Metro Philadelphia LGBTQ+ Power Players 2023

Paul Steinke serves as executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, a membership-based organization whose mission is to preserve the Philadelphia region’s historic buildings, communities, and landscapes. Paul served as board chair of the William Way LGBT Community Center from 2014-2019 and continues to serve as co-chair of the center’s capital campaign committee. Previously he served on the Philadelphia steering committee of the Human Rights Campaign for five years.

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
Philadelphia is my hometown, the birthplace of the nation, and a city that has pioneered advances in the national LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. I am a proud Philadelphian who has tried to do my part to contribute to those advances to achieve equality and eliminate discrimination so that Philadelphia can be a city we are all proud of.

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
I have been inspired by so many LGBTQ+ activists over the years, including Barbara Gittings, Rita Adessa, Mel Heifetz, Malcolm Lazin, Mark Segal, Tom Weinberg, Amber Hikes, Chris Bartlett, Jeff Guaracino, and Rue Landau.

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
The LGBTQ+ movement was started decades ago, largely by gay men and lesbians, many of whom were white. Tremendous progress has been made. In recent years, the movement has been expanding to include people of color and trans people, for whom the threats to equality are the most dire today. We must come together as a community to help ensure that these groups enjoy the advances that others have already achieved.

Sarah Stevenson was appointed chief integrity officer for the City of Philadelphia in March 2020. Prior to her current role, Sarah held a number of positions with increasing responsibility at the Philadelphia Water Department, including acting commissioner. Before joining the City, Sarah worked for the nonprofit Committee of Seventy, where she focused on municipal policy and election law. Sarah received her JD/MPA from Villanova and is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and NY.

Ellen Trainer is president of The Philadelphia Musicians’ Union, Local 77. In addition to her position on the Executive Board of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, Ellen was recently recognized by the PA City and State Pride Power 100 in 2022 and 2023. Ellen is an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and solidarity. In addition to her leadership role as a labor advocate, Ellen is an active musician in the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra. 

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
I love living and working in a city that recognizes Pride Month by acknowledging the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. As someone who grew up here, I have always loved the ‘it’s a Philly thing’ attitude. The Philadelphia ‘rough and tough’ reputation has always served as a support system for our community during tough times. 

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
There are so many LGBTQ+ icons and activists that it is tough to name only a few. Growing up, I was always inspired the likes of Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Ellen DeGeneres, Henri David (and his legendary Halloween Ball), Dito Van Reigersberg (a.k.a Martha Gram Cracker), and in local politics Malcom Kenyatta and Rue Landau.   

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
Philadelphia needs to do a better job of supporting organizations that help the LGBTQ+ youth community, such as Covenant House and other similar programs. Additionally, Philadelphia schools need to provide a more inclusive curriculum — one that focuses on LGBTQ+ community awareness. The next generation of citizens in our city need to be educated early that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights. 

Evan Urbania is CEO and co-founder of ChatterBlast Media, a digital marketing and advertising agency based in Philadelphia. A graduate of Drexel University, he was a founding board member and former president of the Independence Business Alliance, Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the boards of The Philadelphia Foundation, Team PA Foundation, and as a commissioner on the Philadelphia Gas Commission.

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
Philadelphia has long had a powerful mix of community-based organizations serving our diverse LGBTQ+ community. We often create services and solutions here that quietly become replicated across the country. I’m most proud of our city’s commitment to LGBTQ+ equality across civil rights and business issues, particularly in a state that still has some work to do to protect our most vulnerable community members. 

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
I admire Harvey Milk’s work to help re-shape a city and change political norms. I love and respect my friend and financial industry trailblazer Walter Schubert, and acknowledge  the work of our business leaders like Robert Hanson. I’ve always loved Angela Davis for her bold, unapologetic style.

