KENDRA ALIU - she / her

Board of Directors; Facilitator - Communications Team

Kendra is a trans activist born in Haiti. She is trilingual in English, French and Creole, with a passion for international law and human rights. She has worked closely with the current executive director of United Caribbean Trans Network and is dedicated to providing psychosocial support to those in need. She has worked on the vote yes campaign in the Bahamas, a campaign designed to grant gender equality rights under the Bahamian constitution. Kendra has worked with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). She is a published author and has written her autobiography entitled First Lady.

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Board member since December 2020

STEFF BISHOP - they / them

Board of Directors

Born and raised in Hamilton, Steff has a passion for community and enjoys helping to bring people together to reach common goals. As a queer-identified artisan/maker, Steff has been an active organizer of events to highlight marginalized artisans. They are one of the founding members of Pride Hamilton.

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Board member since November 2018

YARA EL SAFI - she / her

Board of Directors; Facilitator - Outreach and Inclusion Team

Yara is a queer, Muslim, Lebanese visual artist, performer and educator. Living in downtown Hamilton, she is currently running the workshop "Self-Portrait for Self-Care" through Sitelines to provide free programming for people who have the lived experience of mental health and addiction. Her visual and performance work are based on storytelling from imagined and created queer Muslim ancestors. Yara is part of the programming committee for Hamilton Artist Inc. and is committed to provide space and opportunity for the LGBTQ BIPOC individuals of Hamilton.

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Board member since December 2020

TANYA HENDRIKS - she / her

Board of Directors

Tanya lives and works in Hamilton and identifies as a queer femme. She joined Pride Hamilton’s Board of Directors in its inaugural year has helped coordinate and plan
Hamilton Pride events since 2018. She was previously a contributing member of Halton’s Organization for Pride Education (HOPE) and was actively involved in several Pride events in
Burlington. Tanya chairs the Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness
Committee and sits on several smaller local committees that share a wellness component. She also captains the Hamilton Titans Dragonboat Team. Her areas of interest are mental health and Indigenous rights and in her free time, she likes to hang out in art galleries or read, preferably by the lake.

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Board member since November 2018

KIEL HUGHES

Board of Directors; Facilitator - Events Team

As a Hamilton-area native up to this point in his life, Kiel has seen many changes and witnessed many ups and down, however, he feels there is still a lot of work to be done, a lot of things still need to be improved. His road to social activism started when he was cast on TV show; the impact he had on people pushed him to continue on this path. With a firm belief in equality, equity, anti-racist, anti-oppression, and human rights, Kiel has a desire to see and feel change. As a drag performer, Kiel uses drag as an outlet to help get his point of view across, to bring people together, to bring a smile to faces, and to encourage broadened thinking.

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Board member since December 2020

MATTHEW LAROSE - he / him

Board of Directors

A long-time advocate for social justice and equity, Matthew holds a diverse background in outreach, campaigns and community development. An avid cyclist and hiker, he has called Hamilton home for over a decade, with brief stints in Toronto. Matthew holds a Master of Arts from the McMaster-Guelph Public Policy and Administration program. He currently works for a national health charity in the areas of strategic planning, reporting and evaluation. Matthew is committed to making Pride Hamilton sustainable in the near and long-term future and ensuring that the board’s priorities reflect the ideas and values of Hamilton's diverse LGBTQIA+ communities. 

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Board member starting in 2021

CHELSEA MACDONALD - they / them

Board of Directors

Chelsea is a gender non-conforming community activist who utilizes their experience of neurodivergence to help break down barriers and stigmas. Chelsea has experience working on the front lines with vulnerable populations, as a political activist, and in community organizing. Chelsea first became involved in their community after a sexual assault in high school left them disillusioned. They experienced empowerment by becoming involved as a crisis line volunteer with the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area (SACHA). They continued to volunteer within the community and are a proud Hamiltonian.  

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Board member since December 2020

THOMAS SIMPSON - he / him

Board of Directors; Facilitator - Finance Team

Thomas is Director, Public Affairs and Advocacy at the CNIB Foundation. He brings several years of experience in government and stakeholder relations and has built impactful, grassroots campaigns. Thomas has worked for the Government of Canada, where his work focused on policy research and analysis. He is a member of the Lupus Canada Board of Directors, where he chairs its Advocacy Committee. Thomas graduated from the University of Ottawa with an Honours BSc in Political Science and History. He is currently working towards a Graduate Certificate in Public Relations through the University of Victoria. Proudly from Hamilton, Thomas is making his way back to his hometown, with his partner DG. Thomas enjoys going for a run and a good glass of wine.

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Board member starting in 2021

KAITLYN TOLCH - they / them

Board of Directors; Facilitator - Administration Team

Kaitlyn is a queer artist born and raised in Hamilton, and currently lives in Ward 14. Kaitlyn has previously received education at York University and is currently a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) where they are in the process of completing a BFA in Creative Writing and a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Kaitlyn is also a part of the Hamilton Youth Poets core team where they are working as a Teaching Artist and strive toward mastering their own craft, as well as elevating young voices. Kaitlyn has also been trained in active listening. They are also fond of poetry, colour coding, reading, hair dye, baking and thoroughly enjoy walks with their dog, Scraps. Kaitlyn is hoping to help shape a bright future for Hamilton.

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Board member since December 2020