Selisse Berry is the founding executive director of Out & Equal
Workplace Advocates, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safe
and equitable workplaces for LGBT employees. She has helped the organization
grow 1,200 percent since 1999, and it now has seventeen regional affiliates
in the U.S. as well as strong ties with international partners. Ms. Berry
helped create the annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit, Executive Forum,
Town Hall seminars, an LGBT CareerLink Web site connecting job seekers
with LGBT-friendly companies, and the nation's largest registry of LGBT
Employee Resource Groups. She has a master's degrees in education and
theology from the University of Texas and San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Ed Decker
The New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)
Ed Decker is the founding artistic director of The
New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC), whose mission is to champion
innovative, quality theatre experiences for youth, adults and artists
to affect growth, enlightenment and change. The NCTC's programs include
Pride Season, which promotes the exploration of social issues and the
development of community and diversity, and the groundbreaking YouthAware touring
program that educates youth about challenging issues. Since 1981, Mr.
Decker has produced and/or directed more than 500 plays, musicals and
special events for NCTC. Mr. Decker is a recipient of the STOP AIDS
award for the YouthAware HIV education programs and is a two-time winner
of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Arts Excellence Award. He is
a graduate of San Francisco State University.
Max Philp has a passion for activism
that began with an internship at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center's
Leadership LAB's Vote for Equality. Returning to the Bay Area, he was
elected co-president of his high school's Gay-Straight Alliance club
and helped transform the club into one of the most prominent clubs on
campus. He was also selected to be part of the Gay-Straight Alliance
Network's Northern California Youth Council and has become a trainer
to help youth throughout Northern California better their local clubs.
Mr. Philp has participated in various events and groups that empower
and educate youth, such as the Steering Committee for the Youth Empowerment
Summit and the PRIDE Initiative for San Mateo County. Appearing in the
media on multiple occasions, Mr. Philp has had the unique opportunity
to spread his message to people throughout the Bay Area.
Michael Smith
AIDS Emergency Fund & Breast Cancer Emergency Fund (AEF & BCEF)
Michael Smith is
the executive director of the AIDS Emergency Fund & Breast Cancer
Emergency Fund (AEF & BCEF), agencies that help people disabled by
HIV/AIDS or breast cancer pay their bills. He is also president of the
HIV/AIDS Provider Network, representing all San Francisco-based HIV agencies
that received city funding. Mr. Smith is the co-founder of the AIDS Memorial
Quilt and served as managing director from 1987 to 1989. He returned
in 1996 to produce the last full-scale display of the Quilt in Washington,
D.C. Mr. Smith is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign
Service and earned an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of
Business.
Also on KQED.org this week ...
Black History Month
KQED celebrates with special programming in
February and honors four local unsung heroes.
Watch
all Heritage Month videos online