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
I’d love to see Philadelphia’s LGBT community and all of our key organizations tell a more consistent, strong, and positive story of all of our respective successes. Despite big challenges ahead, we have great things to be proud of and we should be telling the world to help deal with new threats to our community. If we don’t celebrate these successes now, when will we? 

José E. Vélez-Silva is the vice president of multicultural brand marketing for Comcast Cable responsible for leading the company’s efforts to drive brand consideration and increase market share across Black Americans, Latino, Asian American, LGBTQ+, and other key audiences for the company since 2012. An award-winning integrated marketing and advertising industry leader, he directs, oversees, and manages all aspects of brand advertising campaigns, including strategy, concept development, and production and execution of creative for all media touchpoints geared towards the multicultural groups in the US. 

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
What makes me proud of our LGBTQ+ community here in Philly is the fellowship and the advocacy that our community has towards the marginalized communities and sectors. I see many passionate LGBTQ+ youth trying to make a difference and use their voices to drive meaningful social change and advance our community. Also, here at Comcast we have an outstanding Employee Resource Group — OUT@Comcast — that encourages all employees — including LGBTQ+ employees and allies — to bring their authentic selves to work every day, while doing amazing things within the organization and in the community. 

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
There are many LGBTQ+ rights pioneers and organizations that inspire me every day, from Harvey Milk in San Francisco to Mark Segal here in Philly to the work that The Trevor Project does to assist our LGBTQ+ youth. But here in Philly, the work that Dr. Luis Montaner is doing at the Wistar Institute to find a cure for HIV is something we all should feel proud of. Dr. Montaner, his team, and Philladelphia FIGHT are doing an amazing job to find the cure to eradicate this disease in our lifetime. Luis is a brilliant scholar, researcher, leader and my best friend since we were kids in Puerto Rico. 

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
While we have made progress, there is still more work to do to educate people, build new allied groups and to advance human rights overall. During Comcast’s annual Pride Summit this June, LGBTQ+ employees and allies came together for an afternoon of conversations exploring authenticity, allyship, and identity. I think this summit is a great example — and model — of one way that we can come together to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Lynda Waltman (she/her) is a transwoman who underwrites professional liability policies for Starr Insurance Companies. She has been in the insurance industry since 2002, and transitioned on the job in 2018 with the full support of her company. Lynda enjoys networking with the LGBTQ+ community at Independence Business Alliance events and provides support to TransWork, an IBA program that connects transgender and non-binary job seekers with supportive employers.

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
Philadelphia has a long and colorful history of protests and demonstrations in support of the LGBTQ+ community. It all started back in 1965, when three rowdy teenagers staged a sit-in at Dewey’s Restaurant, which was refusing to serve LGBTQ+ patrons. Today the street signs and crosswalks of the Gayborhood proudly display our colors. It is important to stand up and be counted for your beliefs, and Philadelphia is home to a vibrant and visible LGBTQ+ community.

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride, Lynette Nusbacher, military historian; and Jennifer Finney Boylan, college professor, bestselling author, and former New York Times columnist.

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
Speaking as a transgender woman and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it’s important to know that your company has your back and will support you if you choose to come out of the closet. Trying to live your life in the shadows doesn’t work. Knowing that you have your company’s support allows you to focus on your job and interact with coworkers and clients as your true self.

Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart is a Black, queer preacher, educator, political strategist, writer, and activist. She is an award-winning adjunct professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University and Arcadia University. She is also the government fellow in the Religion and Public Life program at Harvard Divinity School and the strategic partnerships director at Political Research Associates, a strategy center that produces rigorous, long-form analysis about the most acute threats from the political right.

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
I’m proud to be a part of this community because it is one we are courageous enough to choose over and over again. Living into queerness is a daily decision of freedom. Though Philly is progressive on many fronts related to LGBTQ+ justice, LGBTQ+ people — particularly Black and non-Black people of color — must always be aware that our security is fragile. So we take care of each other. We choose freedom together.

