2, 2022 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Angelica Ross

Angelica Ross, Founder & CEO, TransTech Actress, & Advocate

From the board room, to film and TV sets to Capitol Hill, Angelica Ross is a leading figure of success and strength, in the movement for Transgender and racial equality. A series regular on the ninth season of Ryan Murphy’s FX hit American Horror Story: 1984, and confirmed to return for the currently untitled season ten, Angelica is blazing a trail, kicking open doors, and building her own table with ample open seats.

In 2020, Angelica became a face of Nicolas Ghesquière’s pre-Fall campaign for Louis Vuitton — a campy homage to vintage sci-fi book covers.

Angelica’s acting breakthrough came in the form of Ryan Murphy’s Award Winning FX hit, Pose — which follows NYC’s Black and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming ballroom culture scene, in the 80’s and early 90’s. Making TV history, the show features the largest transgender cast ever for a scripted series. Vanity Fair raved that “Angelica Ross steals many of her scenes as ‘Candy’” the brashest member of the ‘House of Abundance.’

Since studying acting at Florida Atlantic University, Angelica has appeared across numerous mediums, including film, television, and theatre. One project, the Emmy-nominated (Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama) web series Her Story, received special recognition at the GLAAD Media Awards. A segment Angelica appeared in on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, was honored with a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Talk Show Episode. She’s also appeared in Transparent (Amazon), Claws (TNT), Doubt (CBS), and Danger & Eggs (Amazon).

Miss Ross also works behind the camera! She executive produced and appeared in the Daytime Emmy-nomiated web series King Ester ( 2019), and in the short film Missed Connections (2017), which went on to be an official selection at the Outfest LGBTQ Film Festival, the La Femme International Film Festival, and the Baltimore International Black Film Festival.

Angelica Ross is the President of Miss Ross, Inc. and founder of TransTech Social Enterprises, a program that helps people lift themselves out of poverty through technical training, digital work creating a social impact, and bringing economic empowerment to marginalized communities.

Beauty Means Business: The Service, The Experience, The Brand
April 2, 2022 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Keynote: Making History with TransTech
April 2, 2022 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Keynote: The Future of TransTech Social
April 3, 2022 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Summit Closing Session
April 3, 2022 9:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Welcome to the 2022 TransTech Summit
March 31, 2022 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Asher McQueen

Asher McQueen, a native New Yorker, is currently an accountant at Mother New York. He received his BBA from Monroe College and has also served as a senior corporate accountant and finance consultant. He also holds an MBA in Marketing from Nova Southeastern University. Asher is a descendant of Afro-Latinx immigrants and African American ancestry; these many rich and diverse have made him the Man of Trans Experience and Queer individual he is today. He understands the power of imagining the impossible, pushing your creativity, and always celebrating your most full authentic self.

Healthcare Expectations from People of Trans Experience
April 2, 2022 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Ashley Adamson

Ashley Adamson is a speaker and writer on transgender personal growth and advocacy. She is a published author on the topic transitioning and personal growth, has her content has over 1M views and over 2,500 days of watch time on YouTube. She is the founder of the Trans Resiliency project and Trans Club – a community dedicated to supporting transitioning folks. She has spoken at conferences, NGOs including Unicef, universities and corporations and appeared in major media’s outlets such as MTV, USA Today, and DW. Her work is inspired by her own struggles in transitioning and the work that she has done as a trans lifeline operator for suicide prevention at the Trans Life Line.

Trans and Thriving in Tech
April 2, 2022 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Braxton Fleming

Braxton T. Fleming (he/him) is a Licensed Practicing Nurse (LPN). He is also the CEO and Founder of Stealth Bros. and Co., an online Luxury Medical supply company that provides easy- to-travel and at home personal storage bags for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other medical needs. Started in 2017, from his room, Stealth Bros & Co. continues to grow and serve the transgender community and allied communities, and even offers a surgery fund for those in the LGBTQ+ community in need. He has an arrangement of items from Original Dopp kits, Jr Dopp kits and Stealth Merch. We also are revolutionizing Sharp Containers that conveniently hold all your used sharps safely within a neat discreet STEALTH way. The Mission is to make our clientele feel safe, neat and discreet with our products all while being able to express themselves as individuals. By sharing his experiences, Braxton hopes to inspire other trans people on their journeys and to fill a gap in representation of trans people of color.

Trans*preneurship, presented by Gaingels
April 3, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Bryce J. Celotto, M.A.T

Bryce J. Celotto, M.A.T. is a Black, queer, transmasculine and neurodivergent person who was born, and raised, in the Carolinas. He brings his lifelong experiences living at the intersections, and a decade of professional expertise in policy, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equity and education to problem-solve from the grassroots to corporate board rooms. Bryce is currently the Founder and Head of JEDI Strategy at Swarm Strategy —a social equity and racial justice consulting business he established in 2020 to address systemic inequity, racial disparities and systems of oppression within organizations and companies. Since establishing Swarm, Bryce has spearheaded justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) strategy with a variety of corporate clients, global brands, and non-profit organizations. He is a graduate of Holyoke Community College, the UMass Boston Honors College and Brown University. Bryce believes that the voices, lived experiences and rich expertise of people from historically marginalized communities must be centered — in workplaces and in our communities — in order to create new, inclusive systems that serve everyone equitably.

Activating Culture Shift: Centering Intersectional Equity Practices In Your Organization
April 3, 2022 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Charlie Hunts

Charlie Hunts is the Sr. Manager of Brand Marketing at ONE where he oversees a brand reinventing how people save, spend, share, and borrow money so they can stress less and focus on what matters most. At home, Charlie is the director of vibes and caffeination. Charlie holds an MBA from Santa Clara University.

Making banking inclusive of the trans experience
April 3, 2022 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Chloë Cheyenne

COMMUNITYx was founded by a directly impacted womxn, whose father, Andrew Sledd, was nearly murdered by the Chicago Police Department in a case of mistaken identity. Her entire life has been shaped by police misconduct.

