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Charles Robbins, CFRE Phoenix Schneider, MSW Siana-Lea Gildard Jenifer Ortiz Jacqueline Wing Alan Gordon Michael Vacha Dave Reynolds Moi Garcia Richard Rocha Jacob Breslow Jacob Hunter Weldon
Executive Director
Charles has spent his career in nonprofit management and his experience includes founding organizations, fundraising and development, as well as leading and inspiring teams of volunteers. Charles joined The Trevor Project in February of 2007 following his role as director of development for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Under Charles` leadership, the Task Force tripled its annual budget during his five-year tenure (from $3.2 million to $9.5 million). Prior to the Task Force, Charles served in various senior fundraising roles within the development department at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). A Colorado native, Charles has served as executive director of AIDS, Medicine & Miracles in Boulder and as founder of Project Angel Heart, a Denver-based organization that delivers meals to people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening challenges. He holds a certificate in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver, and received his credential as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Charles serves as a member of the Suicide Prevention Plan Advisory Committee for the California Department of Mental Health. Charles and his partner, Damon, reside in Los Angeles, California.
310.271.8845 ext 223
Charles.Robbins@TheTrevorProject.org
Program Director
Phoenix Schneider has been working in the nonprofit sector for the past ten years and his experience includes program and volunteer management, administration, and clinical services. He has extensive experience providing individual and group counseling to youth around various issues including sexual orientation and gender, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, mental health and substance abuse. Phoenix joins the team at The Trevor Project with a background in Psychology and Social Work and obtained his Masters in Social Work at Hunter College in New York City. Most recently he worked with Youth Enrichment Services at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City as a Social Worker for their summer camp program. Prior to his work at the Center, Phoenix worked for Housing Works providing counseling, intake and outreach services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Phoenix identifies as transgender and recently moved from New York City to Los Angeles where he resides with his partner Monica and their three dogs and cat, Chai, Lollipop, Tofu, and Sol. Phoenix is excited to be working with The Trevor Project as the new Program Director as he continues to fulfill his lifelong commitment to making a difference in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth everywhere.
310.271.8845 ext 228
Phoenix.Schneider@TheTrevorProject.org
Development Director
Siana-Lea Gildard has been working in the nonprofit sector for the last six years. Most recently she worked at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force as the Director of Membership, Foundation and Corporate Giving. During her five years at the Task Force, she helped to grow the foundation budget from $1 million to $3.5 million. Prior to her work at the Task Force, Gildard worked for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation as its membership manager. Her other prior work includes public relations for water conservation and clean water projects and marketing social science journals in the areas of public administration, criminology and interpersonal violence for Sage Publications, Inc., an international academic publisher. Gildard earned a bachelor`s degree in English and a minor in Spanish at California Lutheran University and studied abroad in Granada, Spain and Oaxaca, Mexico. In her spare time, Gildard has co-written plays and performance art pieces that have been performed throughout Southern California, most recently The Adventures of Mr. Coconut, a bilingual children`s play performed at the Ford Amphitheatre. Gildard currently resides in Van Nuys, California with her husband Edgar Aguirre and their dog Angel.
310.271.8845 ext 224
Siana.Gildard@TheTrevorProject.org
Special Events Director
Jenifer Ortiz comes to The Trevor Project from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) where she worked as the Associate Director of Special Events & Sponsorship in Los Angeles. During Jenifer’s four year tenure at GLAAD, she worked as both associate producer and fundraiser of the GLAAD Media Awards securing over two million dollars in annual corporate sponsorship funding. She also managed a portfolio of smaller signature events including GLAADTidings and Absolut Hancock Park. Prior to GLAAD, Jenifer worked in the field of Telecommunications for MCI Worldcom. She has also volunteered her special events and fundraising skills to LGBT and children`s related AIDS & HIV organizations. Jenifer resides in Burbank with her partner of ten years, Monica Taher (both fluent in Spanish) and their nine year old daughter Sasha. Jenifer is thrilled to be part of a core and vital mission where she can make a difference.
310.271.8845 ext 225
Jenifer.Ortiz@TheTrevorProject.org
Communications Manager
Jacqueline Wing joins The Trevor Project with a diverse background in public relations and communications. Most recently, she worked at global PR firm, Edelman, in their Los Angeles office. She previously worked for Weber Shandwick Worldwide in New York City, as well as at CKPR and B.J. Communications – both in Phoenix, AZ. Having volunteered for several years as a hotline counselor at Phoenix-based non-profit, Teen Lifeline, Jacqueline is thrilled to join The Trevor Project and is excited to be working in the non-profit sector for teen suicide prevention. A native of Scottsdale, AZ, she is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Jacqueline recently moved to Los Angeles and looks forward to making a positive impact by working for such a unique and vital organization.
310.271.8845 ext 226
Jacqueline.Wing@TheTrevorProject.org
Database & Volunteer Manager
Alan Gordon is a Los Angeles native and graduate from the University of Utah, where he studied Russian and Political Science. He has several years of experience in grant writing, database and event administration, most recently having worked in the administrative and development department at the California Heart Center Foundation at UCLA. Alan is an active volunteer, having volunteered at the AIDS Foundation, where he translated informational media materials for a Russian-based foundation in Moscow. He also avidly participates in fundraising for Russian orphanages and HIV awareness in Russia and other Eastern European countries. His fondness of Russian culture stems from two years he spent living there as a Mormon missionary. Alan currently resides in West Hollywood and looks forward to promoting the mission of The Trevor Project.