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
Rev. Pauli Murray, Bishop Yvette Flunder, Bayard Rustin, Rev. Dr. Pamela R. Lightsey, bell hooks, James Baldwin, and Audre Lorde.

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
We could do more to keep queer and trans youth safe by providing them housing when they need it, without strings attached. We could do more to ensure that LGBTQ+ people are in leadership at every level of school district staffing.

Nicole Wiegand is a maker of pop-culture inspired jewelry and housewares, in addition to being co-owner of South Street Art Mart. After vending her wares for upwards of 15 years, as well as managing South Street staple Condom Kingdom for close to the same, Nicole combined her craft and retail skills to start the Art Mart. As a new member of the Board of Directors for the South Street Headhouse District, she hopes to do her part to help keep South Street weird, queer, and DIY. 

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
We are pop-culture-loving children of the 80s and 90s, and representation in the media left a lot to be desired back then. More so than individual icons, we’re both incredibly inspired by the progress that’s been made (and continues to be made) in today’s popular music, movies, and television. It gives us hope that, at the very least, queer kids of today can see themselves out in the world.

Zach Wilcha is the first-ever chief executive officer of the Independence Business Alliance, the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. Under his leadership, the IBA has experienced growth in membership and staff, an increase in board and member diversity, and innovative, award-winning programming, including the Intersections initiative and the TransWork program — the nation’s first trans economic uplift program run out of a Chamber of Commerce. 

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
Philadelphia — especially queer Philadelphia — is innovative, unflinching, and unafraid to have difficult conversations. Particularly over the past couple years of shifting political landscapes, we’ve had to be nimble to adjust and fight for the things to which we’re entitled by constantly adding more seats and welcoming more voices and ideas to the proverbial table. Our community will tell it like it is, but will be the first to answer a call for help.

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
I’m inspired by the prescient teachings from greats like James Baldwin and Harvey Milk and the wit and wisdom from modern masters like David Sedaris, Alexander Chee, and R. Eric Thomas. Generally, I reside in awe of queer folks who are brave enough to be themselves and use their platforms to create conscious, active communities. I’m fortunate to work alongside so many local peers and advocates who make life better for everyone — not just queer communities.

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
I always encourage folks to get involved with work that empowers LGBTQ+ folks year round, not just when there are celebrations or crises: Tackle regressive views head-on. Interrogate whether hiring practices, dress codes, and other matters are culturally competent. Create trans-affirming workspaces and hire folks from that community. Economically uplift our community by engaging in intentionally inclusive supplier diversity. Understand that inclusive company culture begins at the top with visible, loud, confident support.

Julie Zaebst (she/her) is a proud social worker, advocate, and mom of a fabulous 10-year-old. She has been a member of the policy and advocacy team at the ACLU of Pennsylvania for nine years. Her work there encompasses not only LGBTQ+ rights and justice, but also abortion access and advocacy for women and trans people who have been incarcerated. Julie earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bryn Mawr College.

What makes you proud to be a part of the Philly LGBTQ+ community?
I am proud to see so many queer and trans Philadelphians who are unapologetically themselves in every aspect of their lives. That is a long and difficult journey for many of us, but it’s beautiful to witness.

Which LGBTQ+ icons or activists have inspired you?
It’s not an easy time right now, with relentless political attacks on trans youth in particular. I’m incredibly inspired by young LGBTQ+ people across Pennsylvania, like our clients in the Central Bucks School District, who are working hard to keep the gains our community has made and demanding more for those who come after them. They are courageously and creatively keeping up the fight and taking care of each other through it all.

What more can Philadelphia do for the LGBTQ+ community?
Pride began as a revolt against police brutality. More than 50 years later, LGBTQ+ folks, and especially trans folks of color, are still disproportionately impacted by our unjust criminal legal system. Getting locked up can derail our lives, and having a criminal record can permanently limit our opportunities. The city must reinvest its resources into what our communities really needs: compassionate health care, culturally competent mental health services, and affordable housing.