Executive Board
President
Dana Heller, Ph.D. is Professor, Â鶹´«Ã½ Eminent Scholar, and Chair of the Department of English. She is the author/editor of nine books on subjects raging from American Studies, popular culture, literary, film, and television studies, and Queer Studies. She is a four-time Senior Fulbright Fellow, and a recipient of the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award. She has served as President of Â鶹´«Ã½ Gay Cultural Studies since its inception in 2010.
Vice President
Heidi Schlipphacke, Ph.D. is Associate Profesor of German and Director of the B.A. in International Studies at Â鶹´«Ã½. She has served as Vice President of Â鶹´«Ã½ Gay Cultural Studies and also teaches a course for the program, "A History of Queer Bodies."
Public Relations
Fred Bayersdorfer is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia and the Assistant Dean of the Arts, College of Arts and Letters at Â鶹´«Ã½. He holds a B.F.A & Masters in Humanities from Â鶹´«Ã½ and has written art criticism for the Virginian Pilot. Prior to coming to Â鶹´«Ã½ he was director of the Museum of Art, Science and Industry in Bridgeport, Connecticut and was director of the Portsmouth Museums.
Chair of Events
Charles Ford, Ph.D. is Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Norfolk State University. He also advises Norfolk State's LGBT organization, Leading the Education of Gay and Straight Individuals (LEGASI).
Chair of Finance
Lisa Turner is the owner of The Turner Group, Ltd. A political and campaign specialist with over 20 years experience electing candidates, advising philanthropists and restructuring progressive organizations. Her work embodies strategic and innovative leadership including design and implementation of original progressive infrastructure for long-term political change. In addition to appearing on FOX News Lisa is the recipient of the Young Women of Achievement Award and the Victory Fund Appreciation Award for her work on behalf of women and the LGBT community. She has studied American Sign Language(ASL) at TCC, is a UVA Sorensen Institute Political Fellow alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Science from Â鶹´«Ã½.
Chair of Membership
Don King graduated from Â鶹´«Ã½ in the Class of 2000, B.A. in English. Don is a realtor with Judy Boone Realty actively involved in the community as President of Hampton Roads Business OutReach (HRBOR), Virginia's only LGBT chamber of commerce.
Advisory Board
Tim Bostic, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of English Education at Â鶹´«Ã½
Shannon Bowman is the Development and Communications Manager for ACCESS AIDS Care/The LGBT Center of Hampton Roads. Shannon was one of the co-founders of Hampton Roads Business OutReach (HRBOR), and LGBT Chamber of Commerce in the Hampton Roads area, as well as the Secretary for the Equality Virginia Board of Directors. In addition to the insane schedule Shannon keeps due to work and volunteer commitments, she is also ruled by two rescued dogs (with their own issues), two kids (who think they are in charge) and one awesome hedgehog (they aren't nearly as cuddly as one would think).
Martha Daas, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Spanish. She has published a book on religious propaganda in the Middle Ages and is currently at work on a book on the social significance of food in Spanish Medieval Literature. She is on the board of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Women's Caucus and Gay Cultural Studies and has been involved for years in the promotion of LGBT equality in the community..
Danny Epperson is WHRO's Senior Television and Radio Producer. Danny produces programs, such as "HearSay with Cathy Lewis" on WHRV-FM and various documentaries on WHRO-TV, the NPR and PBS affiliate in the Hampton Roads region. A two-time Emmy award-winning producer, Danny is an Â鶹´«Ã½ alumnus, is happy to call Hampton Roads his home and to be a part of an organization aimed at public awareness of issues germane to the diverse and vibrant LGBTQ community.
Jennifer Fish, Ph.D. is Associate Professor and Chair of the Women's Studies Department at Â鶹´«Ã½.
Matthew French is a current MA student in the Lifespan and Digital Communications program at Â鶹´«Ã½. His focus centers around queer fan cultures and the creation of meaning to aide in the validation and development of identity online. He is currently working as a graduate assistant with the Career Management Center and is a 2012 alumnus of Old Dominion.
Michael Hamar, P.C. has practiced law in the Hampton Roads area with several area law firms since 1983 and formed Michael B. Hamar, P. C., in March, 2006. Michael has concentrated his practice in the areas of banking, real estate development and finance, commercial and corporate practice, real estate acquisition and loan documentation, estate planning and legal issues concerning LGBT individuals and couples. Michael was a founding director of Hampton Roads Business OutReach and currently serves on its Board of Directors. He is also a past co-chair for the Equality Virginia Legends Gala Committee.
Patrick Mullins is the Associate Artistic Director at Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, while also teaching theatre and directing occasional shows at Â鶹´«Ã½. He has served as Vice President of the Hampton Roads Pride board and is proud to now be a part of the Gay Cultural Studies auxiliary board here at Â鶹´«Ã½.
Connor Norton is a double major in Theatre Production and Women's Studies, as well as a minor in Business Administration at Â鶹´«Ã½; as well as has served for two years as president of Â鶹´«Ã½'s LGBTQ Student Alliance 'Â鶹´«Ã½ Out'. He currently works at the University Theatre as a technician, and also serves as programs coordinator for the annual 'Reel it Out' Queer Film Festival of Hampton Roads; other accolades include recipient of the Hampton Roads Pride Scholarship (2011) and the 'Spirit of Matthew Shepard' (2013) from the Matthew Shepard Foundation.
Vivian Page MBA, CPA, CGMA is an Instructor of Accounting at Â鶹´«Ã½ and is a journalist, editorialist, and author of the political blog "All Politics is Local." She received her MBA and BS from Old Dominion.
Alicia Phillips is Associate Director for Intercultural Initiatives in the Office of Intercultural Relations at Â鶹´«Ã½.
Cathleen Rhodes teaches Women's Studies and English at Â鶹´«Ã½.
Avi Santo, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Communication and Director of the Humanities Institute and Graduate Program at Â鶹´«Ã½.
Danielle Stern, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Christopher Newport University, where she teaches courses in media and cultural studies. Her essay, "Resisting Queer Bodies by Illuminating the Televisual Closet," was published in her co-edited anthology, "Lucky Strikes and a Three Martini Lunch: Thinking about Television's Mad Men," in September 2012 by Cambridge Scholars. She is a past chair of the GLBTQ Communication Studies Division of the National Communication Association.