In March, 1989, Andrew was a young man living in Hyde Park, Chicago was preparing to head off to work a night shift as a pest control technician. He heard a loud banging on his door and went to check it out. By the time the 23-year-old St. Xavier College student-athlete reached the front door of his mother’s townhome, the door had been ripped off of its hinges as a group of plainclothes police officers stormed the building, opening fire and hitting the man over 12 times, including on the crown of the head and in his groin.

As he lay on the ground bleeding to death, the officers realized they had the wrong address. Rather than rush this wrongfully victimized man to the hospital, they first paused to cover-up their mistake, planting drugs in his dresser, and further assaulting him before paramedics arrived.

Doctors predicted he wouldn’t make it through the night.

72 hours later, he emerged, alive, but forever altered by this egregious case of police misconduct.

Chloe Cheyenne was born a year later. This man was her father.

“I remember being a little girl watching him put on a bulletproof vest under his clothes before he would leave the house because he suffers from extreme PTSD from what happened to him,” she told Black Enterprise. “Every single day that my family and I interact with my dad, we have to watch him in pain because he still has a bullet fragment lodged in his spine that can never be taken out, or else he will become a paraplegic.”

Cheyenne created COMMUNITYx as a resource for those looking to make proactive, tangible change. She continues to speak internationally, calling activists to use their voice and their platforms for good.

Community X: The App for Change
April 3, 2022 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Chris MacDougall

I love maps. My whole professional career has centered around GIS. I’m interested in data accessibility and equitability, spatial visualization and analytics, and I’m currently working to expand my knowledge of machine learning. At work, I help to build strategy around the use of technology for large groups. When I’m not at work, you’ll find me outside hiking or running, or drinking some really good coffee. I’m also a recent pickleball convert. I love sharing knowledge – reach out sometime and let’s talk!

StoryMaps For Beginners: telling stories through data using web applications, maps, and multimedia
April 2, 2022 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Courtney Knight

Univ of Georgia graduate
4 year starter in softball
3x All Region
2x All SEC
2 SEC Championship
Member of National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
15yrs as a collegiate softball coach at all levels
15yrs collegiate strength training
15yrs public speaking in sport and functional training

Wake Up Stretch w/ Coach Knight
April 2, 2022 10:30 am - 11:00 am

D.J. Billings

D.J. is a web developer and blog helper person specializing in WordPress. They’ve been building and maintaining WordPress websites for over ten years. They are a big proponent of open source, and believe in keeping old tech running and useful much longer than imagined. They are also an illustrator, writer, and love to mess around with the Raspberry Pi.

Getting a handle on Full Site Editing in WordPress 5.9
April 3, 2022 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Dana TherActivist Johnson, MSW

Dana TherActivist Johnson, MSW (They/Them/Theirs) is a masculine transgender non-binary community activist, Author, documentary filmmaker, and entrepreneur. Dana’s an Author and Filmmaker of the memoir, TherActivist: They/ Them/ Theirs, a narrative embracing Identity, Intersectionality, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The TherActivist embodies a “therapeutic activism” approach, while servicing and empowering BIPOC communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, and most vulnerable populations. Dana serves as a LGBTQ Commissioner and PRIDE Initiative co-chair for the County of San Mateo. They are a board member of CoastPride of Half Moon Bay CA. and board of director of Rainbow Community Center, Contra Costa County. Dana has 17 years experience counseling and working with justice involved youth. They are motivated in assisting in the implementation of inclusive policies and protocols; and passionate about providing LGBTQIA+ equity services, social justice services, and activism to marginalized communities.

Behind the Masc* featuring BOI Doc & TherActivist
March 31, 2022 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Devin Niecy

For the past 15 years, Devin has been positively consumed with understanding how the intersections of his identity from birth to current day has impacted his life for the better. Although navigating tough social systems Devin, a Black, Trans, and Queer man has developed a keen sense of awareness and a critical consciousness that motivates him to express and advocate for himself and others. He is devoted and passionate about supporting others as they navigate their Mind, Body, and Social experiences. Devin received his Master’s of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and specialized in LGBTQ+ disenfranchised grief, loss, and complex trauma. Devin also holds a Bachelor of Arts in photography. During 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Devin started his own practice to provide affordable therapeutic peer support for Black, trans and queer folxs. Devin leverages his experiences in nonprofit and larger institutions to provide value back into his community as a resource and access point for others.

Devin wears many hats, he is an uncle, friend, therapist, director of programs, and entrepreneur just to name a few. However, what brings him the most joy is seeing his community thrive, creative writing, and pure unadulterated joy.

Behind the Masc* featuring BOI Doc & TherActivist
March 31, 2022 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Dezjorn Gauthier

Dezjorn Gauthier. J.M.. Hon. DD resides in Muskego. WI. USA. Graduated from Marquette University in 2013 with a degree in Criminology Law Studies and Sociology and completed Washington University School of Law (2017). He also holds a Forbes Specialist Certificate in Finance & currently enrolled at Harvard Business School Online. He is a part of the American Bar Association, U.S. Coast Guard AUX and MENTOR. Dezjorn started modeling at just 6 months old for top children’s brands around the nation and winning national titles. He began his physical transition (female-to-male) April 2014; shortly after he was featured in the well known Barneys New York campaign featuring 17 transgender models. With international coverage Dezjorn has been featured in many articles and celebrity shoots, including walking the all transgender runway cast for high fashion designer Marco Marco & International campaign with British Vogue. Dezjorn was featured in the award winning series America In Transition by Andre Perez, and was managed by the world’s first transgender-specific agency in New York. Additionally, Dezjorn was crowned Mr. Wisconsin; being the first title holder of color and of trans-masculine experience for Enchantment US Pageantry System and Mr. Black Trans Wisconsin for BTIPS (2019).Today. Dezjorn has sat on panels/presented for Fortune 500 companies and top Universities in the world. Aside from modeling and furthering his education. Dezjorn started his own philanthropic business in 2014 providing programs and services to effectively bring awareness to the transgender community with a special focus on transmen of color through education empowerment and inspiration. Today. Dezjorn International LLC is compiled of subsidiaries, and committed to help clients reach their goals of branding, public relations and social media influence; including GVII Talent Management and Black T Magazine: the world’s first African American trans-culture magazine. In 2018 Dezjorn and his wife officially opened their nonprofit The Dezjorn International Foundation Inc: which hosts an annual transgender surgery fund, academic scholarships, athletics, and mentoring. Dezjorn also is the Director of Youth Engagement for the Gendercool Project and was Vice President of Point of Pride. Back in Milwaukee Dezjorn recently retired from teaching a high school level law course allowing students to learn more about the justice system, United States constitution and understanding policies. As well as is a licensed foster parent with Froedtert Children’s Hospital and father of 5 beautiful daughters.

