The Empire State of Pride Conference will bring together organizers, advocates, tourism professionals + business development officials from across The Empire State.
Chanel J. Lopez
NYS Deputy Director of LGBTQ Affairs, Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
Chanel Jessica Lopez is a Dominican Afro-Latina born and raised in Spanish Harlem, she is an advocate & activist for the Transgender / TGNC communities for the past 15+ years, she is a plus size model and has done some acting as well. In addition, to her activism for the community she is known through her many years of hosting special events in the entertainment industry.
She has been featured in several documentaries, one of them being “The Death & Life of Marsha P. Johnson” documentary, had her own documentary highlighted on the VICE Channel and also has done public speaking telling her story as a survivor of Domestic and Sexual Violence. She has also received numerous awards, two “Certificate of Merits” by the former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, “New York State Health Department Humberto Cruz Award”, “Dominican Association Trail Blazer Award”, Department of Civil Services Marsha P. Johnson award” & “The 2022 Heritage Image Award”. Chanel J. Lopez also has been recognized by “City & State as one of the top 100 most influential people in government. She sits on the board of “The New York Transgender Advocacy Group”, her hobbies include visiting museums, attending concerts and plays, listening to various types of music and enjoys the company of those she holds close to her heart.
Chanel J. Lopez is the former Transgender Community Liaison for the NYC Commission on Human Rights, she is currently the First Transwoman to be an Appointee for the NY State Governor as the NYS Deputy Director of LGBTQ Affairs. Chanel’s aspirations are to some day run for office and have her own talk show in the future.
David Contreras Turley
David Contreras Turley, Director of Industry Relations, I LOVE NY/ New York State Division of Tourism at Empire State Development
Prior to joining ESD, David was the Director of Constituency Affairs for the New York State Executive Chamber where he led the Governor’s community affairs division and outreach. Previously, David worked for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights group, where he managed efforts to pass marriage equality in New York, Rhode Island, and Maryland.
As Director of Industry Relations at the New York State Division of Tourism at Empire State Development, David Contreras Turley serves as the liaison for TPA, DMO and industry partners on behalf of I LOVE NY and manages I LOVE NY LGBTQ.
David has worked for various candidates and ballot initiatives across the U.S. at the federal, state, and local level with a focus on LGBTQ and Latino issues, voter mobilization and get-out-the-vote efforts. Mr. Turley has a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Economics from Vanderbilt University and resides with his husband and three children in Washington Heights in New York City.
Kevin Bailey
Co-Founder, Come Out Central NY
Conference Producer, Empire State of Pride
Kevin Bailey is the founder of Come Out Central New York, an organization dedicated to promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusive businesses and events in Central New York (CNY). As founder, Kevin is responsible for building relationships with business owners, service providers, and event producers who are LGBTQIA+ identifying or community allies, promoting their services and events to both local residents and visitors.
Kevin’s journey into LGBTQIA+ advocacy began eight years ago with his participation in the creation of the Syracuse Guerrilla Gay Bar (now Syracuse Guerilla Gay Events), a monthly queer networking event aimed at increasing the visibility of LGBTQIA+ people in Syracuse, providing networking opportunities outside the typical gay bar scene, and supporting local bars and restaurants. The event quickly grew in popularity, leading to additional initiatives such as the Syracuse Guerrilla Gay Cafe series, which provides a non-alcoholic option for community building. Through these efforts, he recognized the need for a comprehensive gateway for the LGBTQIA+ community in Central New York, which led to the creation of Come Out Central New York.
Come Out CNY activates Kevin’s 7+ years of deep, long standing relationships with businesses, non-profits, arts and educational organizations in CNY to let LGBTQIA+ communities around the country know the region’s key benefits. The organization increases the visibility of LGBTQIA+ people inside and outside of CNY, provides opportunities for meeting and networking in settings that are outside of the typical scene, and supports the hard-working, innovative local LGBTQIA+ owned and inclusive businesses.
In addition to his work with Come Out CNY, Kevin is actively involved in the community, serving ex-officio on the CNY Pride board as an events liaison and as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Everson Museum of Art.
With a professional background as a technology consultant at Crowe LLP, Kevin brings his expertise in helping non-profits, local governments, and higher education institutions enhance their value through business process improvements and digital transformation to his current mission of encouraging the LGBTQIA+ community to come to Central New York.
Lee Solja-Simmons
Executive Director, NYC Center For Black Pride
Lee Soulja is a celebrated Dancer, Actor, Visual Artist and LGBTQ Advocate. As a native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, he first rose to fame as a Dancer in the early days of Hip Hop and then as a Club Kid. He is also founder of the House of Soulia for which he is considered an Icon in the House & Ballroom Community.
