ALOK (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed author, poet, comedian, and public speaker. As a mixed-media artist their work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the human condition. They are the author of Femme in Public (2017), Beyond the Gender Binary (2020), and Your Wound/My Garden (2021) and the creator of #DeGenderFashion: an initiative to degender fashion and beauty industries. In recognition of their work, they have been honored as the inaugural LGBTQ Scholar in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania and awarded a GLAAD Media Award and Stonewall Foundation Visionary Award. Over the past decade, they have toured in more than 40 countries, most recently selling out their runs at the Soho Theatre in London, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the Kennedy Performing Arts Center. Their show has been described as “provocative and powerful”, a “potent combination of comedy and poetry”, and a “Jaw-dropping celestial event”. On screen, they will make their feature film debut in Absolute Dominion opposite Patton Oswalt and next can be seen in Emmie Lichtenberg’s film Complicated Order opposite Midori Francis. On television, they have appeared on Hulu’s Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne, ABC’s PRIDE: To Be Seen – A Soul of A Nation, Netflix’s Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness and The Trans List.

President & CEO, Diverse & Resilient

Chris has dedicated more than two decades of his career to addressing health disparities within marginalized communities. His extensive experience includes creating and implementing effective and engaging programs, as well as capacity building.

Growing up in Milwaukee, Chris personally experienced many of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, which ignited his passion for advocacy. His journey with Diverse & Resilient began when he joined as a Youth Advisor during his high school sophomore year. His commitment to the organization ultimately led to his role as Program Manager of Milwaukee Programs in 2015 before stepping away from Diverse & Resilient to pursue additional growth opportunities in Texas.

During his time in Texas, he collaborated closely with the Texas Department of State Health Services, focusing on HIV prevention and care, all while exploring avenues to address mental health inequities within his work. Driven by a strong interest in mental health, Chris completed courses tailored towards a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). He believes that mental health is an essential component of overall well-being, and he is committed to integrating this perspective into his work, specifically when addressing the unique needs of LGBTQ individuals.

Chris returned to Milwaukee in 2022 to take on the role of President & CEO of Diverse & Resilient.

Registered Nurse Care Manager – Community Clinic, Inc.

Nathaniel BSN, RN, was the first person to hold the title of Gender Affirming Care Registered Nurse at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. He is currently working as a Registered Nurse Care Manager at Community Care Inc where he serves as the LGBTQIA+ patient champion and advocate for Outagmaie, Winnebago and Calumet counties. He comes from a long line of nurses, always insisting he would not follow that same path. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2012, putting an exclamation point onto these early lifelong sentiments. By 2015 he had been dipping his toes in the field of caring for others and by 2016 found himself as a Paramedic and slowly started to realize it was happening, he was headed for the nursing profession. The nursing field found him in a slightly different way, however. As a man of trans experience, he ran into a multitude of roadblocks and difficulties accessing affirming healthcare, while hearing many similar stories from the community, particularly while working at the LGBTQIA+ Resource Center at UW-Oshkosh. This solidified his path forward. He would become a nurse with the number one intention of creating positive change, providing affirming healthcare and serving our trans and gender diverse community, and what an honor to be a safe space in others’ lives and journeys.

Manager of Prevention & Care Services, Diverse & Resilient

Anthony started his career as an AmeriCorps volunteer in La Crosse, WI, where he learned the importance and impact of community service. Since that start, he has accumulated an eclectic assortment of experiences including (but not limited to) LGBT youth development, volunteer recruitment / retention, financial awareness, and sexual health. He has developed skills to address the needs people have through a harm reduction lens, working to meet people where they are at, and understanding that people are the experts of their own experiences. As a person living with HIV, Anthony continues to fight HIV stigma and work with people to build the strategies that work best for them to live their healthiest lives. Anthony has a Bachelor of Science in social work from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Clinical Therapist

Isaac graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Lakeland University double majoring in criminal justice and psychology and a master’s in social work from UW-Green Bay. He has experiences working with the UWGB Pride Center, Director of the LGBT+ Center in Marinette, and clinical therapist at Us 2 Behavioral Healthcare. Isaac was a P.B. Poorman Award recipient in 2019 for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People and is a passionate advocate currently providing transition-related services for transgender and non-binary individuals and facilitating a parent support group for raising their children who identify on the gender spectrum. Isaac believes the LGBTQ+ group for parents is essential to building a healthier, supportive family system and community.