EXPRESS IT: Adobe Creative Cloud Express
April 2, 2022 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm

E.C. Pizarro III

E.C. has been a member of the TransTech community since 2017, an award-winning Brand Designer and Digital Artist with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Virginia Beach.

As the owner and lead designer for his agency, 1Z2R Design Studio, he uses his talent and skills to brand companies for maximum profit and success. He is also the current National Executive Director & Supreme Webmaster of Alpha Omega Kappa Fraternity Inc.

By way of Somerset, NJ, E.C. is a forward-thinker and visionary who has a deep connection to the communities TransTech serves and the values we hold. As a professional in the design industry for over 10 years, E.C. is an innovative thinker and passionate about his people and his purpose.

Keynote: The Future of TransTech Social
April 3, 2022 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Summit Closing Session
April 3, 2022 9:30 pm - 10:00 pm

EJ Jamele

EJ Jamele is the founder and CEO of crowdMGMT, a brand and talent management firm, that represents an elite roster of multi-faceted artists across the billion dollar beauty and lifestyle industries. EJ is an expert brand and artist manager and TV & new media producer with over 15 years in the business to prove it. crowdMGMT services the biggest names in fashion, lifestyle, pop culture, celebrities, global media and TV networks, including: VOGUE, Vanity Fair, Essence, L’Officiel, #LEGEND, ABC, VH1, FX, The Kardashians, Ciara, Diddy, Balmain, Versace, Neutrogena, L’Oreal, PUMA, Jennifer Hudson, Angelica Ross, V Magazine and many more. EJ is also passionately involved with the Miss America collegiate scholarship program (Connecticut chapter), where he served as a board member from 2018-2020 and serves as the annual state competition producer.

EJ’s diverse clientele includes some of the most sought after niche artists in the lifestyle and beauty industries. Among their numerous accolades are Emmy, Hollywood Beauty, GLAAD, HRC, Humanitarian, SAAG awards and so many more. EJ’s keen eye for talent development, New Media projects and strategic MGMT, combined with his artists’ elite talent, achievements and fan bases have earned the crowdMGMT family over a decade of continued success and climbing. As a New Media & TV producer, EJ’s work has been distributed on numerous platforms including: Good Morning America, VH1, MTV, BET, Billboard Magazine, V Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Revry TV and Complex Media. Most recently EJ executive produced Amplify Voices, a revolutionary TV show panel series on Revry, the world’s first and largest LGBTQ+ virtual cable network which premiered on October 5, 2020.

One of the cornerstones of crowdMGMT is EJ’s dedication to fostering a collaboration culture, both among his artist roster and throughout his network of colleagues. He facilitates and encourages a variety of projects encompassing his collective roster and network, and is always seeking new collaboration opportunities. EJ elaborates on this commitment by stating, “I believe that by elevating one another, my artists will maintain both career longevity and creative advantage in their respective lanes, and it is my job to curate a team of like-minded, complimentary talent to afford that advantage to us all.”

In addition, EJ has worked as a consultant to many successful start-up and global brand campaigns, serving as a product development specialist who has facilitated activations and capsule collections responsible for generating millions in revenue. You may also recognize him from several television appearances, including VH1’s Lala Anthony’s Full Court Life”and The Real Housewives of New Jersey, highlighting both his clients and brand management expertise. As markets evolve, EJ continues to forge forward in all aspects of his career and live by his go-to mantra, “AVANTI!” (“FORWARD!”).

Beauty Means Business: The Service, The Experience, The Brand
April 2, 2022 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Elle Halo

Elle Hill, is a Black woman of trans experience, and a dedicated LGBTQ Health Equity Advocate and Educator. She is currently the Planned Parenthood of WI Inclusion Health Program Specialist. She is a writer model and singer. She is The First Transgender woman Community Co-Chair of SAPG STATEWIDE ACTION PLANNING GROUP FOR HIV AND AIDS OF WISCONSIN. She was an inaugural member of The Black AIDS Institute Ambassadorship of Biomedical Prevention. She is also a 2nd term member of The Board of Directors at Diverse and Resilient, as well as a member of the mutual aid fundraising team Love On Black Women LLC. She is the EmpowerHer Summit Facilitator for Black Trans Women Inc. She has experience as a public speaker and subject matter expert in areas of LGBTQIA health/ Transgender health, safety, and social disparities. She is a 2019 Rising Star Award for Volunteerism Recipient Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC) a 2019 Milwaukee Pridefest Individual of the Year Award 2021, and 2021 Best LGBT Advocate Best of Milwaukee Award- Shepherd Express and recipient, The Black Rose Intuitive Community Rose Award and a Transfaith Bobbie Jean BakerGrantee. Her mother is a minister, Evangelist Veronica Sears, and Elle’s community work honors her mother’s example of unconventional community leadership.

Radical QTPOC Virtual Organizing in Digital Spaces: How to Maintain & Demand Progress, Accountability, and Community Success Online
April 3, 2022 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Evie Salomon

Evie Salomon is the founder of BackBit, a small business that is focused on innovating the experience of using and maintaining vintage computers. Her experience with personal computers in the mid 80’s, such as the Timex Sinclair, Commodore 64 and Apple ][ led her to develop a passion for tinkering in software development. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at San Francisco State University, and began working in the video game industry with a focus on mobile gaming. After 15 years as a software engineer, she pivoted to studying electronics, spawned from a curiosity about the inner workings of vintage computers. This return to her childhood excitement about computers led her to starting BackBit. She keeps her hands full with a variety of tasks, including writing embedded software, 3D printing, PCB layout, soldering and electronics troubleshooting.

