Executive Office

Deputy Director's Office

Senior Director's Office

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Training & Professional Development

Selisse Berry
Founding Executive Director

Selisse Berry is founding executive director of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s largest nonprofit organization specifically dedicated to creating safe and equitable workplaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.  Under her leadership, the organization has grown significantly with dramatic increases in attendance for the annual Workplace Summit since 1999, the expansion of volunteer regional affiliates across the United States, and many global initiatives.  With her guidance, Out & Equal has also created numerous programs to advance its mission, including the annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit, the LGBT Executive Forum and Leadership Celebration, bimonthly Town Call seminars, the world’s largest registry of LGBT Employee Resource Groups, LGBT CareerLink online jobs board and substantial programming in the growing network of regional affiliates and global partnerships.

Her clear and unwavering vision has been instrumental in creating an internationally recognized organization whose philosophies reflect the importance of treating all colleagues in the workplace with respect and dignity. Since her first job as a guidance counselor, Selisse has continued her commitment to justice as a teacher and as executive director for several social service organizations prior to founding Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. She has master's degrees in education and theology from the University of Texas and San Francisco Theological Seminary respectively. Selisse and her wife, Cynthia Martin, were married in July 2007, and legally married in 2008.

Learn more about requesting Selisse Berry for a speaking appearance.

Glenn Alexander
Director of Events & Content Delivery

With extensive management experience in the area of event and meeting planning, Glenn Alexander brings valuable insights to Out and Equal and its client base.  Serving as the Director of Events and Content Delivery, he is responsible for overseeing the planning and delivery of programmatic content through events and related channels.

As an established Meeting Planning Executive, Glenn has more than twenty years of senior level management experience in the hospitality industry to his credit. Clients have ranged from Fortune 500 corporations to national organizations. With an indefatigable passion for public affairs, Glenn is most often recognized for his focused attention to detail and superior customer service.

Glenn attended University of Pittsburgh and the American Transportation Institute in Vienna, Virginia.

Pat Baillie
Associate Director of Training & Professional Development 

Pat Baillie joined Out & Equal in January 2008 after retiring the second time in her career from Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Prior to that, she served in the US Air Force retiring in 1993 as a Major. Her entire career has been involved with training, adult education, and activism and she is ready to pull all those parts of her history together at Out & Equal to make a difference for those in the workplace.

Pat graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Master’s Degree in Physical Education, Biology and Psychology. After college, she joined the Air Force and worked as a Weapons Controller and Space Operations officer. She was also active in LGBT causes her entire career and decided to retire on the day that President Clinton announced "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." She was then able to publicly come out and was the featured speaker at the Veteran’s Day memorial in Sacramento, California in 1993. She has also worked extensively with sexual freedom issue as a spokesperson and educator and has work on national grass roots organizing. In Albuquerque, Pat worked within Honeywell on their Diversity Council and was asked to present on LGBT issues at the statewide EEOC conferences as well as being the only "out" employee that could be a resource. She also helped to grow the local and statewide LGBT community as the Co-President of Albuquerque Pride for over 10 years. She continued to be involved in community events from political to social until she realized she was ready to return to California. Her goal was to work in a non-profit on LGBT issues. Out & Equal added to that the ability to use her years of training experience so in December 2007, Pat moved back to California.

She lives in Oakland with her partner and travels extensively teaching, presenting and discussing the issues impacting LGBT equality in and out of the workplace.  The opportunity to influence the workplace is truly a dream job bringing together her political/activist passion with her love of teaching.

Judi Baker
Senior Communications Associate

Judi joined the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Communications team in June, 2011. Judi grew up in Albuquerque, and graduated from the University of New Mexico, with Bachelor degrees in English and Journalism. She moved to the Bay Area in 1998 to establish a career in the world of book publishing. She was the Advertising Manager at Publishers Group West before taking a position at San Francisco’s well-known retailer, Good Vibrations. There, she was the catalog manager and editor of the Good Vibrations’ online magazine, GV Weekly. She was also project manager for a major educational video campaign. As a freelance writer, she was published in the First Person section of The Advocate, and in 2007, was chosen as a Lambda Literary judge.

Judi and her wife Sarah Joe were married in a ceremony officiated by Margaret Cho in San Francisco’s City Hall in 2008. They live in Oakland with their dogs Puddin’ and Smokey. When she’s not at work, she can be found exploring dog-friendly trails, perusing open houses, working on home projects, and volunteering for her favorite dog rescue, Muttville.