310.271.8845 ext 230
Alan.Gordon@TheTrevorProject.org
West Coast Call Center Manager
Michael is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California with a background in film production and social work. Michael joined The Trevor Project as the Office Manager in January of 2008 and was promoted to Call Center Manager in April of 2008. He has had several years of experience working with the Los Angeles LGBT community, including Volunteer Coordinator for Outfest: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. He started his career in queer youth services as the Program Coordinator of USC`s LGBT Resource Center and went on to serve as the Resident Advisor to The Rainbow Floor (USC`s LGBTQ and Ally residential community). He has also devoted a great deal of his time to HIV/AIDS research as an assistant to the USC Virtual Sex Project, an HIV intervention and prevention research study. In his spare time he writes and directs short films and documentaries. Michael resides in Redondo Beach, CA and is thrilled to be a part of an organization with such a strong commitment to improving the lives of LGBT and questioning youth.
310.271.8845 ext 227
Michael.Vacha@TheTrevorProject.org
East Coast Call Center Manager
Dave Reynolds is a Pittsburgh native and an Occidental College (Los Angeles) graduate; Dave joins our staff while attending Columbia University to get his Masters in Public Health--in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences. During his undergraduate career, Dave served as the Special Projects Intern at GLAAD where he helped construct the "HIV and AIDS @ 25" Media Resource Guide which was released in June 2006 to recognize 25 years of the pandemic. He also spent four months living in South Africa researching HIV and AIDS prevention education in public schools in townships. A former summer camp counselor, and manager for anti-gang and academic enrichment programs in under-served East Los Angeles high schools, Dave is no stranger to working with young people and looks forward to managing our new New York Call Center.
212.509.0042
Dave.Reynolds@TheTrevorProject.org
Communications Associate
Moi Garcia has been with The Trevor Project since January 2006. Prior to assuming his roll as Communications Associate, he oversaw TTP`s Survival Kit distribution to schools and youth service providers around the country, in addition to assisting with various programmatic initiatives. Moi currently serves on the City of Los Angeles LGBT Advisory Board and lends his time to support various other queer and youth organizations. Previous to working at TTP he has worked he has served as Media Director for the California Association of Student Leaders and worked with the Southern California GSA Network Youth Council; in addition to having worked with QTeam Los Angeles and Bike Out; educating and fostering youth leadership. He is also an ecstatic uncle of two newly born twin nieces. Moi is an Orange County native and currently resides in West Hollywood, CA.
310.271.8845 ext 229
Moi.Garcia@TheTrevorProject.org
Office Manager/Receptionist
310.271.8845 ext 221
Richard.Rocha@TheTrevorProject.org
Fellow
UC Santa Cruz / Community and Feminist Studies
Point Foudation Scholar
For Jacob Breslow, being the only openly gay student as an eighth grader in his middle school in the Walnut Creek, CA was torture. Surrounded by hateful speech and ignorance, Jacob began to lose his self worth. Although his family was supportive, the anguish he internalized from the every day hate-speech at school caused him to attempt suicide twice. After leaving the hospital, Jacob became determined to work for positive change so that no one would have to go through what he went through. Jacob has since worked for numerous queer-rights organizations in the East Bay and in Santa Cruz, where he is currently double majoring in Community and Feminist Studies. Jacob is an avid public speaker and has led many anti-homophobia trainings in schools, correctional facilities and community groups. This past summer, Jacob embarked on a six-month field study in the UK to study queer subjectivity and create a curriculum focused on queer positive representation. Upon graduation, he plans to attend graduate school to get his PhD and become a professor of queer theory. Jacob is dedicated to making education safe for all youth and looks forward to being an active and supportive educator.
Jacob.Breslow@TheTrevorProject.org
Fellow
Columbia University, New York / Sociology
Point Foundation Scholar
Jacob Hunter Weldon was raised in a right-wing Christian town in the heart of Southeast Texas. His father, a former Marine, was extremely aggressive and has called him a “fag” ever since elementary school. To turn the attention away from his questionable sexuality, Jacob threw himself into academics and extracurricular activities. By the time he reached high school, Jacob was President of his class, Drum Major of the band, graduated Summa Cum Laude and was chosen the Most Likely to Succeed student in his class. After coming out a year later, Jacob experienced a world of backlash from family and friends that led him down a self-destructive road, concluding with a suicide attempt that nearly ended his life. Ironically, it was his Christian faith that turned his life around. As a proud gay Christian, Jacob takes a grassroots approach to activism, speaking at schools and to local groups, encouraging others to push the boundaries of divisive traditionalist ideologies. LGBT activism will forever be a top priority in Jacob’s life. He plans to become a Queer Studies professor, where he can foster an open exchange of ideas and values, thereby pushing students to develop their own boundaries and belief systems.
Jacob.Weldon@TheTrevorProject.org
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