BackBit: Bridging the old with the new
April 3, 2022 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Evolve Benton

Evolve Benton, MA, MFA is a speaker, educator and curator who inspires audiences to think about questions of performance, diversity, inclusion, transformation, climate, and equality. They are the founder of MAR Media, LLC, through which they offer services as an Educational Consultant and their online educational platform called Speaking 4 Profit University. At Speaking 4 Profit University, Evolve helps diverse leaders upgrade through impact and income through public speaking and educational consultation. Yahoo Financed named they top 10 public speaking coach in the world in 2022. Evolve specializes in motivational speaking, mindfulness, self-discovery writing sessions, and life visioning to provide a brave space for participant audiences to build their own healing toolkit.

Behind the Masc* featuring BOI Doc & TherActivist
March 31, 2022 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Speaking 4 Profit, Securing the Bag Through Digital Content Creation
April 3, 2022 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Félix Endara

Born in Ecuador, Félix Endara is a bilingual creative professional based in New York City, where he works in private philanthropy and as an independent film writer, director, and producer. He has over 15 years of experience in filmmaking, philanthropy, and arts administration, collaborating with organizations that support multidisciplinary artists and organizations, including the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, North Star Fund, Detroit Narrative Agency, Tribeca Film Institute, New Orleans Film Festival, and the Open Society Foundations. He is a queer trans filmmaker who documents the preservation of LGBT historical spaces, champions activists who catalyze social change, and disrupts the insidious narratives that deny the humanity of marginalized communities. Félix is Co-Chair of the Board of Working Films, an organization that brings together documentary filmmakers and grassroots activists to advance social justice. He has been a faculty member of the Transgender Strategy Center, a multiracial trans-led organization that bolsters organizations fighting for trans liberation. He has been providing technical assistance to trans-led organizations in the U.S. and Latin America who are looking for holistic organizational strengthening support around fundraising, internal administrative infrastructure, and Board development. In his philanthropic work, his experience supporting grantee partners is extensive and all-encompassing. He has served as mentor for emerging documentary filmmakers at Downtown Community Television, UnionDocs, and Visionary Justice StoryLab, among others. His most recent feature documentary, NORTH BY CURRENT, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival, received numerous film awards, and was broadcast on PBS, in 2021.

Reading Between the Lines on Trans Inclusion at Work: Protecting Yourself from Tokenism
April 3, 2022 11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Gearah Goldstein

Gearah is an inclusion and diversity consultant and nationally-recognized LGBTQ subject matter expert who works tirelessly to focus on and illuminate the importance of discussing topics of race, gender, ethnicity, age, equity, disability, acceptance, and understanding. Her transgender life experience and people-first attitude encourage a positive learning environment that opens hearts and minds. Gearah is warm, approachable, engaging and always finds ways to bring people together.

A main focus of her work involves training within businesses, organizations, government agencies, hospital networks, law-enforcement personnel, and schools. Her training curriculum employs best practices as outlined in the WPATH Standards of Care and HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.

Gearah is frequently quoted in the media supporting the narrative of accepting and protecting people who identify within the LGBTQ community. Over the last several years, her visibility has reached millions of people around the world. She has been featured in influential national media including: The TODAY Show; The New York Times; Rolling Stone; ABC, CBS, NBC national news; The Chicago Tribune; NPR, and many other outlets.

Gearah is often invited to speak at professional conferences, universities, and schools.

She is also co-founder of The GenderCool Project, a national storytelling campaign that showcases successful and talented young people who identify as transgender. GenderCool is empowering the world to see diversity as positive and important.

As a community advocate, Gearah has trained more than 2,000 volunteers through Chicago’s Center on Halsted, the largest LGBTQ center in the Midwest. In addition, she founded the Transfeminine Alliance Chicago, which meets weekly. She is also credited with bringing LGBTQ policies and procedures to school districts across the state of Illinois.

Gearah is committed to bringing positivity and visibility to your inclusion and diversity approach.

Impactful Virtual Speaking
April 3, 2022 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Ira Briones

Ira (they/them) is a Filipinx immigrant space-holder, spiritual channel, and co-creator of experiences whose work centers historically marginalized communities. Through coaching + energy healing, community building, and high-integrity vision-driven entrepreneurship, Ira’s intention is to support people in accessing their inherent power and transcending conditioned limits, which stems from a belief in a compassion- and abundance-based path to creating more justice and equity in the world. Ira’s approach to coaching and energy work has been largely shaped by a decade of professional experience in LGBTQ+ community organizing and leadership, program management, learning and development, research, and startup entrepreneurship. Ira is an ICF-certified transformational coach, Reiki III practitioner, and ThetaHealing® practitioner and teacher. Prior to moving to New York from Manila, they held Learning and Business Intelligence roles in the private sector, including Chevrolet and IBM, before shifting to community and nonprofit work nationally and in the Asia-Pacific region, including projects with United Nations agencies, the World Health Organization, and The Global Fund.

Power Consciousness for Historically Marginalized Entrepreneurs
April 2, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Jaime Maron MBA PMP

Hello! My name is Jaime and I am a Technology Manager with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology and Marketing / Communications. I studied Digital Marketing and Project Management at NYU-SCPS, received my PMP certification from the Project Management Institute, and earned my MBA in Project Management from Steven’s Institute of Technology; the first out transgender women to graduate from the business school. For the past year and a half I’ve been the Director of Digital strategy at the New Israel Fund. Currently, I am the Senior Manager of Online Fundraising at All Out, a nonprofit organization that uses technology to defend LGBTQ+ rights around the world.

