LSPAA LGBT+ Leadership
Happy Pride Month! It’s no surprise that Leadership St. Pete grads are leaders in the LGBT+ organizations that help make the Sunshine City one of the most inclusive and welcoming cities in the country. There are LSP alums in many organizations focused on the LGBT+ community, and we’d like to recognize some of them.
City of St. Petersburg
Eric Vaughan (Class of 2022) was named the City’s LGBTQ+ liaison in April. Eric also serves as the City’s Community Engagement Coordinator and was on the LSP 2024 Planning Committee. The City of St. Pete has received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for the past 10 years. Visit https://www.stpete.org/visitors/lgbtq_community.php for more.
St. Pete Pride
Dr. Byron Green-Calisch (Class of 2023) serves as the 2024 president of St. Pete Pride, and Clifford Hobbs III (Class of 2021) and Stephanie Morge (Class of 2020) serve on the board of directors. Byron is the VP of IDEA at national podcast firm PRX, founder of coaching business Green Phoenix, and Senior Consultant to the Justice Collective. Clifford is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School and has worked as a chef, server and bartender in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. Stephanie is the Director of Learning & Development at Power Design and serves on the company’s DEI committee. St. Pete Pride is s a non-profit organization created to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community through cultural events, educational programs, and advocacy actions. The St. Pete Pride Parade is Florida’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration. Visit https://www.stpetepride.org for more.
Equality Florida
Nathan Bruemmer (Class of 2021) serves on the board of directors of Equality Florida, the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Nathan is a life planning attorney at Blackburn Law Firm PLLC who previously served as a non-profit leader, classroom teacher, and was the first transgender statewide appointed official in the United States. Nathan also currently serves as a Commissioner for the American Bar Association’s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Visit https://www.eqfl.org/ for more.
Girls Rock
Jesse Miller (Class of 2022) is the executive director of Girls Rock St. Pete, working to amplify the voices of girls, women, and gender-expressive folx through mentorship and music to build confidence and leadership skills to transform themselves and their communities. Girls Rock St. Pete's annual summer concert is Saturday, July 20 at Jannus Live and is a high-voltage, family-friendly event where the community shows up to support local girls as they learn to love themselves, love each other and ROCK OUT! Ladies Rock St. Pete is a similar camp offered for adults in the fall. Visit https://girlsrockstpete.org to learn more.
Many thanks to them and to all the LSP alumni who work to make our community a place where all are welcomed and celebrated.