OUR FACULTY

Anjali Rimi(she/they) helps organizations cultivate Trans GNC inclusive workplaces and further their goals to enable their associates to advance gender and racial equity. Anjali works with leaders at every level across Fortune 500, corporate and nonprofit foundations such as Paypal, UPS, Walmart, UN, University of California, California Lawyers Association, University of Pacific, SXSW, Frameline Inc, etc. She has facilitated and moderated sessions to help workplaces hire and retain TGNC associates and foster Trans inclusive policies and practices. With a particularly unique technique of consulting that combines her lived experience as a Trans woman of color and great understanding of workplace dynamics, her consulting benefits clients achieve their diversity and inclusion goals along with their Trans associates gaining a sense of belonging. As a speaker and panelist, Anjali Rimi has built workshops, engaged and moderated in diversity panels driving Trans visibility and advocacy. Anjali earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Boise State University in 2003, with two undergraduate degrees in accounting and hospitality & catering technology. She continues to work in a office workspace holding leadership roles for over 17 years.

INCLUSION STRATEGIST,  STRATEGIC EQUITY PLANNING, FACILITATOR, TRAINER,STORY TELLING

Toni Newman(She/her) is the Interim Executive Director/President for LYRIC Center for LGBTQAA Youth and a consultant for the Transgender Strategy Center. Toni is a graduate of Wake Forest University and current candidate for her Juris of Doctorate (JD).  Toni was the Interim Director of Employment Services for the SF LGBT Center and the Executive Director for St. James Infirmary.  Toni served as the Director of Development for Maitri Compassionate Care and the Interim Director of Development & Communications at To Help Everyone Health and Wellness Centers. Toni began fundraising as a Strategic Fundraiser, Volunteer Recruiter, and Legislative Aide for Equality California. Additionally, Toni is a best selling author, noted for her memoir I Rise -The Transformation of Toni Newman released in 2011. Her memoir was based on the poem I Rise by the late Wake Forest University Reynolds Professor, Dr. Maya Angelou, who Toni interviewed with in 2012. The memoir has been featured in Ebony and Advocate magazines, and nominated for the prestigious Lambda Literary award. Most recently the memoir has been produced into a short film titled Heart of a Woman by Alton Demore and Keith Holland being featured at several film festivals in the USA, Thailand and Germany.

 KEY NOTE SPEAKER, PANELIST, FACILITATOR, INCLUSION STRATEGIST

  Diana Feliz Oliva has worked in the field of social services and  .public health for over 25 years. Her work began in 1994 with the County of Fresno – Department of Social Services to her position as HIV Community Liaison at Gilead Sciences in 2017, Diana Feliz Oliva has worked in the field of social services and public health for over 25 years. Her work began in 1994 with the County of Fresno – Department of Social Services to her position as HIV Community Liaison at Gilead Sciences in 2017, making her the first openly Transgender person hired by Gilead. Because of her unique and valuable expertise on Transgender and HIV issues, Diana was promoted to Senior Manager in Public Affairs in 2019, in which, she has been developing a national Transgender Community Engagement Strategy by any biopharmaceutical company in history. She serves as the Associate Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement in Public Affairs at Gilead and will launch the first-ever global Transgender Community Engagement Strategy for Latin American countries. A graduate of Columbia University with a master’s degree in Social Work in 2005, her particular interest has been advancing the development of public policy that addresses community-level health and social problems. Turning her daunting personal challenges and barriers into the very basis of her activism, Ms. Oliva has become an effective social advocate and role model. Her work is shown giving voice and visibility to not only the HIV + positive communities, but making her the first openly Transgender person hired by Gilead. Because of her unique and valuable expertise on Transgender and HIV issues, Diana was promoted to Senior Manager in Public Affairs in 2019, in which, she has been developing a national Transgender Community Engagement Strategy by any biopharmaceutical company in history. As of January 2021, she has become the Associate Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement in Public Affairs and will launch the first-ever global Transgender Community Engagement Strategy for Latin American countries. A graduate of Columbia University with a master’s degree in Social Work in 2005, her particular interest has been advancing the development of public policy that addresses community-level health and social problems. Turning her daunting personal challenges and barriers into the very basis of her activism, Ms. Oliva has become an effective social advocate and role model. Her work is shown giving voice and visibility to not only the HIV + positive communities, but also to the multiple, overlapping communities her life has touched.  

