Yasemin Rodriguez Corzo (Director of Creativity, Innovation, and Impact)
she/her
Yasemin is the Virtual Content Manager, Social Emotional Health at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. She is based in Los Angeles and received her MA in International Educational Development with a specialization in Peace and Human Rights Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Yasemin is passionate about developing and implementing educational programs around the world that foster empathy, creativity, and kindness for humans of all ages.
Alexandre Savigny (Chief Design Officer)
he/him
Alexandre is a French volunteer specialized in digital marketing. He majored in entrepreneurship and since has been actively working in both business and non-profit project management across Europe, Africa, and Asia. His creativity, knowledge of cross-cultural team management, and dedication to using his marketing knowledge to support non-profit organisation's work is now directed to help the Global Center grow and build great digital assets.
Nahid (Organizational Strategy Coordinator)
he/they
Nahid is an aspiring changemaker based in Bangladesh. He has been a part of a few feminist organizations as well. He is a literature student and specializes in communications. Nahid wishes to see a better peaceful world to live in where everyone would be accepted regardless of their age, color, religion, or sexuality. He believes everyone has a purpose for their existence and Nahid always tries to contribute to the social movements to be a part of the positive changes. Apart from that, he is passionate about a lot of things (i.e. singing, dancing, cooking, etc).
Gino Cheah Sin Liang (Director of Media)
he/him
Gino is a flight attendant based in Singapore and has travelled to more than 43 countries across the globe, exchanging cultures, lifestyles and different practices, and realised that change needs to take place for a more inclusive world. He graduated with a double major degree in Graphics Design and Multimedia and has 10 years of experience in hospitality and management. He makes custom made costumes designs on the sideline as a way to express his passion for arts and design. He believes that spreading love, pride, resilience and kindness to the world is the key to everyone’s freedom to love.
Abid Aziz Neel (Communications Associate)
he/him
Neel is a writer, author, entrepreneur and a human rights activist. He is currently studying at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan with Hospitality and Tourism as major. He has been working for the LGBTQ+ community through his research, writing, poetry and activism. He currently lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh but will soon move to Japan. Neel has great interest in arts, music, blogging and books. He has a small online bookstore and is a skincare and beauty blogger. He has also performed as an actor in a short film on rape culture, bullying and homophobia.
Pramod Shrestha (Communications Associate)
he/him
Pramod is from beautiful landlocked Nepal. He is 26 years old and is currently pursuing a masters degree in business administration at Lincoln University. He is a dance theatre artist who loves to dance as it can be a friend and a powerful means of expressing oneself. In addition to this, Pramod loves modelling and communicating with diverse people from diverse backgrounds. He also believes that the learning process is endless in that we will grow and succeed when we learn.
Brenna Miaria Kutch (Human Resources & Workplace Inclusion Advisor)
they/them or she/her
Brenna is a "bureaucratic activist" with a career in Human Resources and a focus on organizational equity and inclusion. This includes time with public higher education, Mercy Corps, USAID, and volunteering for various organizations advocating for LGBTIQ, gender, and social justice. They also hold a Masters in Public Administration in HR Management from Portland State University.
Yiyao Ding (Business Associate)
they/them
Yiyao is a mental health therapist specializing in work with LGBTQIA+ populations, trauma-focused treatment, and cultural adjustment issues. They graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Science in Social Work, and from Middlebury College with a BA in Psychology. In their spare time, you can find Yiyao shopping at vintage stores, attending fashion shows around the world, practicing different languages while traveling, and writing articles about mental health and LGBTQIA+ rights. Now, you can also see them working at the Global Center to increase diversity and protection of LGBTQIA+ employees’ rights in the corporate world.
Tonya Gardner (Director of Education)
she/her
Tonya is the Head of the Electives and Foreign Languages Department at Fusion Academy in Columbia, MD. She earned her BFA in painting from Radford University and has 5 years of experience in education, first teaching in Dhaka, Bangladesh before moving to Baltimore, MD. Tonya is passionate about developing and implementing an inclusive curriculum that promotes diversity and equity in the classroom. In her free time, Tonya works with oil paint and mixed media collage to create art that explores identity and connection.
Bijan Moore (Education Associate)
he/him
Bijan is a recent graduate of American University with a BA in International Studies concentrating in Peace & Conflict Resolution and International Development, as well as a minor in Music Performance. He is currently based in Washington, DC. Bijan is very passionate about youth mentorship and increasing equity within education spaces. In his free time, Bijan loves to listen to music, read books, play the violin, and go to coffee shops around the city.