Lee has been featured in international publications such as VOGUE Spain, SWERV magazine, W magazine and the New York Times. As an actor, Lee has appeared in independent films such as WERK, WALK FOR ME, SATURDAY CHURCH and the new film THE BALL. He has also appeared on the EMMY Award winning TV series, POSE, LAW & ORDER SVU and NEW AMSTERDAM.
For the last 20 years, Lee has dedicated his time to Community Service work. His organization, the NYC Center For Black Pride has raised over 2 million dollars to create and organize events.
Lee is a founding member of Pride & Power and the NYC Black & Latino LGBTQ Coalition and has proudly received honors from Governor Kathy Hochul and former Governor Andrew Coumo, State Senators Brian Benjamin and Bill Perkins, NYC Public Advocate lumaane Williams and former Public Advocate Letitia James and from NYC Mayors Michael Bloomberg, Bill DeBlasio and Eric Adams.
Stephan Hengst
Co-Founder, Big Gay Hudson Valley
Conference Producer, Empire State of Pride
Stephan Hengst is the Executive Director of Big Gay Hudson Valley and has spent his career focusing on building community and driving engagement and tourism for brands that include The Provincetown Business Guild, The Culinary Institute of America, Whole Foods Market and Stonyfield Farm. Having established a wide range of business development initiatives in support of the world’s premier queer travel destination, Provincetown, Massachusetts, as the Executive Director of the Provincetown Business Guild, he’s focused on building the Hudson Valley’s reputation as a world-class LGBTQ+ community and travel destination.
Having produced the largest annual event on Cape Cod, Provincetown’s annual Carnival Parade, as well as events like Provincetown’s Annual Pride Celebration, Bear Week, Holly Folly and First Light, Hengst has extensive experience in working with municipalities to attract visitors and drive business growth. Hengst also has extensive community health experience, successfully supporting Provincetown and its businesses as the destination recovered from COVID-19 and then working with health organizations to manage and stem misinformation as related to the emergence of spread of Mpox.
Hengst and his husband Patrick Decker co-founded Big Gay Hudson Valley in 2008 and have focused on creating experiences and promoting resources that empower people to make new connections, explore the Hudson Valley & live as their authentic LGBTQ+ selves. New York State’s only multi-channel resource for regional LGBTQ+ travel, BGHV serves 150,000+ digital users annually with a community event calendar, local guides and tourism information. BGHV also produces a wide range of events including Out on The Farm, Hung With Care: A Queer Holiday Burlesque Spectacular, The Meet Market Pop-Up Gay Bar, The Gay Gasp Queer Comedy Show and the BARNWOOD Queer Art Show.
In 2024 he established Kingston NY’s first-ever multi-day Pride Celebration as well as Pride In The Sky, the premiere LGBTQ+ pride event on the iconic Walkway Over the Hudson. Spanning Poughkeepsie and Highland, Hengst worked in partnership with I LOVE NY/LGBTQ, New York State Parks and the Walkway Over The Hudson Friends Group to make this event possible, with more than 3,000 attendees joining the celebration.
Hengst also published Big Gay Hudson Valley’s first-ever Queer Travel Maps for Dutchess and Ulster Counties in 2024. More than 30,000 printed maps have been distributed across the region in partnership with Dutchess Tourism, Ulster County Tourism and I LOVE NY.
Always believing in his mother’s advice to be the best gay person that he can be, he’s focused on connecting like minded friends over the years for the betterment of the Hudson Valley community.
Jaleel Campbell
Artist & Founder of Project OutLoud, Syracuse, NY
Jaleel Campbell is a New York based artist whose work ranges from illustration, curating, directing, performing and the latest, Doll making. Jaleel attained his BFA in Visual Communications with a specialization in Graphic Design from Cazenovia College and his MFA in Media Arts & Culture from SUNY Purchase.
His passion for creating knows no bounds. It is through these acts that community building comes to the forefront. That is jaleel’s mission and what drives him the most.
Whether it be through illustration work that showcases the often underrepresented, video work that captures the beauty and essence of black life and culture, or handmade dolls that aim to honor and acknowledge African traditions, there is no limit to his creativity and he will continue creating work that reminds black people of their worth; even when the world becomes too heavy.
Jaleel is also the founder of Project OutLoud, which emphasizes the intersecting struggles faced by Black and LGBTQ+ communities. It acknowledges the shared experience of discrimination and marginalization of these groups. By uniting in solidarity and celebration, Project OutLoud affirms the importance of collective action and acknowledge the common challenges and victories experienced by individuals in both communities.
