Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership

Dr. Mitchell Lunn, a physician-scientist and co-director of the PRIDE Study, discusses the challenges of gathering meaningful data on LGBTQ health and leadership, the systemic barriers to visibility, and the importance of research-driven advocacy all in the context of how he developed his leadership capacities. Dr. Lunn shares his personal journey of resilience, his passion for research, and the n...

Technology strategist E.C. Pizarro III explores how his intersecting identities as a Black trans man and corporate professional shaped his leadership style and commitment to community. E.C. revisits pivotal mentorship moments—like encouraging a young trans student in his earliest days of transition—and explains how visibility can spark a ripple effect for others looking to enter tech. He also delv...

Nashville Council Member Olivia Hill—a U.S. Navy veteran and the first openly transgender person elected in Tennessee—discusses her lifelong journey of hiding, self-discovery, and ultimately embracing her true identity. She recounts brutal “blanket parties” in the military while overcompensating with a hyper-masculine persona, only to break free decades later and run for public office. Drawing on...

Game designer and USC professor Gordon Bellamy shares how embracing his intersecting identities—from queer mathlete to Madden NFL innovator—shaped his leadership philosophy. He describes trusting his team enough to take a bold risk (shipping the game with unconfirmed NFL player rights) and highlights how champion mindsets spark breakthroughs in creativity. Throughout, Gordon underscores the import...

Brian Sims —civil rights advocate, former Pennsylvania state legislator, and current CEO of Agenda PAC—to discuss how adversity shapes extraordinary leadership. Brian traces his roots as the son of two Army Officers, recalling a childhood shaped by frequent moves and a powerful mother figure who taught him the value of service, resilience, and challenging inequity. As he shares his coming-out jour...

As transgender military service is likely to take center stage in early 2025, we wrap up Season 2 with Captain  Trey Wirth  of the U.S. Coast Guard. Trey takes us on an extraordinary journey of leadership forged through adversity. From responding to major disasters to breaking barriers as an openly transgender officer, Captain Wirth reveals the strength and determination it takes to thrive in high...

​Anthony Shop and Thomas Sanchez are the dynamic couple behind  Social Driver , a trailblazing digital agency. Anthony, Chair of the  National Digital Roundtable  and an acclaimed strategist, and Thomas, a celebrated CEO and advocate for inclusion, share their journey from humble beginnings to leading change in technology, diversity, and LGBTQ advocacy. They reveal how their people-centered approa...

This is a special "almost live" episode, recorded on the Sunday before the 2024 election in the United States. Joining Bree for the conversation are Zane Alvarez and Paulo Batista , transgender service members, and Emily Starbuck Gerson , a writer and communications specialist who is also the spouse of a transgender service member. This community has been demonized in the runup to the election and...

​Bianca Sprague , Executive Director of Trans Pride DC, shares her incredible journey from hiding her true identity to becoming a powerful advocate for transgender rights. In this episode, Bianca discusses the importance of creating spaces where all identities are celebrated and how her intersectional experiences as a trans woman, Filipina, and immigrant shape her leadership. Bianca describes feel...

What happens when the darkest parts of your past can fuel your brightest future?  Brian Wenke’s  life story is a testament to the power of perseverance. Brian, the executive director of  It Gets Better , reflects on growing up as a gay teen during the AIDS epidemic, grappling with self-acceptance, and how those early battles led him to champion LGBTQ+ youth. He reveals the magic of storytelling, t...

Erin Uritus , CEO of Out & Equal, shares her journey of overcoming societal and personal barriers as a bisexual leader. Growing up in a conservative environment and later navigating international spaces where her identity had to be hidden, Erin reflects on the challenges of embracing her authentic self. She also explores how biphobia within the LGBTQ+ community fueled her determination to crea...

This episode is completely profound, occasionally profane, and filled with phrases you won't soon forget!  Though Nebraska State Senator  Megan Hunt  described herself in the episode as "the Diet Coke of LGBTQ Community," she's so much more. She is the woman in the arena that Teddy Roosevelt would have thrilled over. She overcame internalized stigma, to live her life and advocate...