KEY NOTE SPEAKER, PANELIST, FACILITATOR, LEADERSHIP COUNSELING 

Koomah is an intersex & genderfluid interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and legislative policy advisor currently residing in Houston, Texas. Koomah is co-founder of The Houston Intersex Society, board member of the Transgender Foundation of America & the Houston Transgender Unity Committee, founding member of CHAA (LGBTQ Collective of Houston Asian Americans), lead organizer of Gender Reel Houston film festival, founding member of The Locas (Queer Latinx women artist collective), founder of iPOCA Collective (intersex People Of Color Artist Collective), & founder of Bad Date List: Houston sex worker safety resource project. Koomah has performed, showcased artwork, presented workshops & lectures, and screened films across the US & internationally.

 KEY NOTE SPEAKER, PANELIST, FACILITATOR, STORY TELLING

Samantha(She/Her/Goddess) has worked with the  United Nations Human Rights Council, The White House Anti-Violence Task Force, Los Angeles County Division of HIV & STD Programs (DHSP), along with NMAC  Biomedical Summit and many other organizers globally. Ms. Jo-Dato's proven track record of problem-solving, fostering healthy relationships, networking, and swift decision-making skills have made her a logistical mastermind no matter what amount of reshuffling is needed. Now a Best Selling Author of  “Shattered Perfect 1.0  a Testimonial Journal” written to help others like her, is now residing in Oakland Ca, where she is committed to empowering the oppressed. 

 KEY NOTE SPEAKER, PANELIST, FACILITATOR, RACIAL EQUITY

Suzanne Ford(She/Her) is a fierce activist working toward equity and justice for the Trans community.  She is employed as a Regional Sales Manager at Revere Packaging, being named by Plastic News as one of Women Breaking the Mold in the Packaging Industry in 2017.  Suzanne is a board member of SF Pride and was just elected as Vice President, after serving her second term as Treasurer. She serves on the Board of Trans Heartline, an organization that provides postop care to the trans community. The SPAHR center appointed her to the board in 2019. She was elected President of the board and began her first term this January. Suzanne lives in the SF Bay area with her wife Beverly and son, Daniel. She is available to speak about trans issues and her experience facing the world as a trans woman!

PANELIST, FACILITATOR, INCLUSION STRATEGIST, LEADERSHIP TRAINER

 J(All pronouns) is a gender non-conforming South Asian asylee, who is re-imagining the world from trans centers of gravity. She has been active in community organizing at the SF LGBT Center, Folsom Street Fair, UpYourAlley, Tenant and Neighborhood Council(TANC), Parivar – Our South Asian Queer Trans Family and, Food Not Bombs SF. In November 2019, they presented the world premiere of Mahâbhârata, a solo-telling of the great Indian epic, adapted by Geetha Reddy, a South Asian-American playwright, where the re-telling intentionally presents the non-cis gendered male perspective that has (and continues to) otherwise dominated this conversation for thousands of Hindu years. J, along with Circo Zero, performed Queer Migrants, a collaborative self-created/curated piece of street-story-telling on the steps of the US Customs and immigration Office, Sansom Street, San Francisco, CA in 2017 and 2018. As part of the North America’s largest regional non-profit, Theatre Bay Area, he established the concept of Radical Pricing for TBA Awards where the cost of privilege is borne by those who have it so that those who didn’t, could afford access to the event. With over two decades of experience in hospitality, wellness, advertising and consumer trends J has regularly been the bridge between fast pace and inclusion mapping in spaces like Pepsi Inc., Bacardi, University of California and Stanford answering questions on privilege, systemic failures embedded with barriers that prevent diversity and the journey/learning curve to address that imbalance.  

PANELIST, WORKSHOP FACILITATION, STORY TELLING