Convention Speakers
Mekahlo Medina
Mekahlo Medina is the Emmy Award-winning technology and social media reporter for NBC4 Southern California. Joining the station in 2006, Medina can be seen weekdays on the NBC4 News at Noon as well as the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts.
Ashton Lee
Ashton Lee is an 18-year-old transgender youth advocate and participant in TRUTH, Transgender Law Center and GSA Network’s youth-led storytelling campaign for trans and gender non-conforming youth and their families.
Trish Bendix
Trish Bendix is a writer and editor in Los Angeles, California. She is Editor in Chief of AfterEllen.com, the world’s largest site for and about lesbian and bi women in entertainment, media and pop culture, and has worked for the site since 2007.
Jason DeRose
Jason DeRose is Western Bureau Chief & Senior Editor for NPR News. He oversees news coverage from reporters and freelancers in the 13 Western states, where nearly one-third of NPR’s listeners live.
Dennis Herrera
As City Attorney of San Francisco, Dennis Herrera leads what American Lawyer magazine described in 2004 as “one of the most aggressive and talented city law departments in the nation.”
Sonya Padgett
Sonya Padgett, manager of corporate communications for MGM Resorts International, strengthens the brand of the company by promoting its reputation and leadership in social responsibility among targeted business, community, consumer and media audiences.
Sean Lewis

Senta Scarborough
Senta S. Scarborough is an award-winning journalist. She is a senior writer/reporter for E! News, the entertainment television show, and E! Online.
Jane Sasseen
Jane Sasseen is an award-winning financial journalist and founding executive director of the McGraw Center for Business Journalism at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.
Tim Teeman
Tim Teeman is a Senior Editor and Writer at the Daily Beast. For fifteen years he was a journalist at The Times of London.
Jill Marcellus
Jill Marcellus is senior manager, communications for Transgender Law Center. She honed her professional passion for storytelling that advances racial, gender and educational justice as communications manager at Gay-Straight Alliance Network, a national LGBTQ and racial justice youth leadership organization.
Fiona Dawson
Fiona is EVP of Television & New Media for Martian Entertainment in New York City, producing content to promote equality. Her early career was in Houston, Texas in resource development, marketing and communications for nonprofit organizations.
Martha Mendoza
Martha Mendoza is an Associated Press National Writer whose reports have won numerous awards and prompted Congressional hearings, Pentagon investigations and White House responses.
Ina Fried

Michael Scotto
Michael Scotto rejoined the Time Warner Cable News and Local Programming group as a political reporter for the Washington D.C. bureau in January of 2013.
Richard Leong
Richard Leong has been covering the U.S. economy and financial markets for nearly two decades at Reuters. One of his focus on monetary policy and regulations on market structure. He also frequently writes about food and spirits for Reuters.
Kerry Eleveld
Award-winning journalist Kerry Eleveld covered Obama for four years for The Advocate, first on the campaign trail and then at the White House.
Heather Boerner
Heather Boerner is a San Francisco-based health and medical journalist who specializes in telling thoughtful stories about complex topics.
Jason Rosenbaum
Jason Rosenbaum, Talent Management Project Manager at Thomson Reuters is responsible for delivering on Reuters Talent Engagement and Selection strategy along with supporting its diversity and other talent & recruiting initiatives.
Kristine Hyde
Kristine Hyde is the director of human resources for the corporate group at The McClatchy Company. She has an extensive human resources management and recruiting background in a variety of industries in addition to journalism.
Sarah Blazucki
Sarah Blazucki is former editor of Philadelphia Gay News, the oldest LGBT newsweekly in the country. Under her direction, the staff won more than 35 awards for news writing, arts and entertainment, columns, photos and advertising.
Paul Cheung
Paul Cheung is AP’s Director of Interactives and Digital News Production. He manages a global team of visual journalists, data journalists and researchers who produce multimedia stories and information graphics for all formats, including print, online and mobile.
Judy Siegel
Judy Siegel is current a Fellow at Blue Ridge Labs, a Brooklyn-based social impact incubator. Prior to that, she was a senior Interaction Designer at Ericsson and CNN Digital.
Margaret Archer
Margaret “Margie” Archer works as a Financial Advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Atlanta, Georgia, where she specializes in investment planning and strategies for her clients. Wells Fargo Advisors has recognized Margie as a Premier Advisor.
Joe Hopper
Joe Hopper is president of Versta Research, a market research company that specializes in customized market research and public opinion polling.
John Lake
John is currently Vice President and LGBT Segment Manager on the Wells Fargo Enterprise Marketing Segments and Strategy team.
Bob Witeck
Bob Witeck is the President of Washington, D.C.-based Witeck Communications, Inc., since 1993 a leading communications expert in designing strategies to reach lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) households and consumers. Bob brings over four decades professional communications expertise in the public and private sector.
Shana Naomi Krochmal
Shana Naomi Krochmal is a writer, producer and shameless enthusiast. She is the executive editor of Entertainment Tonight online and a longtime contributing editor and former staffer at OUT magazine.
Janet Kornblum
Janet Kornblum is an award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience as a reporter, writer, media trainer and investigator. Kornblum has been on staff at USA Today, CNET, the Daily Dot and a number of daily newspapers.
Dayan Candappa
Dayan Candappa is Regional Editor for the Americas at Reuters, and runs Thomson Reuters news operations from Toronto to Buenos Aires.
Rand Morrison
Rand Morrison is the executive producer of CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD. He is the winner of 10 Emmy Awards, two George Foster Peabody Awards and two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards.
Jen Christensen
As a producer and editor for CNN’s medical unit, Jen Christensen produces investigative stories and documentaries for Dr. Sanjay Gupta and does data analysis for CNN.com. Christensen has earned the highest awards in broadcasting — the Peabody and DuPont — producing Christiane Amanpour’s “God’s (Jewish) Warriors.” She produced several other award-winning documentaries including “MLK’s Words That Changed a Nation,” “Black in America” and “Obama Revealed.”
Lisa Marie Pane
Lisa Marie Pane is the South regional editor for The Associated Press. Based in Atlanta, she oversees breaking news and enterprise from the southeastern United States.
Dina Contini
As Reuters’ West Coast Bureau Chief, Dina Kyriakidou Contini leads coverage of a vast region of the United States, including some of the world’s most important companies, creative entrepreneurs and active geological faults.
Jahna Berry
Jahna Berry is the new web editor at Mother Jones. She joined the publication in August and works in Mother Jones’ San Francisco office.
Belinda Hernandez
Belinda Hernandez is an Emmy Award winning executive producer who successfully transitioned from journalism to the business side of broadcasting four years ago. She is currently Senior Director of Sales & Affiliate Relations for CNN Newsource, CNN’s subscription based content and news services provider for more than 900 domestic television and newspaper affiliates.
David Plazas
David became the Opinion Engagement Editor for The Tennessean in 2014, serving as the editorial writer, a columnist and editorial board chair for Nashville’s daily newspaper.
Justin Karp
Justin is the social media manager for Pac-12 Networks in San Francisco, CA. For the past year and a half, Justin has led the charge for the Networks, the Pac-12 and its 12 member schools in becoming the nation’s most socially engaged athletic conference.
John Yang
John Yang is an NBC News correspondent based in Chicago, where he covers a variety of stories for “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” “Today” and MSNBC.
Kris Van Cleave

Eden Lane
Pioneering and award-winning journalist Eden Lane is the creator, host and producer of “In Focus with Eden Lane,” a Colorado Public Television weekly program celebrating arts and culture.
Larry Gross
Larry Gross spent 35 years teaching communication at the University of Pennsylvania before joining USC Annenberg in 2003 as director of the School of Communication. Gross was the Sol Worth Professor of Communication and deputy dean of the Ivy League university’s Annenberg School for Communication.
Thomas Roberts
div>Thomas Roberts is an award-winning journalist who anchors “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” on weekdays at 1pm. He also serves as a fill-in host on NBC’s “TODAY.”
Joseph Kapsch

Bob Murphy
Robert Murphy ’71 is the Vice President of Administration for ABC News, part of the ABC Television Network and The Walt Disney Company, where he played key roles in the re-launch of Nightline and the political coverage of the 2008 and 2012 elections.
Joe Cutbirth
Joe Cutbirth is a former editor of the Texas Observer and has been on the journalism faculty at Columbia University, New York University, University of Virginia and the University of British Columbia.
Brian Balthazar
Throughout his career, Brian Balthazar has maintained a double life – balancing work as a television executive producer and director with appearances as a pundit and journalist on camera.
Linda Villarosa
Linda Villarosa runs the journalism program at the City College of New York in Harlem. A formerNew York Times editor and contributing health writer, Linda rose to prominence in the early 90s after coming out in an article with her mother in the pages of Essence Magazine. In 1992, she was the keynote speaker with Andrew Sullivan, Michaelangelo Signorile, Randy Shilts and Sarah Pettit at NLGJA’s first national convention in San Francisco.
Andrew Noyes
Yvonne Leow

Ben Patrick Johnson
Ben Patrick Johnson is a voice-over actor, author and blogger, Foundation Director, and human rights activist. The Ben Patrick Johnson Foundation, launched in 2006, benefits LGBT Issues, Human Rights, Educationand Interfaith Dialogue.
Maer Roshan
Maer Roshan is an American writer, editor and entrepreneur who has launched several magazines and websites, including Radar Magazine and the entertainment website Radaronline.com.
Elizabeth Weise
Elizabeth (Beth) Weise covers computer security, technology and Silicon Valley for USA TODAY out of the media company’s San Francisco bureau. In addition, she covers breaking news on the West coast as needed.
Kara Swisher
Kara Swisher started covering digital issues for The Wall Street Journal’s San Francisco bureau in 1997. Her column BoomTown originally appeared on the front page of the Marketplace section and also online at WSJ.com.
Kevin Sessums
Kevin Sessums has served as executive editor of Interview and as a contributing editor of Vanity Fair, Allure, and Parade.
Elena Nachmanoff
Elena Nachmanoff has been in charge of talent at NBC News since 1990. Nachmanoff was promoted to Vice President, NBC News, in 1992. She has oversight of all talent recruitment and development, as well as aspects of contract negotiations for NBC News and MSNBC.
Paris Lewbel
Paris joined the ABC 36 team in October 2013 as a Morning Reporter. You can catch his reports most mornings on Good Morning Kentucky.
David Plazas
David became the Opinion Engagement Editor for The Tennessean in 2014, serving as the editorial writer, a columnist and editorial board chair for Nashville’s daily newspaper – one of the top 100 daily publications in the U.S. Previously, Plazas worked for The News-Press Media Group in Fort Myers, Fla., as an award-winning reporter, Spanish-language community weekly editor, opinion editor and digital editor.
Justin Kapp
Justin is the social media manager for Pac-12 Networks in San Francisco, CA. For the past year and a half, Justin has led the charge for the Networks, the Pac-12 and its 12 member schools in becoming the nation’s most socially engaged athletic conference.
Bob Bennett
Bob Bennett is Senior Producer for WAVY-TV/WVBT-TV in Norfolk, VA. Bob has 22 years of television experience, and has won numerous Emmys and an Edward R. Murrow award for news coverage.
Randy Dotinga
Randy Dotinga is president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a 1,200-member association devoted to helping independent writers survive and thrive.
Scott Shafer
Scott Shafer serves as host of KQED Public Radio’s statewide news program The California Report. He’s also senior correspondent for KQED NEWSROOM, the weekly news and public affairs program on television, radio and digital.
Kim Severson
Kim Severson is the Atlanta bureau chief for The New York Times. She joined the staff in 2004 to cover food, writing for the Dining section, the National section, Week in Review and others.
Debra Kolodny
Rabbi Debra Kolodny (Rabbah D’vorah) joined Nehirim as Executive Director in March of 2013. She brings over thirty years of leadership in LGBTQ organizations, including five as National Coordinator for BiNet USA and six facilitating NGLTF’s National Religious Leadership Roundtable.
Kris Hayashi
Kris Hayashi became Executive Director of Transgender Law Center in February 2015. He brings over 20 years of experience in social, racial, and economic justice organizing to his role of overseeing the organization’s mission of changing law, policy, and attitudes.
Pollo Del Mar
Pollo Del Mar or Pollo DelMar born as Paul E. Pratt, and alternately known as The Notorious P.D.M. or The Glamazon is a San Francisco-based American drag queenperformer, personality, emcee, magazine cover girl, journalist and recording artist.
Akilah Monifa
Akilah Monifa is a lifetime member of NLGJA and a writer, blogger, and author of two books which are collections of her op eds and available for free download through itunes.
Alecia Reid
Alecia is currently a General Assignment Reporter at KRON-TV, covering the Bay Area. Alecia loves giving a voice to people that may not otherwise be able to tell their stories.
May Chow
Former reporter. Forever storyteller. As a journalist, May Chow told the stories of others. As a manager on the LinkedIn corporate communications team, she helps people tell their own stories.
Janet Halfin
Janet Halfin, Oakland, an African – American trans woman, is a Medical Assistant and Health Education Specialist for TransVision, Tri-City Health Center, the only transgender program serving transgender women in Alameda County.
Tiffany Woods
Tiffany Woods is a wife, mother of three, trainer, film producer, longtime SF Bay Area advocate. In 2014, she was selected to the Trans 100 List –an annual list of 100 Transgender Individuals Making a Difference in the USA.
Michael Luongo
Michael Luongo is an award-winning New York-based freelance writer, novelist, editor and photographer, concentrating on travel, culture, human rights and other topics.
Kate Kendell
Kate Kendell leads the National Center for Lesbian Rights, a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.
Jeremy Fox
Jeremy C. Fox is a staff reporter for the Boston Globe, covering K-12 education. He contributed reporting to the Globe’s coverage of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, for which the newspaper won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting.
Matthew Bajko
Matthew S. Bajko is an assistant news editor at the Bay Area Reporter, the country’s oldest continuously publishing LGBT newspaper. He also writes the paper’s political column, started by gay political pioneer Harvey Milk.
Joe Fox
Joe Fox is a co-founder of Fly on the Wall Productions – an award winning production company based in New York. Prior to starting Fly On The Wall, Joe was a special assignments writer for USA Today where his work was nominated for a pulitzer prize.
Stacy Sullivan
Stacy Sullivan is the consumer engagement director for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, overseeing public events, social media and community outreach for the newsroom.
Ron Corning
Ron has enjoyed a long and successful career as a television journalist, first starting as a general assignment reporter and weekend anchor in Clarsburg, West Virginia. In 2004 Corning went on to co-anchor the ABC overnight news program World News Now and ABC’s World News This Morning and was a correspondent for Good Morning America.
Marilyn Geewax
Marilyn Geewax is a senior editor, assigning and editing business radio stories. She also serves as the national economics correspondent for the NPR web site, and regularly discusses economic issues on NPR’s mid-day show Here & Now.
April Hunt
Randy Lovely
Randy Lovely was named Senior Vice President/News and Audience Development for Republic Media in Phoenix, Arizona, in February 2011. He is responsible for the strategic content and audience development for The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com and La Voz, and also serves as Gannett’s news executive for its Western properties.
Reed McDowell
Reed McDowell refuses to call himself a veteran journalist because it makes him feel old. He is, however, proud to serve as special projects producer for Fox NewsEdge – serving 200 local TV stations.
Joey Amato
Joey Amato is the founder and publisher of UNITE Magazine, an LGBT lifestyle publication with editions in Nashville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Richmond. He is also the president of Agency33, a public relations company headquartered in Nashville which specializes in LGBT outreach and engagement.
Guy Benson
Guy Benson is a Fox News Contributor and Political Editor of Townhall.com. He is co-author of the new book, “End of Discussion,” published by Random House.
Tim Teeman
Tim Teeman is a Senior Editor and Writer at the Daily Beast. For fifteen years he was a journalist at The Times of London, in positions including Arts and Culture Editor, and US Correspondent.
Benoit Denizet-Lewis
Benoit Denizet-Lewis is a writer with the New York Times Magazine, a New York Times bestselling author, and an assistant professor of writing and publishing at Emerson College.
Dr. Eugene McCray
Dr. Eugene McCray is Director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention and is responsible for U.S. domestic HIV prevention activities, budget, and policy.
Marcus Mabry
Marcus Mabry is Editor at Large at The New York Times, leading the team that produces the Times’ mobile app, Apple Watch app and Times content on Apple News. He also leads the social rewrite desk.
Bob Connelly
Bob Connelly is a Research Manager with the National Geographic Channels, where he evaluates program proposals, conducts research, and edits script content for acquired and commissioned documentaries. Bob oversees all phases of the documentary quality control process to ensure factual accuracy, editorial integrity, and overall compliance with the standards and practices of National Geographic Society and applicable U.S. and international broadcasting regulations.
Mitch Mayne
Mitch Mayne is an openly gay, active Latter-day Saint (Mormon), and recently served as the executive secretary in the bishopric (ecclesiastical leadership) of the LDS Church in San Francisco.
Tracy Baim
Tracy Baim is publisher and executive editor at Windy City Times, which she co-founded in 1985. In 2014, she was inducted into the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Hall of Fame.