Julie Beach
Associate Director of Career Development

Julie joined Out & Equal Workplace Advocates in the spring of 2008 as Career Development Manager. Responsible for launching Out & Equal’s web-based LGBT career development program, Julie is a seasoned tech expert with an MA in Industrial Psychology emphasizing employment issues for the LGBT community.

For the past ten years, Julie has helped dozens of organizations develop their technological capabilities. As a technology consultant, she worked with public and nonprofit organizations including San Francisco Unified School District, Girls, Inc., UCSF and various San Francisco city departments. At Goodwill Industries, as a member of the IT team, she helped meet the tech requirements of 15 retail stores and several hundred employees. And for the San Francisco Children’s Council, she launched and managed a program to increase the technological skills and resources of San Francisco’s early childhood education community.

Also a skilled trainer, Julie has introduced a diverse array of people to technology. Working with Marin’s adult education programs, Jewish Vocational Service and other nonprofit organizations, she has enabled seniors, homeless individuals and those with barriers to employment to use computers for the first time and, in many cases, begin a path to sustainable employment.

Previous to her tech career, Julie received an MA in industrial psychology with an emphasis on LGBT career development after a 15-year management career with PG&E. While obtaining her degree, she worked in the human resources department at Autodesk, Inc.

Enabling LGBT individuals to develop successful careers with supportive companies and organizations has been a long-time passion for Julie. She is thrilled to now be able to combine these diverse interests on behalf of Out & Equal.

Julie lives in Marin with her partner of 19 years, a marketing executive for a San Francisco architecture firm, and their German Shepherd, Dover. She enjoys time at their Bolinas cottage, along with biking, home repair and digital photography.

Pamela Berkowitz
Operations Manager

Pamela joined the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates staff in June 2006, as the new office manager.

Pamela earned her bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies with a minor in Judaic Studies from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She also spent two semesters as part of a teaching collective within the Women’s Studies Department at SUNY Albany, where she co-taught the course “Introduction to Feminisms.”

Pamela has a long history working with nonprofit organizations dedicated to social change. She was on the coordinating committee for the Social Justice Center in Albany, NY an umbrella group of nonprofit organizations. She was also was part of the collective at Peace Offerings (a nonprofit fair trade craft store) and worked for five years on the committee for the Women’s Networking Fair in Albany, NY. She is currently active in the Network of Spiritual Progressives, eQuality Scholarship Collaborative, and Jewish Voice for Peace.

Pamela enjoys biking, animals, reading, foreign films, science fiction, and vegetarian cooking. She lives with her three cats in Berkeley, CA.

Dave Bueché
Senior Manager, Development & Communications

Dave has been on the staff of Out & Equal over seven years, during which time he has managed both the departments of development and communications respectively. As senior manager, development & communications he plays a key role in supporting the development team’s ongoing efforts to increase revenue through corporate sponsorship, major individual giving, fundraising, foundation grants, and strategic communications within the development department.

Prior to joining Out & Equal, Dave was Communications Manager in the External Relations Department at Stanford University's School of Engineering in Palo Alto, CA. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in Communications from Central Michigan University. Before moving to California he worked six years as a promotional writer for Oldsmobile Division of General Motors Corporation in East Lansing, MI.

Dave worked five years in resource development and four years as Vice President, Strategic Management and Marketing for United Way of the Bay Area and later with the organization's Alexis de Tocqueville Society. He is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators and alum of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce's Leadership San Francisco program. He and Dale, his partner of 30 years, live in San Francisco.

Alex Chiu
Finance & Operations Intern

Alex Chiu joined Out & Equal in April 2011. At Out & Equal, Alex works closely with the Director of Finance and Operations in providing support for the annual audit. His other duties within the finance team include budget analysis, financial reporting, reconciliation and other ad hoc projects.

Alex is a senior at the University of San Francisco studying Accounting and Finance. Outside of work and school, Alex enjoys staying active, traveling and indulging in restaurants and cuisines offered in eclectic San Francisco."

Michele Horn Davis
Corporate Accounts Manager

Born in San Jose, California and raised on the streets of San Francisco, Michele Horn Davis is a true Northern Californian. Michele has been active in the transgender community since 1999 when she and her partner moved to Los Angeles. She helped organize workshops for the Forward Motion conference for FTMs (female to male transgender individuals) in Burbank and from that conference FTM Alliance of Los Angeles was formed, of which she was a founding board member.

While on the board of FTMALA, Michele served on the fund and organizational development committees, and as Treasurer.  She started and ran the support group for LOTs (Love Ones of Trans-persons) group for 8 years providing support for hundreds of partners, parents and allies of FTMs.  During that time Michele also planned and executed all of the events and fundraising activities that FTMALA became known for, including the annual Pool Party and Picnic, Holiday Party, Transgender Day of Remembrance and monthly social events.

