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Meet Chris Verdugo And More Of San Francisco's LGBTQ Power Players

By The Editors By The Editors | May 23, 2022 | People Feature

From nonprofit leaders to real estate pros to cultural icons, San Francisco's LGBTQ community is represented by a cross section of the best and brightest. Here's our list of those who make a profound difference everyday.

PHOTO BY BRENDAN MAININI, PHOTOGRAPHED AT 181 FREMONTChris Verdugo

CHRIS VERDUGO

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS

sfgmc.org

JAMES WOOLLEY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FRAMELINE

frameline.org

ALLEGRA MADSEN

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING, FRAMELINE

frameline.org

MYLES THATCHER

DANCER, SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

@mylesthatcher

REGGIE AQUI

ANCHOR-REPORTER, ABC7

@reggieaqui

SUZANNE FORD

INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SF PRIDE

sfpride.org

OKAN SENGUN

CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LGBT ASYLUM PROJECT

lgbtasylumproject.org

HONEY MAHOGANY

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE ALUM, TRANSGENDER CHAIR SAN FRANCISCO DEMOCRATIC PARTY

sfdemocrats.org

JETHRO PATALINGHUG

FILMMAKER, VISUAL ARTIST, BOARD MEMBER LGBTQ+ ASIAN PACIFIC ALLIANCE

jethrop.com

CAROLYN WYSINGER

BOARD PRESIDENT, SF PRIDE

sfpride.org

DONNA SACHET

DRAG CELEBRITY

@donnasachet

PAUL HENDERSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SF DEPARTMENT OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

@pauldavid777

D’ARCY DROLLINGER

DRAG CELEBRITY, OWNER OASIS

sfoasis.com

CRITTY SMITTY

MULTIMEDIA ARTIST

crittysmitty.com

STEFANIE ROUMELIOTES

FOUNDER AND CEO, SGR CONSULTING

sgrconsultingsf.com

RAINIER KOENERS

MANAGING DIRECTOR AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP

atg.co.uk

PHOTO BY ASH DANIELSON
Peaches Christ

PEACHES CHRIST

DRAG CELEBRITY

peacheschrist.com

ARIA SA’ID

FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMPTON’S TRANSGENDER CULTURAL DISTRICT

transgenderdistrictsf.com

CLEVE JONES

SOCIAL ACTIVIST AND FOUNDER, NAMES PROJECT AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT

aidsmemorial.org

SCOTT WIENER

STATE SENATOR

senate.ca.gov

KEVIN KOPJAK

FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL, PRISMATIC COMMUNICATIONS

prismaticcommunications.com

DAN BERNAL

CHIEF OF STAFF, SAN FRANCISCO CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY PELOSI

pelosi.house.gov

JANETTA JOHNSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRANSGENDER GENDER-VARIANT & INTERSEX JUSTICE PROJECT

tgijp.org

REBECCA ROLFE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SF LGBT CENTER

sfcenter.org

LAURA LALA-CHÁVEZ

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LYRIC

lyric.org

TIM WOODS AND ADAMS HOLLAND

OWNERS, TIMOTHY ADAMS CHOCOLATES

timothyadamschocolates.com

FREDDIE SEIPOLDT

SINGER AND SONGWRITER, OUTLOUD RAISING VOICES MUSICAL FESTIVAL 2022

@eastbayvicious

NAZ KHORRAM

ACTIVIST, ARTIST OWNER, ARCANA

arcanasf.com

ALPHA ANDROMEDA

DRAG CELEBRITY, HOST SILICON VALLEY PRIDE’S QUARANTINE QUEENS TALK SHOW

@alpha.andromeda

ALYAH BAKER

COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND FOUNDER, SHOW & TELL CONCEPT SHOP

showandtelloakland.com

BREATHLESS/HONEY B

HIP-HOP ARTIST, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, CO-FOUNDER VENUS RISING COLLECTIVE

breathlessmusic.com

RAFAEL MANDELMAN

SF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

sfbos.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK RHOADES
Mark Rhoades

MARK RHOADES

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT

markrhoadespr.com

GREY “E” LEIFER

CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER, PLAY OUT APPAREL

playoutapparel.com

CÉSAR SALZA

CONTENT CREATOR, TECH EXPERT

cesarsalza.net

THOMAS E. HORN

PRESIDENT, SAN FRANCISCO WAR MEMORIAL AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

sfwarmemorial.org

RACHEL HERBERT AND DANA OPPENHEIM

OWNERS, DOLORES PARK CAFE, PRECITA PARK CAFE

@parkcafelife

JEREMY NOVY

ARTIST

@jeremynovy

JEWELLE GOMEZ

WRITER AND ACTIVIST

@vampyrevamp

KEN MCNEELY

PRESIDENT, AT&T WEST CORPORATE BOARD DIRECTOR, DE&I CHAMPION BOARD MEMBER, SFMOMA

att.com

CY CHIA

FOUNDER, LION DANCE CAFE

liondancecafe.com

CEDRE CSILLAGI

CO-OWNER, FOUNDER, DIVING SWALLOW TATTOO

@cedretattoos

KAREN ROBERTS AND DANETTE SHEPPARD-VAUGHN

CO-FOUNDERS, HAUTEBUTCH

hautebutch.com

JACOB STENSBERG

CONDUCTOR, COMPOSER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS

sfgmc.org

RACHEL LARK

SINGER, SONGWRITER, SEX-RELATIONSHIP EDUCATOR

rachellark.com

CLAIR FARLEY

SENIOR CONSULTANT, TRANSCLINIQUE

@clairjoyffarley

PHOTO BY BRENNA MERRITT
Marga Gomez

MARGA GOMEZ

PLAYWRIGHT AND COMEDIAN

margagomez.com

JOHN ALEXANDER

GARDEN DESIGNER, LANDSCAPER, OWNER, ALEXANDER NURSERIES

@alexander_nurseries

PATRICIA NARCISO

CHEF AND OWNER, ALFAJORES NARCISO

alfajoresnarciso.com

FRANK NOLAN

CO-OWNER, VANGUARD PROPERTIES

@thenolangroupsf

REGAN LONG

CO-FOUNDER, CEO, BREWMASTER, LOCAL BREWING CO.

localbrewingco.com

DINO BOCALA AND MARK LEAHY

CO-OWNERS, BELLA FIORA, SF PLANTS

bellafiora.com, sfplants.com

CHANEY TURNER

FOUNDER, BEYOND EQUITY

beyondequity.online

NJERI AKOSUA

ARTIST

@njeri.akosua

LEX SLOAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROXIE THEATER

roxie.com

AMBER SENTER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHAIR OF THE BOARD, SUPERNOVA WOMEN FOUNDER AND CEO OF MAKR HOUSE AND EQUITYWORKS! INCUBATOR

supernovawomen.com, equityworksincubator.com

SERGE GAY JR.

GRAMMY-NOMINATED VISUAL ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER, SERGESHOP

sergeshop.com

RAMEKON O’ARWISTERS

ARTIST

@ramekon

CRYSTAL VIELULA

ART EDUCATOR AND MURALIST, CLARION ALLEY MURAL PROJECT

crystalvielula.com

KEN FULK

DESIGNER

@kenfulk

TORY TEASLEY

FUNK AND SOUL VOCALIST, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, QUEER ARTS CENTER

toryteasley.com



Tags: san francisco power lgbtq

Photography by: BRENDAN MAININI, PHOTOGRAPHED AT 181 FREMONT; ASH DANIELSON; COURTESY OF MARK RHOADES; BY BRENNA MERRITT;