We are pleased to announce the addition of two effective and experienced leaders to our senior leadership team! Alexis Sanchez will serve as the Vice President of Programs, leading the team’s Programs division, which consists of the Advocacy and Civic Engagement, Leadership and Capacity Strengthening, and Public Health Policy teams. Vincent Paolo Villano will serve as the Vice President of External Relations, leading the team’s External Relations division, which comprises the Communications and Development teams. 

A seasoned thought leader and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Alexis most recently served as the Deputy Chief Program Officer & Director of Advocacy and Training at the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. She led the Center’s extensive programs and training institutes and oversaw legislative advocacy at the federal, state, county, and city levels. Managing a large team based in Sacramento, her work helped drive millions to programs that addressed the needs of LGBTQ+ communities. As a skilled diversity, equity, and inclusion trainer, Alexis has a unique ability to engage diverse audiences and foster an environment of inclusivity and understanding. Alexis also helped write SB 107, which made California a state of refuge for transgender people.

Prior to this role, Alexis worked for the Institute for Public Strategies, overseeing research and policy-focused projects regarding Substance Use Disorders in the LGBTQ+ Community. She was an expert in her field, highlighting the way systems of oppression contribute to shorter life spans for people with multiple marginalized identities. Alexis was named Woman of the Year for CA-30 by her Congressman in 2020 for her work in harm reduction and advocacy for transgender rights.

A nationally recognized public affairs and policy leader with deep experience in LGBTQ+ advocacy, Vincent most recently served as the first-ever Chief Communications Officer for The Legal Aid Society in New York. Here, Vincent brought vision and strategy to reinvigorate the organization’s communications, marketing, and branding functions, leading a team of ten and administering a multi-million dollar budget to enhance the organization’s presence. 

Vincent returns to the LGBTQ+ movement after nearly a decade in New York City, where he helped to lead the City's response to the spike in anti-Asian hate during COVID, oversaw public relations in the administrative trial of the officer who killed Eric Garner, and led numerous public education campaigns on New Yorkers' rights in housing, employment, and during encounters with police and ICE officers. Vincent started his career organizing young people and LGBTQ+ communities, leading communications and public education efforts at the National Center for Transgender Equality and Freedom for All Americans.