For 8 years Michele also served on the planning committee for Trans Unity (the first Pride event in the United States created by and for the transgender community). During her time with Trans Unity, she was co-chair, workshop coordinator and program designer. Trans Unity created two awards specifically to recognize her contribution to the event and the community. She received the Chairman’s award in 2006 and 2007 and the Unsung Heroes award on the 10th anniversary of the event in 2009. In 2004, she received the Ohana Award from Asian Pacific Islanders for Human Rights.

Michele has worked as a fund development professional for the past 10 years, lending her expertise in fundraising and event planning to organizations such as Pacific Asia Museum, Metropolitan Community Churches, Openhouse, the Transgender Law Center and API Wellness. Michele lives in San Francisco with her partner, Masen Davis, the executive director of the Transgender Law Center and their beautiful dog, Kali. She is excited to bring her skills and experience to the development team at Out & Equal.

 Stanley Ellicott
Communications Project Manager

Stanley joined the staff of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates in June 2008. While providing graphic design, website and communications support to Out & Equal, Stanley is a full-time graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a degree in public policy. 

Stanley graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Russian in 2007. While at Wheaton, he studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, and later in St. Petersburg, Russia as a Fulbright-Hays Scholar.

April Hawkins
Communications Associate

April joined the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates team in July, 2011, where she uses her writing and editing experience to contribute to ongoing communications projects. April grew up in California, Japan, and Texas. She recently graduated from Tel Aviv University with a Master's degree in Middle Eastern History. She has assisted various organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the US Navy, with writing public relations materials, proofreading official documents, and providing translations.  She was also a translation project manager for several years. April has been published in several newspapers and magazines including Girlfriends and Le Berry Républicain. She speaks French, Spanish, Arabic, and Hebrew.

April moved back to the Bay Area from Paris, France to join Out & Equal. Creating a safe and inclusive work and living environment for LGBT individuals is a passion for April. April lives in San Francisco with her great roommate. When she's not at work, she enjoys exploring museums, hiking in Point Reyes, traveling overseas, and volunteering for LGBT advocacy groups.

Sherrie Holmes
Director of Development

Sherrie Holmes has over 30 years professional development experience working as director of development, grant writer or consultant for effective fund development campaigns and strategies for community-based organizations. She has extensive experience and a successful track record in securing grants, corporate partnership programs, individual donor campaigns and managing and training professional staff and volunteers to achieve significant increases in revenue to support organizational goals. She began working with Out & Equal in December of 2008. Previous clients/employers have included Spectrum Center for LGBT Concerns serving Marin County, Marin Community Clinics, the ACLU of Northern California, YWCA of San Francisco/Marin/San Mateo, Homeward Bound of Marin, Canal Alliance, Mother Jones Magazine, Rape Crisis Center of Marin and East Bay, Future Families of San Jose and several other community-based organizations. Sherrie lives with her wife Sara Taylor in Novato, California. Their daughter Katrina resides in Portland, Oregon.

J. Kevin Jones
Deputy Director

J Kevin Jones joined the staff in February 2009 after spending nearly 25 years in the corporate world, most recently as a managing director for Citigroup in New York City.

It was during his 11 years at Citigroup that Kevin developed a passion for LGBT workplace equality issues and became a leading voice for the LGBT employee community.

While there, he co-founded the company's national and Metro NYC Pride employee resource groups and worked closely with the Office of Workforce Diversity on numerous issues specific to LGBT equality.

It was also during his time at Citigroup that Kevin developed a relationship with Out & Equal that would include launching the Metro New York regional affiliate in 2001, serving on its Board of Directors from 2003 to 2006, co-chairing the 2004 Workplace Summit and co-chairing the Summit's Workshop Committee for five years. 

Outside of his Out & Equal responsibilities, Kevin serves on the HRC Business Council and co-chairs the board of directors of True Child, the only national organization helping all children – boys and girls – break through stereotypes and become their true selves.   Prior to relocating to the Bay Area, he was involved in many aspects of life at Christ Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey and is looking forward to connecting with fellow Episcopalians in the Diocese of California. 

Kevin is originally from outside of Pittsburgh, PA. He holds a juris doctorate, a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO and is in a civil union (working on marriage) with his partner of over twelve years, Tony De Sousa.

Leslie Lewis
Senior Development Associate

Leslie joined the staff of Out & Equal in January 2011. Prior to joining our team, she assisted several San Francisco Bay Area organizations including Mills College and Pacific Institute with their development efforts. She concurrently gained experience as a freelance writer for several California-based newspapers and as a book publisher for Elders Academy Press. Leslie holds a master's degree in literature from Mills College and received her undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco.

Leslie lives in Sausalito with her partner of nearly ten years. She is a self-avowed human rights advocate. She has participated in “get out the vote” phone banking for LGBT, Democratic and women’s causes and has done volunteer work for the LGBT community. In her free time, Leslie enjoys cycling (including the AIDS LifeCycle ride), tennis, kayaking, motorcycles, dinners with friends, and taking the scenic route or traveling to faraway lands.

Emma Mishel
Administrative Associate

As a recent transplant to San Francisco from Southern California, Emma joined Out & Equal Workplace Advocates in July 2011. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Literary Journalism and minor in Film and Media Studies from UC Irvine in 2008, graduating with cum laude honors. Prior to joining our staff, Emma served as a Youth Facilitator for a non-profit LGBT organization, Senior Program Advisor to a study abroad company, and as a journalist/editor in several different mediums.  She has extensive experience and understanding of working with the LGBT community, has assisted in planning several large events and galas, served as the key point person to facilitate a myriad of programs, and written and edited professional publication. Her passions include traveling, music, film, playing with her cat, spending time with friends and family, and flash mobs.

Dani Siragusa
Events Manager

Dani joined the staff of Out & Equal in July 2008 and supports the Summit and Events department. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from San Francisco State University in June 2008 (concentration: medical anthropology), which bred a fascination for ethnography and primatology. While at university, she conducted field research into the Sonoma County Public School District’s HIV/AIDS and STD education curriculum; San Francisco’s low-income medical marijuana community; and primate social behavior. Her preferred pastimes include perusing museum exhibits, going to drag shows, imbibing local wines, sunning in the park, and tending to her feline, Little Foot. A native northern Californian, she’s loved living in San Francisco for the past five years.

Justin Tanis
Director of Communications

Justin Tanis is the Director of Communications for Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. He has worked in the non-profit sector for 25 years, almost entirely with LGBT organizations, from the grassroots to federal policy advocacy. In addition to working in communications, he has expertise in addressing issues of hate-motivated violence, including the implementation of the federal hate crimes statute; direct services for people with HIV/AIDS; programming and education. He is the co-author of Injustice at Every Turn: The Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, the largest survey of transgender people conducted to date, and Opening the Door to the Inclusion of Transgender People with Lisa Mottet. He has a Master’s degree from Harvard University and a doctorate from San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Q Wilson
Senior Program Associate

Q joined the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates staff in September 2010 as Senior Program Associate.

Born and raised in Columbia, SC, Q attended the University of South Carolina. While there he earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration.

While attending USC, Q served two terms as President of the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian Alliance and as Student Liaison for the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement. Later moving on to serve as a board member and earning SCGLPM's Volunteer of the Year Award as well as the University’s Changing the Face of Diversity Award.

Q spent the previous five years, based out of Charlotte, NC, working in content management for a streaming media company and developing a passion for public speaking. Always ready to embark on a new adventure, he relocated to San Francisco to join Out & Equal's team.

Barbara Wrigley
Senior Director

Barbara L. Wrigley joined the staff of Out and Equal Workplace Advocates a week prior to the 2011 Workplace Summit in Dallas, Texas.

Prior to joining the Out and Equal team, Barbara was the Founding and Executive Director of the highly-respected Women’s Business Center of Northern Virginia which provided training and assistance to minority and socially disadvantaged women seeking to start and grow their own businesses.  During her 11 year tenure, the Center trained over 22,000 women, and helped launch thousands of small businesses.  Additionally, she served as Vice President of Public Relations for the Center’s parent company, the Community Business Partnership, and was also instrumental in the establishment of its Business Incubation Center in 2004 and Financial Education Center for Women Entrepreneurs in 2006.

Barbara has more than thirty years’ experience as a manager and advisor to women and over twenty years’ experience as an organization development consultant and adult educator. She is a gifted leader with proven administrative, inspirational, marketing and platform skills, has won numerous awards for her advocacy work and has twice provided expert testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives. She is deeply committed to human empowerment and has provided leadership within the LGBT community for the past seventeen years as a speaker, board member, mentor and retreat leader.

Barbara received her Master’s degree in Human Resource Development/Organization Development with honors at American University in Washington, DC, in 1985. She lives in Berkeley with her partner, Dr. Nancy Hilton, a pediatrician.  They have six “mostly-grown” children.