Using a Workflow Database to Manage Projects, for Trans People
April 2, 2022 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Jamie Tomasello

Jamie Tomasello is the Vice President of Operations at ByteChek. She/He has been combating internet abuse and addressing security and compliance issues for over 20 years at internet service providers, security companies, law firms, and nonprofits. Jamie is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US and CIPT) and a Mental Health First Aid instructor. A former music major, Jamie is completing her degree Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing of sociology and cybersecurity, with a minor in Trauma and Resilience.

I’m not going to die during this conference Call: reflections on availability and burnout
April 3, 2022 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Jayla Roxx

Television personality, Jayla Roxx , emerges into the world head first with her go getting attitude and stunning beauty! Born and raised in Atlanta, Jayla has always been into theater arts and entertainment. At the age of 16, Jayla hosted her own radio show which would spring forth her ambitions to make it big time. After years of ups and downs, she landed her major television debut on CBS’ Undercover Boss in which she won the grand prize from the LGBT hot spot Hamburger Marys , as she was a performer and choreographer there. Since then, she has worked with big names such as Robin Antin and The Pussycat Dolls, Fantasia Barrino and various drag performers from VH1s Rupaul’s Drag Race. Jayla Roxx is also the owner of the trending beauty product BatMe! Cosmetics that represents individuality in every way. Whenever she’s not working behind the scenes, she’s a weekly television host on E!’s Maria Menounos and Keven Undergaro’s platform AfterBuzz TV alongside a great panel giving us all things pop culture. In 2020, Roxx was featured in Forbes magazine as the first trans woman of color to own and operate a successful beauty brand. Following her success in the entrepreneurial world, Roxx is also the founder and CEO of The Remidi Television Network, dedicated to provide content for the BIPOC . LGBTQ+ community through digital streaming. She doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon and the stars are within reach with this inspiring individual.

Trans*preneurship, presented by Gaingels
April 3, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Jeffrey Xiong

Jeffrey is an undergraduate student at Columbia University, majoring in mathematics. Their research focuses on taking advantage of the properties of certain geometric spaces to develop better models for machine learning. In their free time, Jeffrey is also a street musician in New York City.

Small Dataset Machine Learning for Trans People of Color
April 2, 2022 11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Jennifer Barnes-Balenciaga

Jennifer Barnes-Balenciaga Barnes-Balenciaga, an 11 year resident of the City of Atlanta (newly transplanted to Manhattan), current LGBTQ Liaison for State Representative Park Cannon Atlanta, GA (District 58), as well as Director of Crystal LaBeija Organizing Fellowship (CLOF), a previous on the ground HIV Prevention Specialist and volunteer whom is not only trained on numerous testing methods but has been a Youth Policy HIV Advisor for Georgia Equality and has presented at many HIV Related conferences such as NAESM, USCA and even spoken at Congressional gatherings like AIDSWatch, but happens to be undetectable and thriving with the virus since 2011. Barnes-Balenciaga hails from Cincinnati, Ohio and holds numerous organizational and committee affiliations, including Vice President of Cincinnati Black Pride, Social Media committee chair for Sankofa Black Women’s Conference & a member of the illustrious House of Balenciaga, a leading institution in the House and Ballroom Scene. EQUITY SHALL PREVAIL!

Healthcare Expectations from People of Trans Experience
April 2, 2022 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Jillian Todd

Jillian Todd is a Virtual CFO and Finance Coach helping creatives build wealth in a fun and shame free way! Her passion is helping people transform their relationship with money, proving you don’t have to choose between doing what you love and being financially secure.Through her courses, programs, and Virtual CFO services, Jillian will help you uncover what’s holding you back, build new positive habits, and create a custom financial plan to achieve those big dreams on your heart.

Building a Money Confident Business
April 2, 2022 1:45 pm - 2:30 pm

Jillian Weiss

Jillian (she/her) has been practicing law since 1986. She is admitted to the bars of New York and New Jersey only.

Jillian has represented clients in cases across the country, as permitted by local federal courts in appropriate cases.

In addition to New York and New Jersey, Jillian has represented clients in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington State.

Jillian has recently published, with Professor David B. Cruz of USC, the first law school casebook to focus on the legal treatment of transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary individuals, primarily through U.S. materials but also incorporating legal developments in other parts of the world. Gender Identity and the Law is available from Carolina Academic Press.

Trans Employment Law 101
April 2, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Juliet Barrett

Juliet is a Creative Coach based out of Chicago, IL with 10+ years combined experience in creative entertainment, digital media fields, and tech. She understands the importance of efficient career path building for interdisciplinary creatives, specifically multipotentialites looking for an integrated approach to their many talents and passions. Her approach focuses on helping you develop process strategies, tools for self-evaluation, mindset management, and streamlined practices that break down large goals into actionable steps. She supports folks amidst big life transitions with the belief that “you already have all the tools you need to succeed!” Her gift is helping you tap into your unique story with the belief that you have the power to advocate for everything you need to build a fulfilled life path.

Creating Your Foundation: How to grow values-centered goals for your wholistic self
April 2, 2022 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

K. Kenneth Davis

K. Kenneth Davis is a proud Transgender Male who is the CEO of “THE TRANS CAPITALIST L.L.C” which is the fastest-growing financial literacy resource for the Queer-Transgender community. He has spent the past three years teaching, coaching, and empowering hundreds of queer people around the world. His easy straight-to-the-point entertaining lessons and relatable life strategies provide concrete results and cultivate skills that help people survive America’s volatile economic climate. He is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and received a Masters of Finance from Pace University Lubin’s School of Business.

Trans*preneurship, presented by Gaingels
April 3, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Kim Watson-Benjamin

Kim Watson moved to the United States from Barbados in 1985, when she was 23, hoping to escape the abuse and stigma she’d encountered as a young woman of trans experience. Two years later, homeless and engaging in sex work, she was diagnosed with HIV. Now 54 years old, Watson is a proud mother to her nine year-old daughter, living a full active life with HIV and is sharing her story about how she overcame stigma, found her voice, and established a community for herself and other people of trans experience.