Isaac utilizes therapeutic approaches and interventions including psychoeducation and strengths-based, person-centered, and solution focused, mindfulness, and Dialectical (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He believes in taking a nonjudgmental approach that creates a safe space when collaborating with clients to develop their own individualized treatment plan that best suits their needs.

She/Her
Singer, Creative & Community Artist

Betsy Kowal Jett is a singer, voice teacher, and community artist. Betsy’s latest work includes community songwriting projects in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s The Lullaby Project, NAMI Fox Valley, and Diverse & Resilient. This summer, Betsy served as lead vocal/songwriting coach at Turn It Up, a rock camp for under-represented teens. As a teacher, Betsy helps singers nurture creativity, connect with inner wisdom, and sing with vocal freedom.

Community Education & Outreach Specialist – Diverse & Resilient

Over the past decade, Keira has been leading change work in every sphere they inhabit, pushing for BIPOC and LGBTQ representation and justice in the music industry, academia, and the several non-profits they have served over the years.  Keira loves connecting with others and strives to create grounded learning spaces for LGBTQ folks and their prospective allies to build new understandings of how to love and care for each other as deeply as possible.  Keira is a passionate singer and actor, and they love to read, write, and run–no matter how cold the weather!  Keira came to Wisconsin from California in 2012 and graduated from Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Music in voice performance and a Bachelor of Arts in gender studies.

LGBTQ+ Anti-Violence Program Advocate – Diverse & Resilient

Andrew is a trauma-informed community advocate, interdisciplinary artist, and wellness educator dedicated to advancing and holistically liberating the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities of Milwaukee, WI, and beyond.

They currently serve as an advocate for Diverse & Resilient’s LGBTQIA+ Anti-Violence Program at the Milwaukee office, where they integrate their experience in mental health, resource navigation, and community building to strategically support survivors of systemic oppression in processing and maneuvering through the violence it inflicts on their lives.

Born and raised in Milwaukee as a queer person of color, Andrew’s passion for social justice and community care has developed through their lived experiences as a survivor of systemic oppression and co-conspirator against it, which spans over the last decade.

With a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Cultural Theory earned through the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Andrew continues to incorporate and develop their complex understanding of the intersection of narratives, socio-political oppression, justice, and holistic liberation as the cornerstone of their work to be an agent of change in the historical and future narrative belonging to the communities of which they’re a proud part.

Raphael is a multi-talented trans artist, designer, political data practitioner, and community advocate. Inspired by deep-rooted compassion, they actively seek new paths to reduce harm and be an active, loving force in the world around them. This search has led them to a journey of inner authenticity, as well as to many different roles within mutual aid projects and nonprofit organizations – From content creation, to group facilitation, to canvassing, to data analyzing, to DEI contracting – they’ve worn many hats throughout their career. Most recently, Raphael served at Leaders Igniting Transformation, an organization dedicated to building Black and Brown political power for youth in Wisconsin, as their Online Organizing Associate through Wisconsin’s 2022 gubernatorial and 2023 Supreme Court elections. Wherever life may take them, they will always dream of and fight for an accessible, loving future for trans and queer folks around the world.

Director of Statewide Anti-Violence Programs, Diverse & Resilient

Reiko is an LGBTQ+ advocate and community leader with over a decade of experience in LGBTQ+ community work. Based out of Diverse & Resilient’s Appleton office, they serve as Director of Statewide Anti-Violence Programs. They joined Diverse and Resilient in June 2020 as a Youth & Young Adult Advocate. Prior to that Reiko lead the LGBTQ Partnership program of Goodwill NCW for three years. Reiko was born and raised in Hawaii and has lived in the Fox Valley since 2010, when they moved to Wisconsin to attend Lawrence University in Appleton. Reiko is particularly drawn to working with queer, trans, and BIPOC youth because of their energy, resilience, and audacity to demand a world that sees and honors them.