Shay Dawson (Education Associate)
she/her
Shay is a recent graduate from American University in Washington, D.C. Having double majored in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality studies and African American & African Diaspora studies, the communities & narratives that these subjects focus on are of the utmost importance to Shay. She hopes to soon further her studies by pursuing an MA in Museum Education. Currently based in central Pennsylvania, Shay works as a primary school Library Aide. When not working, Shay enjoys reading, making collages, curating playlists and cuddling up with her cat, Melee.
Esther Brito (Education Associate)
she/her
Esther is a Master’s Graduate in Women, Peace, and Security at the London School of Economics, specializing in conflict and women’s rights. She is currently a Research Assistant at the IESE Business School’s Department of Strategic Management. She is also a Junior Fellow in the War, Conflict & Global Migration think tank of the Global Research Network, the Editor-in-Chief of the IVolunteer International Writers Council, and the Academic Director of the ITSS Verona Summer School. Beyond this, she was previously a Global Shaper within The World Economic Forum, where she co-founded an NGO seeking to increase diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Felipe Mondaca (English & Spanish Translator)
he/him/el
Felipe works in Customer Experience in the travel and telecoms sectors, and is also a Spanish language tutor. Originally from Chile, he has been based in Asia for the past five years, first in Hong Kong and now in Thailand. Felipe has a passion for helping people to understand LGBT issues around the world, and is excited to help drive equality and visibility through volunteer translation work at the Global Center.
Kerri Wilson (Director of Research)
she/her
Kerri is a new graduate with a B.A. in International Relations and Women and Gender Studies from Canisius College. She is New York based, and currently works as a Resettlement Case Manager at the International Institute of Buffalo. She is also a proudly open queer woman, and young activist who advocates for women's reproductive rights, justice for sexual assault survivors, and international equality for the LGBTQIA+ community. Throughout her career thus far she has worked to help refugees attain their United States Citizenship, and has been a staff member at Saint Mary’s School for the Deaf. In her free time she enjoys writing, ice skating, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Joseph Samuel Aoun (Research Associate)
he/him
Initially majored in law and with a master’s in diplomacy and Strategic Negotiations, Joseph managed Bardo, a socio-cultural resto-bar that served as a platform for the LGBTI+ community in Beirut. He started his activism independently as a blogger and online activist, then engaged with LGBTI+ NGOs on awareness and advocacy campaigns as well as fundraisers. He later joined Helem to re-establish their safe space and managed it before pursuing another master’s in Human Rights, Gender and Conflict studies in the Hague. Selected as a Sakharov fellow in 2018, he attended seminars and workshops in the European Parliament in Brussels and the Global Campus for Human Rights in Venice. He also attended the International Summit for Human Rights Defenders in Paris (2018) to help finalize the draft, presented to the UN and adopted later, to protect Human Rights Defenders. He recently moved to France and aims to work within the international legal system to ensure that SOGIESC rights are at the heart of any International Human Rights Law developments, all while helping the community in Lebanon to advance on its rights.
Dolly Ellay (Research Associate)
they/them
Dolly holds a BA in Sociology from the Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University, Egypt. During their studies, their research focused on community sustainability and women's rights. After graduation, they interned in journalism, where their research focused on human rights in the Middle East and the causes of violence in the region. They also wrote about art and community development. In 2018, they researched and published articles about female genital mutilation. In addition, they have advocated for the LGBT+ community in Arabic broadcast by hosting individuals to highlight the main issues, and challenges regarding LGBT+ in Egypt and the Middle East.
Lei Nguyen (Graphic Designer)
she/her
Lei is a student at Tallinn University, studying Liberal Arts in Social Sciences. Currently, she is working as an Editor Assistant to IVolunteer International, Storytelling Intern for Miracle Messages, Contributing Writer for Earth.org, and Journalism Intern for propL. She is an aspiring writer/journalist with an interest in mental health and climate change issues, learning musical theater, and playing ukulele in her free time.
Erin O'Brien (Grants Compliance Manager)
she/her
Erin is the grants compliance administrator at the International Institute of Buffalo in Buffalo, NY where she manages compliance for federal, state, and local grants relating to domestic violence and human trafficking. She has experience working in nonprofit, government, and banking sectors bringing an understanding of how funders interact on all levels. Erin has a MA in International Affairs from George Washington University and BA in Political Science, International Relations, German and European Studies from Canisius College. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, talking about food, and playing with her cat, Bagheera.