Start Loving Us
April 2, 2022 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Lazarus Letcher

Lazarus is the Strategic Communications Manager at Bocoup – an inclusive tech consulting company. Laz is a Ph.D. Candidate in American Studies at the University of New Mexico. Their research and work focus largely on Black and Indigenous liberation, gender and colonization, and the role of music in Black freedom movements. They strive to make radical history engaging and accessible. Laz’s writing can be found on queer sites like Autostraddle and them., zines, and assorted dry academic journals. They are also a musician, playing as a solo artist and as a violist for the band Eileen & the In-Betweens and the art collective Stages of Tectonic Blackness.

Translating the Hustle: From Survival Tactics to Work Skills
April 2, 2022 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

M. Greg Green

M. Greg Green is an author, diversity & inclusion facilitator, and community advocate that uses his years of experience “behind the badge” to educate and shift the corporate culture for his communities. Even before his own gender transition, in 2011, M. Greg Green knew that he was being called to create space within the LGBTQ+ community that honored his full identity, supported his desire to facilitate change, and allowed him to be a beacon for others.

Be an Accomplice and an Ally
April 3, 2022 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Maddie Stenger

Maddie is a Corporate Finance professional with 12 years of experience supporting CFO’s and Investors’ path to profitable growth and excess returns by delivering advanced finance analytics.

Finance Transition and Business
April 3, 2022 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Mataoe Aiden James Nevils

Mataoe is a harm reduction specialist who serves their communites in many forms; from advocate to educator and everything in between. Mataoe works to create safe spaces that center intentional harm reducation and healing and intimacy for BIPOC Trans Sex workers.

TRANSformation: Sex Work and Healing
April 2, 2022 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Merrell Hollis

Merrell Hollis’ beauty career exploded when he became the grooming consultant and makeup artist for the entire roster at Sean Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment where he was responsible for decades of iconic and aspirational looks we still find inspiration from today. His work appears in music videos for Sean ‘P.Diddy’ Combs, Mary J Blige, Usher, Nelly, Faith Evans, Ludacris and many more.

He’s also responsible for the faces of so many beloved celebrities including but not limited to Yara Shahidi, Naomi Campbell, Diane Von Furstenberg, Regina King, Jennifer Hudson, Hannah Brofman, Cassie, Adina Porter, Neicy Nash, Kim Cattrall, and Wendy Williams. This list and many more innovators have allowed their faces to be canvassed by this visionary who delivers them to the public with elegance and sincerity.

His cosmetic expertise has been prominently featured by Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight and the CBS Early Show among many others. Editorially, his artistry can be found in the pages of Vogue, Harper’s, Bazaar, InStyle, Vanity Fair, Essence, GQ, Details, Interview, Rolling Stone, People, Men’s Health, V Magazine and so many more.

Merrell’s consultancy within the beauty industry has allowed alliances with the leaders of Clinique, Bobbi Brown, MAC, Lancôme, Black Opal and Versace. His work also appears on product packaging for L’Oreal Paris, Mizani and Soft Sheen Carson in addition to also being on display in the respective companies advertising. He believes that good skin is the best foundation for great make up- so much so that Merrell has committed to gaining extensive skincare knowledge over the decades of his experience and education. He extends this knowledge to his clients to ensure their skin is protected and maintained to meet the demands of their demanding schedules and makeup needs.

Merrell is a living example of good skincare and has thus partnered with the doctors at LUVANYA Beauty to launch a vegan skincare line that is a product of decades of knowledge and passion for healthy and flawless skincare. Merrell is also a silent doer of good and offers his time to charities he loves. He feels that it is his duty as a man to help uplift and support the needs of people, including people of color seeking opportunity and access to achieve their dreams.

Beauty Means Business: The Service, The Experience, The Brand
April 2, 2022 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Michaela Demeter

Miki’s career has encompassed everything from firmware to application space. Her last eight years have had Security focus as a Security Researcher for Intel, working on Secure Development Lifecycle and as a Product Security Expert for Open Source Software. She is a writer and Award Winning Public Speaker for technical subjects, and Diversity & Inclusion, and other social topics. Miki serves as a Board member of Portland Women in Tech, Staff of Women Who Code PDX, and Staff member for Diana Initiative. Miki is also civic-minded; she serves as an elected Director for the local Fire District and is a former TrevorChat crisis counselor. In her spare time, she raises and shows Irish Wolfhounds in the Coast Range of Oregon.

Choosing Better Open Source – Lessons from the real world
April 2, 2022 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Michelle Skoor

Michelle Skoor leads Bitwise efforts to train excluded people in underestimated places the skills they need to get a job in technology. In this way, Michelle is helping not only change lives, but change the face of the local workforce. As Chief Workforce Officer, Michelle and their team help former students find high-wage tech jobs in their own cities. Former students from Bitwise Workforce Training often get hired by Bitwise Technology Consulting and get hands-on experience delivering excellent software and business solutions. Previously, Michelle directed the Diverse Talent Program at Bitwise, partnering with tech and enterprise organizations to engage diverse, cost-efficient tech talent using a unique and proven apprenticeship model. Before becoming Bitwise’s Chief Workforce Officer, Michelle was Product Officer for Onward & PodUp, two Bitwise initiatives launched to provide support and resources to individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leveraging Paid Apprenticeships to Create The Next Generation of Diverse LGBTQIA Tech Workforce
April 2, 2022 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Natalie J. Egan

Natalie Egan is an openly transgender, B2B software entrepreneur and a recognized thought leader living her life at the intersection of technology and Diversity & Inclusion. Natalie has over 20 years of experience driving digital change, developing high performing teams, building complex products, and selling enterprise solutions. Today, she is the CEO & Founder of Translator, Inc., where she and her team are on a mission to scale empathy and equality through technology. Prior to founding Translator in 2016––and prior to her transition––Natalie was CEO & Founder of PeopleLinx, a venture capital backed sales technology solution that was acquired in 2015. In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Natalie has also worked in sales leadership positions at large public companies like LinkedIn, Autonomy, and Ecolab. Outside of work, Natalie is a parent, a marathon runner, an artist, and a consummate activist for transgender rights and representation. Based in Philadelphia, PA — Natalie received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, her MBA from The Villanova School of Business, and is currently writing her first book about her transition from a Male-to-Female CEO in corporate America and the business lessons learned along the way.