Manager of Prevention & Care Services

Lorenzo was born and raised in Milwaukee.  He has always valued Diverse & Resilient’s work and what the agency does for our community.  Since his teen years, he has volunteered with and has shown an interest in Diverse & Resilient.  One sunny day, Lorenzo got a phone call from Ronnie Grace who was, at the time, D&R’s lead HIV & STI prevention coordinator.  Ronnie then mentored Lorenzo for the following several years.  Long story short: Lorenzo was given the opportunity to give back to the community by educating and promoting self-health awareness.  His training took place at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee where he was certified in HIV counseling, testing, and referral (CTR) which allowed him to begin his new career in the prevention of STIs.  His mission is to help lower the transmission rates of HIV and to help protect his community from other STIs.  Undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U).  Knowledge is power!

Director of Finance & Human Resources, Diverse & Resilient

Justin is a Milwaukee-born member of the community with a professional career centering the empowerment of others. Serving as the director of finance and human resources for Diverse & Resilient, Justin uses academic and community knowledge to transform the experience around sexual and reproductive health engagement through reducing stigma and engaging in a systems response to increase access and information to priority populations.  

Justin is an active volunteer and currently serves on the board of trustees at Milwaukee Chamber Theater; the board of directors at BESTD Clinic; and the Statewide Action Planning Group on HIV/HCV/STI with the Department of Health Services Communicable Disease and Harm Reduction Section.    

Justin holds a bachelor’s degree in educational studies with a minor in mathematics and a master’s degree in organizational leadership and administration from Concordia University of Wisconsin. He is currently in the Doctor of Philosophy in global leadership and change at Tiffin University.  Justin is an alumnus of the Wisconsin Health Leaders Fellowship’s second cohort. 

LGBTQ Anti-Violence Program Advocate, Diverse & Resilient

Nick is an Anti-Violence Program Advocate with Diverse & Resilient. Nick began changemaking as a young person when they and their peers fought to form the first GSA in Northeast Wisconsin. That foundational experience led Nick to pursue social justice and advocacy throughout their life. Nick has run for public office twice and is currently serving their first term as a Fox Valley area school board member.

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist 

Kathleen graduated from Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, WA, in 2003 with a Master’s of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has worked in a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, crisis response, juvenile justice, Employee Assistance Programs, college and university counseling centers, private practice and behavioral health care. Kathleen has conducted several trainings on serving the LGBTQ+ community, participated in the transgender consult team at Oregon State University, and provided support groups for LGBTQIAP+ individuals at Oregon State University and Lawrence University. As a Prevea provider, Kathleen practices LGBTQ+ Affirming Care which affirms LGBTQ+ identities and works to eliminate the potential and impact of discrimination in all aspects of LGBTQ+ health care. They lead a consultation group for Behavioral Care providers who serve LGBTQ+ patients and provide LGBTQ+ Affirming Care trainings across the organization available through Prevea University.

Corynn is a mental health counselor at Lawrence University, where she provides individual therapy for students, as well as two weekly support groups for LGBTQ+ students. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from UW Madison and a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in the Study of Women and Gender from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. During her time at Smith, she was part of a trauma research lab, and contributed to a study on rates of PTSD in sexuality minority college students.

Prior to Lawrence, Corynn worked with survivors of sexual violence at Reach Counseling in Neenah, where she facilitated support groups for women and LGBTQ+ survivors of violence, and co-facilitated sex offender treatment programming. The LGBTQ+ support group she established while at Reach Counseling was the first sexual assault support group in the state that was created for LGBTQ+ survivors. She also completed a year-long practicum internship with Outagamie County’s outpatient mental health clinic, and co-facilitated mindfulness groups at local correctional facilities as a volunteer with the Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative.

Corynn’s approach is approach is holistic, integrative, strengths-based, relational, destigmatizing, and trauma-informed. Corynn works with their clients to earn and grow a trusting therapeutic relationship, and provide a nonjudgmental, supportive, brave space for clients to come into their own and thrive.