Patrick W. Decker
Co-Founder, Big Gay Hudson Valley
Patrick loves a good story and believes in the power of clear, effective and fun communication. He began his career developing content for brands like Food Network, HGTV, and Rachael Ray and now works on the technical side of Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming services, delivering amazing stories right to the homes of millions of people around the world. As a co-founder of Big Gay Hudson Valley, he pours that same passion back into his community by supporting the company’s website, graphics and overall digital presence.
A food lover at heart, he’s proud to “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” whenever he can (so much so that it’s tattooed on him – you’ll have to ask where next time you see him). When not working you can find him on a bike or a yoga mat, playing Nintendo or rubbing a furry face – whether it be on a cat, a goat, or while out with friends.
Jimmy Monto
President of Central New York Pride
Jimmy Monto is the President of CNY Pride and serves as Syracuse Common Councilor for the City of Syracuse.
Jimmy is the first openly LGBTQIA+ person elected in Syracuse, where he resides with his husband of 23 years.
Nathaniel Gray
Executive Director, Pride Center of the Capital Region
As a military brat, Nathaniel grew up the son of two Marines in a rural, conservative part of southern Ohio. His early childhood experiences have informed much of the work he now does on behalf of queer youth, and the broader LGBTQ+ community. He was raised in an evangelical church, played a sport every season, and was the target of ongoing, merciless bullying throughout grade school, middle school and high school. These experiences led him to head to New York City for college to study theater just after graduation.
Over 17 years in New York City, Nathaniel completed a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Musical Theater, performed professionally with several theater companies, established a full-time career as a drag queen, taught and tutored students from 6th-12th grade, completed his Master’s of Social Work with a focus on queer youth and policy design, and has spoken professionally in several states on the importance of creating and maintaining LGBTQ+ affirming environments for all.
As an Albany transplant in 2019, Nathaniel was the proud recipient of the Edie Windsor, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera LGBTQ+ Empire Fellowship. In this inaugural role, Nathaniel served as a policymaker for the Office of Children and Family Services, and supported the Governor’s Office outreach for annual Pride events each year. After 3 years of policy development and community engagement, Nathaniel looks forward to bringing these many past experiences to the Pride Center to support this organization’s next 50 years as a critical service provider and LGBTQ+ advocate in the Capital Region.
Mickey Harmon
Community Organizer, Intersect Queer Arts Festival
Harmon has been organizing local artists, vendors, community organizations and leaders since 2017 in Allentown, a suburb of Buffalo, NY. His efforts have focused on hosting a once a month street festival where people gather to view installations, buy local art and gifts and enjoy local visual artists and musicians perform. He has also focused his attention on coordinating with local queer creatives and musicians to bring First Friday Gallery Walk numerous special editions.
In 2018 Harmon co-founded Exist, A Queer Festival. After the pandemic he renamed the event as Intersect: A Queer Arts Festival. Intersect has evolved into a custom tailored event for Queer Buffalo featuring Western New York Black and Latino Pride in 2022 and then Vogue Buffalo in 2023.
In 2024, Intersect widened its reach with queer groups from all walks including a 40 tent vendor market, 8 hours of DJ’s, performances, drag and even a talent show by Dyke Nite Buffalo, a recently formed group for sapphic forward events. Harmon is proud to serve as a founding member responsible for the Intersect will always be an alternative pride to reinforce local talent and local community connections so desperately needed on WNY.
Tandra LaGrone
Executive Director, In Our Own Voices
Tandra LaGrone is executive director at In Our Own Voices, the Capital District nonprofit working to ensure the physical, mental, spiritual, political, cultural and economic survival and growth of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of color communities. She considers herself an activist, organizer and cultural critic.
Tandra previously was director of Girls Incorporated of the Greater Capital Region, One of the country’s largest organizations for girl’s rights. She is an advocated for HIV/AIDS treatment in the African American community, especially for women and young black men.
The Albany native has worked as a domestic violence, youth, and LGBT advocate for over 30 years. Tandra has a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of New Paltz. She has given presentations, as well as led panel discussions and workshops during a variety of activist and academic conferences and events on Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues with a particular focus on the people of color community (POC).
Sandra Pérez
Executive Director for NYC Pride
Sandra Pérez is the Executive Director for NYC Pride, the nonprofit organization that plans and produces New York City’s official LGBTQIA+ Pride events. In her role, Sandra is charged with overseeing the most celebrated Pride March in the world and ensuring that it reflects the full spectrum of the LGBTQIA+
community.
Moving beyond the celebratory aspects of the March, Sandra is committed to expanding NYC Pride’s support to and for the community through the Pride Gives Back Program as well as
leveraging its platform to bring attention to the challenges faced by those most marginalized.