How to raise venture capital for TGNC folx: A fireside chat with Natalie Egan
April 3, 2022 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Nikki Jax

Nikki has been working in the live music and entertainment production field for 30 plus years, and currently is VP of Sales and Installations for ATD Audio Visual in New York City. As an expert systems integrator for corporate events and festivals, she has first-hand knowledge of all the related trades and is actively seeking to bring more transgender-identified individuals into the field.

She is also house mother to the House of Jax, can be found as DJ Nikki Jax, and is an avid dancer.

Career Paths for the Trans Individual in the Live Event Production World
April 3, 2022 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Oliver Haimson

Oliver Haimson is an Assistant Professor at University of Michigan School of Information and a recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER award. He conducts social computing research focused on envisioning and designing trans technologies, social media content moderation and marginalized populations, and changing identities on social media during life transitions. Much of his research has focused on transgender identities and experiences online and with social technologies, and his research goal is to impact technological inclusion of marginalized users. With this workshop, he hopes to help reduce the barriers that trans people often face in pursuing graduate study in technology-related fields.

Pursuing a PhD in Tech/Computing Fields
April 2, 2022 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Pax Ahimsa Gethen

Pax is a queer Black trans blogger, photographer, and Wikipedia editor. They seek to improve the representation of marginalized people on the Internet. Pax lives in San Francisco with their spouse Ziggy, enjoys video games and vegan cuisine.

Wikipedia Editing for Trans Folks
April 2, 2022 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Phoenix TK Gayle

A Black Transwomen who grew up in Upstate NY. As a teen, she experienced gun violence. She began to organize rallies and marches with other students and organizations. Struggled to come to terms and find her truth, but she allowed herself to embody her unapologetic Black Trans Women. Allowing herself to be in her truth empowered her to speak up, find and use her voice to address issues that impact Black TransWomen. However, her world was rocked once again by gun violence. Pushed her back into the work of standing against gun violence and organizing platforms of her own. She is now organizing nationally to help center the voice of black queer folk. She says “Creating safe space, healing justice, organizing, and facilitating were my mission before I had language for them. My mission is to use them so that generations after me will have a free world.”

Loving Me More
April 2, 2022 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Rhys Tirado

Junior Fullstack Developer

The Grind Without Grinding Yourself to Dust
April 3, 2022 9:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Rich Richards

Rich is a black trans-masculine Jamaican who continues to occupy spaces that are deemed unreachable by trans bodies. He is a mobilizer, graphic artist, political activist, and an advocate for marginalized people. Rich is the first openly Transgender Jamaican to announce an interest in political candidacy, and he utilizes his social location as a political leader to increase queer visibility and advance conversations around queer acceptance. He is keen on unearthing a deeper understanding of the value of queer citizens to political movements and the arts. He uses the written word and graphic arts to share my journey and catalog the experiences of himself and people like him who live at the intersection of blackness, transness, and ‘ghetto’ identity in order to claim space and propose new queer futures that are more inclusive

Inclusive inclusion through diverse representation
April 2, 2022 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Robbie Ahmed

Robbie Ahmed (he/him) is a trans writer, creator, musician, & activist. He was the Project Manager for the update of PRIM3D: a sexual health resource for queer trans masculine, trans men and non-binary people for the Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance (https://getprimed.ca/) – leading everything from photoshoots, content/ website development as well as promotions. He was also a consultant on TIP (Trans Interweaving Project) an Ontario based action research to develop a plan for trans inclusion in the HIV sector. His previous community work includes running support programs and campaigns for racialized youth at Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP) and sitting on board of directors for Across Boundaries, an ethno-cultural mental health working on their first QTBIOC programming. In 2017, he was a spokesperson for Toronto4All campaign for racialized trans youth. Last year, he was the co-host of the International Stonewall Symposium based in Alberta. Currently he works as an independent musician, arts educator, & an occasional contributor to YOHOMO, Toronto’s LGBTQ arts & culture publication.

Project Management 101 for Queer and Trans People
April 3, 2022 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Rocio Sanchez

Rocio Sanchez is a non-binary brand strategist and multilingual digital marketing specialist who believes LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color should take up space in their industries. As a business consultant, Rocio helps these entrepreneurs stand out on different digital platforms with impactful marketing strategies influenced by their lived experiences and multicultural education. They hold a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in fashion studies from Parsons Paris. They are originally from New York City and the Dominican Republic and have lived in Paris, France, for three years. They speak English, Spanish, and French fluently and have a personal goal of becoming a polyglot.

Exercising Boundaries Online as an LGBT+ Professional
April 2, 2022 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm

Sebastian Nemec

Sebastian Nemec (he/him) is a life coach helping LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs grow their mindset to expand their life and business. His experiences as a queer and trans man, entrepreneur, and veteran provide him with a unique lens to help his clients take massive action on their goals in their personal and professional lives. Sebastian is a certified life coach and holds a B.A. in cultural entrepreneurship from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He is also a speaker and contributing author to two books, Thriving in Business: Strategies for the LGBTQ+ Entrepreneur and With Honor and Integrity: Transgender Troops in their own Words.

Taking action on your dream goals
April 2, 2022 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Seven King

Malachi King aka Seven, is the founder of The Nile Creatives and Seven King Productions. With his father being a member of the legendary hip-hop group, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Seven is no stranger to the entertainment industry and decided to venture down his own road to greatness becoming a film director & producer, author, screenwriter, motivational speaker, and a proud member and advocate of the trans community. 

Malachi attended Clark Atlanta University and quickly mastered many of the hands-on programs in Mass Media, even becoming the Mass Media Department President. During this time, he began shooting music videos for students on campus and started a few popular vlogs. That work soon led to him producing his own short films and a first-of-its-kind web series called, Eden’s Garden. The edgy show quickly rose in popularity to over 2 million views on YouTube and led to a huge opportunity to be selected by Ryan Murphy as the Top Upcoming Directors and to shadow his work on one of his sets.