An inspiring conversation with  Geoffrey Winder , a dedicated activist who has spent over two decades empowering LGBTQ youth and developing a model of co-leadership. In this episode, Geoffrey shares his journey from high school activism to leading transformative movements within the LGBTQ community. He discusses the importance of queer magic, the evolving identities of LGBTQ youth, and the necessi...

What does leadership development look like to those at the beginning of their journey? We thought we'd understand by talking to  Ashton Mota , 19 and  Kai Farr , 21 but they've already been on a leadership path for a long time. Ashton and Kai share their inspiring and transformative journeys as advocates and as  GenderCool Project  Champions. From introducing the President at the White Hou...

From rural West Virginia,  Brad Hoylman-Sigal  was encouraged to read widely by his mother. In his local library he found a dream, a place that exudes freedom and where he could be accepted, New York City. Determined to wind up where he belonged, he embarked on a path of academic excellence and service in government. Beginning his term in the State Senate as the only out LGBTQ+ Senator, he develop...

A few years ago, we found a dearth of information about LGBTQ+ leaders in print. So did Layla McCay, psychiatrist, founder of the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, and author of  Breaking The Rainbow Ceiling .  Layla captured the experiences of LGBTQ+ leaders in the workplace to examine what was holding them back from making it to the top. Not only did she uncover hidden barriers, but als...

Jim Fielding , author of  All Pride, No Ego ,  former CEO, retail and media veteran, and current partner at Archer Gray, contains multitudes. Jim, Jimmy, James, and JD are just some of the names he's been called and all are a part of who he is as a successful executive who has faced personal and professional challenges on the way to finding his authentic self. In our conversation we cover how...

As a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, it's no surprise that Reggie Greer thinks big. Learning from an early age to be empathetic to those around him, despite his challenges existing at the intersection of being a black, queer, disabled man from a religious household, Reggie moved rapidly to positions where he could drive positive change....

Puerto Rican? Gay? Female? Left-Handed? (Sometimes this one matters to surgeons!) Which one of these is the reason you hate me? Surgeon, Professor, and Vice Chair of Faculty Development at City of Hope, Dr. Lorna Rodriguez has navigated them all, often many or all of them at one. With all the challenges, Lorna knows exactly what it is to be forged in fire, to navigate adversity and come out strong...

No spoilers, but the path to authenticity and her gender identity taken by Executive Director of Film and Television for Hearst Magazines Jude Harris, is not one you might expect. She's using her uniqueness and perspective to help tell queer stories in a difficult market and paving the way for trans and queer executives to follow her trail. Along the way, there were a lot of difficult things to le...

In a life of many acts, Joanne Carroll knew she was one of the little girls from an early age, but didn't share it with the world until her late 50's. Once out, she discovered a passion for helping others; she was the one throwing starfish that had washed ashore back into the sea. It was a later realization that something must be wrong for so many starfish (trans people) to keep turning up in dist...

When asked to explain the benefits and the challenges of LGBTQ+ leadership, we're often stuck relying on anecdotes because data gathering is difficult in a world where we often remain hidden. Dr. Luke Fletcher and Dr. Shaun Pichler, authors of the new journal article Songs of the Self: The Importance of Authentic Leadership and Core Self Evaluations for LGBT Managers, join us for a discussion abou...

For Transgender Day of Visibility, Queen Victoria Ortega explains how transgender people are contouring the American Dream into a more expansive and inclusive dream. Keys to her work are empowerment, community connections, skill development, and a sense of service. We explore how she set shame aside at an early age and used her family's penchant for critical thinking to become a celebrated multi-t...

Athlete. Teammate. Friend. Mentor. Cybersecurity Expert. Workforce Developer. Dr. Safi Mojidi has excelled in a huge variety of roles. He is a community leader creating a future where cybersecurity is sound, respect of privacy is inherent, and technology is leveraged equitably for all. Importantly, he's using his experiences and challenges as a black man of trans experience to build the talented,...

As someone with multiple minority statuses, Dr. A.C. Fowlkes, puts the onus on himself to create space for other individuals with multiple minority status. Having broken through a lot of glass ceilings, he's had a number of different times where he just wanted to throw in the towel. But understanding that if he didn't do something, people in the future, perhaps even his own child, would face the s...