A native New Yorker grounded in the Bronx and Puerto Rico, Sandra brings a wealth of lived experience to the work of NYC Pride. In prior roles, she has served as an advocate for Latinx/e arts and culture and has deep roots in the philanthropic sector, serving in multiple development roles for the Ms. Foundation
for Women and as a consultant to the public and the private sector. Sandra has also served as a program auditor and grant panelist for a variety of entities in the arts and social justice sectors such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Council on the Humanities.
Sandra is a board member of NYC Tourism and Conventions and was recently named to New York City & State’s 2024 Arts & Culture Power 100 and the 2024 LGBTQ Power Players list.
Carmen Neely, BFA, MST
Co-Founder + President, Harlem Pride
Carmen Neely hails from Charlotte, NC. She graduated from Howard University with a BFA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Film Production. She also holds a Master of Science in Teaching with specializations in Childhood and Special Education from Fordham University.
Upon arriving in New York City, Carmen worked at Manhattan Theater Club, first in ticket sales, then as the General Management Assistant. Later Carmen worked as an Administrative Assistant at Goldman Sachs. She is a former New York City Department of Education Special Education teacher and now works full time as Harlem Pride’s President and CEO.
Carmen Neely is also a co-founder of Harlem Pride. Harlem Pride’s mission is to empower Harlem’s Same Gender Loving•LGBTQ community (which includes family, friends, and allies) to improve its physical, mental, and economic health and wellness.
Though Carmen is quite busy managing Harlem Pride and helping plan for the coming Harlem SGL•LGBTQ Center, she is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and other Harlem based LGBTQ organizations. She is a Co-chair of the LGBTQ Committee of the Mid-Manhattan Branch of the NAACP, a Co-Chair of the Black & Latino LGBTQ Coalition, the CEO of the Harlem SGL•LGBTQ Center and a Co-Chair of NYC Pride & Power, a 501(c)(4) political organization. She is also the newly named Vice – Chair of the Board of Directors of The Center for Black Equity, an international organization based in Washington, DC. The mission of the Center for Black Equity is to promote a multinational LGBTQ+ network dedicated to improving health and wellness opportunities, economic empowerment, and equal rights while promoting individual and collective work, responsibility, and self-determination.
Carmen believes in building a strong community foundation through community engagement and partnerships. When she’s not busy with her community work, Carmen enjoys reading and relaxing on hot sandy beaches.
Melaine Rottkamp
President + CEO, Dutchess Tourism Inc
Melaine Rottkamp is a certified destination management executive who has worked passionately since 2011 to support and highlight more than 1,200 tourism-related businesses and organizations throughout Dutchess County, New York.
As President & CEO, she focuses on data-driven strategies to manage Dutchess Tourism’s award-winning advertising and marketing efforts to aggressively promote the county as a premiere leisure and business destination. As a result, those efforts attract travelers from across the globe who collectively spend an average of $2 million a day at county businesses and attractions while contributing $88 million in local and state taxes that get reinvested into our communities.
Additionally, she oversees the non-profit’s business support and outreach programs including ongoing workforce development programs, educational seminars, conferences, networking, and recognition events. She also directs the activities of Film Dutchess, working with the Hudson Valley Film Commission, to bring productions and investment to the area which generated $53 million of direct spending for the region this past year.
A graduate of Syracuse University, Melaine has shared her expertise as a presenter at regional, state and international tourism conferences providing insight, successful strategies, and encouraging collaborations as pathways toward success for destination organizations and tourism businesses.
This year, Dutchess Tourism’s efforts were recognized with three Tourism Excellence Awards from the New York State Tourism Industry Association for their marketing, business support and visitor services programs.
Yolanda Bostic Williams
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
Yolanda Bostic Williams serves as the Chief Diversity Officer. In this role, she provides executive leadership and strategic direction on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives.
Yolanda’s experience, combined with her passion for the outdoors, history, community engagement, knowledge of environmental justice concerns, and, perhaps most importantly, life experiences as a person of color, make her an ideal candidate for connecting with various communities and advancing the agency’s goals of increasing DEIA in both the workforce and the public we serve.
To increase diversity within the agency, Yolanda is working with Human Resources and the Recruitment Task Force to recruit more young people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with all abilities, women, veterans, and older adults into seasonal and full-time staffing positions. In addition to recruitment, she works with Parks staff to encourage and support diversity through agency culture
events, staff training, workplace activities and providing a Parks’ presence during community events.
As well as collaborating with various stakeholders (NYS sister agencies, Friends Groups, educational institutions, and nonprofits) to expand connections, lift initiatives and share all the wonderful programs and projects OPRHP offers. She is committed to expanding opportunities youth have to engage with the outdoors and history, building on the Connect Kids to Parks, Our Whole History, Ladders to the Outdoors, and First Time Campers programs, as well as, devoted to promoting the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation’s mission to ensure All are Welcome at OPRHP’s facilities.
Currently, Yolanda is Commissioner Pro Tem Simon’s agency representative for the New York State Recreation and Parks Society and the New York Outdoor Rx Coalition, former Treasurer and member for Governor Kathy Hochul’s NYS Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Council; and a member of the Outdoor RX Coalition’s Equity and Inclusion Task Force.
Before becoming a ‘Parkie,’ Yolanda served as a member of the New York State Assembly Speaker’s Program and Counsel staff for 21 years.
Ron Zacchi
New York State Division of Human Rights, Senior Director of the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit
Ron Zacchi (all pronouns welcome) joined the Division of Human Rights as Senior Director of the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit in September 2024.
Prior to this role, Ron served as Governor Hochul’s Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs, where they played a pivotal role in advancing transformative policies and securing increased funding for the LGBTQ+ community, addressing long-standing inequities caused by discrimination.
Before their tenure in the Governor’s Office, Ron was the Director of External Relations for the Division of Human Rights and began their career in state government as part of the Empire State Fellows program with the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. They were later promoted to Assistant Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Throughout their time in public service, Ron has been deeply involved in shaping key LGBTQ+ policy changes in New York State, including the ban on conversion therapy, protections for transgender individuals, legalizing gestational surrogacy, and the passage of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the Gender Recognition Act (GRA).
Ron’s career in public service began with their leadership in the LGBTQ+ community, where they notably served as Executive Director of Marriage Equality New York (MENY). Under their leadership, MENY spearheaded a successful statewide grassroots campaign that ultimately secured equal marriage rights for same-sex couples in New York State.
Ron holds a Bachelor of Arts from the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University and an Executive MPA from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, where they were honored with the Hagedorn Scholarship. holds a Bachelor of Arts from the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University and an Executive MPA from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, where they were honored with the Hagedorn Scholarship.
Jay Blotcher
Board Member, The Gilbert Baker Foundation
A veteran LGBTQ activist, Blotcher was a member of the founding chapters of ACT UP and Queer Nation in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s.
He is co-founder of New Paltz Pride, now in its 20th year, and co-founder of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center.
A board member of the Gilbert Baker Foundation, Blotcher also co-authored Baker’s 2019 memoir, Rainbow Warrior: My Life in Color.
Travis Barr (Anita Buffem)
President – Cazenovia Pride
Co-Owner, Creative Director – H.Grey Supply Co.
NY Board of Education Member
With a vibrant background that includes a performance and entertainment career spanning 25 years, Travis is most well known as drag superstar Anita Buffem. With a natural intuition for comedy, Travis has cemented his place as a force of creativity and advocacy.
As the founder and co-owner of H. Grey Supply Co. a unique retail and coffee bar business (honored as both Best Clothing Store and Best Craft Beverage in The Syracuse Post-Standard’s Readers’ Choice Best of CNY 2024. And in 2023, the business also earned the title of SBA’s Business of the Year.) Travis blends creativity with community-focused entrepreneurship and has made an impact in both the business and LGBTQ+ communities.
As a performer, Travis as Anita has traveled the U.S. as the producer, creative director, and star of The Haus of Mimosa, an award-winning musical comedy duo that debuted in 2007. Known as “Anita Buffem, Beauty Starlet,” he co-produced and starred in acclaimed web series like The Anita & Gina Marie Show and The Anita Buffem Show, featured on GaySVTV. Anita has hosted prestigious events such as the MAC Cosmetics VIVA Glam Pride Event, Joe’s Pub, and Central Park SummerStage, and shared the stage with stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race in The Drag Roast of Sherry Vine. Her dynamic performances have earned accolades from Gay City News, TIME OUT NY, The Glammy Awards, and more.
Travis Barr made history this spring as the first drag queen elected to a school board in the United States and only the second drag queen to hold any elected position nationwide. As a member of the New York State Board of Education, he advocates for inclusion and representation, using his platform to create positive change. In addition to these accomplishments, Travis is the founder and president of Cazenovia Pride, an event that saw its most successful year in 2024 with over 1,000 attendees and was awarded Best Festival in The Syracuse Post-Standard’s Readers’ Choice Best of CNY 2024.
With a decade-long career of trailblazing achievements, Travis continues to champion diversity, foster community growth, and uplift others through entrepreneurship, performance, and advocacy.