Now as Malachi grows his production company that specializes in producing a variety of visual art including full-length features, web series, social media content, and documentary work, the mission is always to bring stories to life that can be felt and not just seen. Malachi prides himself in bringing a unique and modern approach to his projects. They are designed to be watched over and over again and to authentically represent the communities and social matters that are dear to his heart.

This young talent has already made a huge impact on his community and is only just getting started. Look out for more projects on the way from Seven King Productions, including a re-boot and re-branding of his popular series, Eden’s Garden which will make its new debut in the Summer of 2022. 

“Every project reinvigorates my passion to learn more of the craft of filmmaking and directing – it’s truly my passion to bring visions to life!”

Moment with Seven King: A Personal & Creative Excerpt
April 3, 2022 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Simone “Japan” Tisci

As seen on HBO Max’s Legendary, Simone Japan Tisci is a force of creativity and excellence. She’s a renowned professional makeup artist with clients like Ashanti, Teyana Taylor, Angelica Ross, and Ryan Destiny as well as an accomplished dancer and model. As she continues to grow her profile for all the obvious reasons, OUT Magazine proclaims her as a beauty guru you should follow.

Beauty Means Business: The Service, The Experience, The Brand
April 2, 2022 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Sir Lex Kennedy

Sir Lex Kennedy is a vegan, queer, Black trans masculine media content creator who loves film, music, gardening and the beach and believes “ball is life”(ballroom culture to the court). Lex studied Comparative Women’s Studies and Film at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, before being forced to leave and finished his studies at the Los Angeles City College in their Film/TV certification program. As an artist and activist, Sir Lex strives to shift the center of popular culture to marginalized stories where they rightfully belong using comedy, drama, sci-fi and documentaries. Sir Lex has directed multiple short films featured in film festivals like Campus MovieFest, Newfest, QueerX, Models of Pride, OutFest Fusion and Outfest through their inaugural OutSet program and across the world, winning numerous awards. Sir Lex completed a Sound Fellowship in 2019 for DISCLOSURE, which premiered at Sundance in 2020 and is currently streaming on Netflix. Sir Lex worked as a Producer for Tribune Creative West/KTLA5 in Los Angeles, CA before moving on to work for ABC7/Disney as a Content and Development Producer until he was let go due to COVID-19. Sir Lex is currently fundraising to Produce RETROS, his next short and series.

Behind the Masc* featuring BOI Doc & TherActivist
March 31, 2022 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Getting Real on REELS & TIKTOK
April 2, 2022 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Soléil McCants

Soléil McCants is a 10 year Marketing veteran currently specializing in Search Engine Marketing for Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas. A native Detroiter, she serves as Director on a number of Boards in the valley aimed at the LGBTQ+ community and volunteers for causes addressing food insecurity. A community hero, she has appeared on various podcasts, spoke on panels on a variety of issues & a member of a couple leadership organizations.

Marketing Yourself From a Marketer
April 3, 2022 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

StephVon Smith

StephVon was born and raised in the Bay area ( San Francisco, Ca ), and came from one of the toughest neighborhoods in the San Francisco area, Hunters Point. And as it turns out, created a go-getter and a hustler. One of his life long goals was to create generational wealth not debt. In 2018, he started a vegan cosmetics company that grew into a vegan skin care company. Qween Vee’s Royalty, where they are Black Trans-Owned and Bay Area Grown. specializing in skincare for masculine identifying folks. As a company that believes in pouring back into the community. In 2021, QVs became the first official sponsor of Visible Truth 365. A grassroots non profit organization that is committed to empowering the Trans Community thru Visibility, professional and spiritual growth opportunities. Our mission at Qween Vee’s Royalty is “to continue to promote self care and healing, by treating our bodies like ROYALTY”.

Trans*preneurship, presented by Gaingels
April 3, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

How to be a Boss
April 3, 2022 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Stoney Michelli

Stoney Michelli Love is a African-Panamanian renaissance woman. When she is not running her company, STUZO CLOTHING, she is daydreaming about the big screen. What makes Stoney a Renaissance woman is that she is a Graphic Designer, an Actor, and a Photographer. Stoney graduated from Briarcliffe College with a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts. Stoney is the founder and Owner of Stuzo Clothing. She is the head of the design department and Art Director for Stuzo Clothing. Stoney grew up in The Bronx, NY and moved to LA in 2010 which was always a dream of hers!

Trans*preneurship, presented by Gaingels
April 3, 2022 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

T Sripunvoraskul

T is a tech creative with a passion to make experiences more accessible and approachable. They work at Optum Digital as a product designer and DEI leader in the workplace. Previously, they’ve worked at 500 Global, Microsoft (via Aquent LLC), and startups on building brand and digital products reaching millions of customers. They are originally from Tennessee and now live in San Francisco, where they are a fashion enthusiast, facilitate youth support groups at Gender Spectrum, and practice Muay Thai and Kickboxing. T has a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.

Making Better Decks
April 2, 2022 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Yannick Taylor

Yannick Taylor is a singer and podcaster that educates the world on gender identity. As host of “Conversations with the Priestess”, a podcast that chronicles life from a trans perspective, Yannick candidly discusses her journey as a woman of Trans experience. Throughout her journey, Yannick has diligently used her platform to serve and uplift the community. With her life experiences, Yannick seeks to change the world one lyric at a time.

TRANSformation: Sex Work and Healing
April 2, 2022 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Z Ortiz

Z is a Technical Writer based in Mexico City working for one of the biggest software solutions companies in Mexico. Prior to that, they worked in Fintech and Finance. Z enjoys traveling, as well as the benefits of being able to work remotely. They are from Chicago and graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in Engineering Graphics and CAD. They enjoy connecting others with resources, networks, and tools that they’ve used to reach where they are today.

Starting a career in tech
April 3, 2022 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm