Lunch Plenary
One of the most powerful opportunities for growth for many health and human service providers is to hear and respond to the first-person accounts of their patients, clients and consumers. Our lunch plenary panel will provide just such an opportunity.
We have invited a diverse panel of five individuals representing a variety of ages, races, sexual orientations and gender experiences to speak to their own experiences in accessing health and human services. This moderated panel, with open time for Q&A from the audience, will provide insight into the experiences that LGBT people and their families face when accessing services and will serve as an appropriate introduction to the afternoon break-out sessions where providers can learn more about how these issues impact their specific profession.
Our Lunch Panelists will include: (Check back soon for the names of our other panelists and biographical information for each!)
Elizabeth Castellana is currently the Field & Chapter Coordinator for COLAGE and works to support COLAGE Chapter Leaders across the U.S. to inspire people with LGBTQ parents to become better advocates for themselves and their families. The daughter of a gay father herself, Elizabeth has a rich history of activism and involvement with COLAGE and work experience with youth and educational administration.
Brian Hurlburt, age 53, is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley (GAGV). Brian is also the President of Rainbow SAGE of the Genesee Valley, is program committee chairman, and was editor of their newsletter “Rainbow SAGE Connections. Brian is also working with Empire State Pride Agenda serving on the Senior Issues Committee. His background is in communications, working in radio, and in customer service and sales, working for a large office supply company. Currently he runs his own part-time business doing scrapbooks, photo books and photo to DVD. He lives with his partner of 10 years in Rochester, New York.
Jason Robert Ballard Ever since Jason was a little girl, he knew he wasn't. Now well into transition,
Jason has been on hormone therapy for over two years and is post top-half
surgery since October 2010. Jason is a student at Nazareth College in Rochester,
studying graphics and illustration.
Jason is also the co-founder of a transsexual advocacy coalition called The Self
Made Men.
Rev. Alicia Heath-Toby, Pastor of the Unity Fellowship Church of Rochester, NY, hails from New York City and recently relocated to Rochester from Newark, NJ with her wife and life partner of 22 years, "Honei" Toby-Heath. Rev. Alicia has been an agent of social change committed to the eradication of homophobia and sexism, gender discrimination and religious marginalization. Rev. Alicia received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Holy Cross College. She began her career in HIV prevention education with the Black Commission on AIDS. In 1995, she joined Liberation In Truth Unity Fellowship Church in Newark, NJ, where she began her liturgical journey. In 2004, she joined the Women’s Institute at Gay Men's Health Crisis, as the Coordinator of the Lesbian AIDS Project. In 2006, Rev. Alicia and her wife, accepted an invitation by Lambda Legal, along with six other New Jersey couples, as plaintiffs in the lawsuit Lewis v. Harris, a landmark marriage case for NJ same-sex couples. In those years, she was often reminded of God's will for humanity - that all have a right to peace, joy and love! Whether from the pulpit or marching for the human rights of all people, Rev. Alicia is out and proud; clear that God called her to ministry - not in spite of her sexuality and gender identity - but because of it.
Gabriel Bonefont is a 23 year old from Rochester. He attended public schools in the greater Rochester area and graduated from Pittsford Sutherland High School in 2007; going on later to graduate from Continental School of Beauty in 2008. Gabriel has been an out and active member of the queer youth community for many years---and has been both a participant and a youth leader with in the youth programs of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley (GAGV) for almost nine years.
Our Moderator for the Lunch Plenary will be:
Erik Libey is the Associate Director of LGBT & Rural Services at AIDS Care in Rochester, NY where he has been employed for over 11 years. A graduate of the University of Rochester, he is a long-time activist, advocate and educator specializing in issues of sexual health, substance use, LGBT health and wellness, LGBT youth and positive LGBT sexuality. He has lectured extensively throughout New York State and at conferences nationwide with a specific focus on training health & human service providers to better equip them to work with sexual minority populations in both a clinically and culturally competent manner.
