Leadership

Renay Grace Rodriguez

Renay Grace Rodriguez

President

R. "Renay" Grace Rodriguez, Esq. (she/her) boasts an impressive history of dedication and service to the community. An intermittent Stonewall volunteer for many years, she cemented her commitment in 2019 by becoming a lifetime member. Renay has held numerous positions within the organization and community, including roles on the Endorsement and Pride Committees, serving as Stonewall's representative to the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, and the esteemed title of Political Vice President.

While her list of achievements is long, Renay's journey to success has been fraught with challenges. From grappling with homelessness to battling addiction and PTSD due to childhood trauma, her past is a testament to her resilience and determination. Yet, despite these hardships, today, Renay stands firm in her belief in progressive values. She ardently advocates that no one in our nation should ever suffer from hunger, homelessness, lack of education or business opportunities, or be denied healthcare, equity, and inclusion. She stresses that these are not free handouts but a conscious choice we can make as a society to pool resources and ensure that no one goes without.

Renay's personal journey has been transformative. Celebrating 29 years of sobriety and 18 years free from crippling depression, she's a beacon of hope and inspiration. Alongside her wife, Eileen, the couple raises three feisty kitties and cherishes moments like their Sunday Harley rides and mutual adoration for the 49ers.

In the political realm, Renay's activism is unwavering. She is the Co-Chair for the CADEM Small Business and Professions Caucus, an active member of several other caucuses, an ADEM Delegate for the 40th Assembly District, and holds positions in various Democratic clubs.

Apart from politics, Attorney Rodriguez wears the hat of a successful businesswoman. She runs her Probate, Estate Planning, and Real Estate litigation practice in San Fernando Valley, displaying her expertise as a certified bankruptcy specialist and speaker at various seminars. Her contributions extend to other community involvements, such as her roles in the Chatsworth Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce and Chatsworth Neighborhood Council, showcasing her holistic approach to community service.

In essence, Renay's life is a blend of triumph over adversity, relentless service to her community, and an unwavering commitment to justice and progressive values.

 

Amy Foell

Amy Foell

Vice President, Operations

Amy Foell is a small business owner in the workforce development space with over a decade of experience improving education and economic outcomes across Southern California. She partners with K–14 public school districts, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen industry pathways, promote social mobility, and equip students for post-graduation success.

Originally from Maryland, Amy co-founded a violence prevention initiative at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore City Public Schools and worked in education. She holds a master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in social science from Towson University, a Certificate in Television Writing from UCLA Extension, and is a graduate of Civic University through the Pat Brown Institute at Cal State LA. She recently completed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Master Class on School Board Engagement.

 

Amy previously served as an elected official on the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles, where she co-chaired the Environmental Affairs Committee and served as a Budget Advocate for the City. She currently serves on multiple boards focused on workforce development and the social determinants of health. 

Chris Baldwin (She/Her)

Chris Baldwin (She/Her)

Vice President, Financial Development

Chris Baldwin (She/Her), is a Combat Sports Conditioning Coach and owner of Fight Goddess, LLC. She’s an author, a Navy vet, a patented inventor, and creator/producer of the Women’s Freedom Festival in Los Angeles. Chris is also the Founding President and current VP of The L-Project LA and serves as a guide for the Queering The Path organization in San Diego.

Bobby Rimas

Bobby Rimas

Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Mr. Bobby T. Rimas is an Associate Professor at California State University, Los Angeles and an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of La Verne. He is also a Paralegal for a Los Angeles law firm that specializes in various litigation matters. He is the author of several social justice articles and serves as a Commissioner for the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission where he was elected in 2024 by the Commission to serve as its Equity & Social Justice Liaison.  Additionally, Mr. Rimas is the Co-Chair of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Lambda Alumni Association where he has planned several events that raised scholarship funds.

Mr. Rimas served as President / Chair for two Los Angeles-based non-profit organizations and is very passionate about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion matters.  In 2020 and 2021, he served on the National Association of Legal Assistants' Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Committee where he wrote about DE&I matters and moderated a national discussion regarding DE&I.  In 2023, Mr. Rimas was appointed Chair of Stonewall Democratic Club's DE&I Committee where he previously served as Vice Chair for 2 years and assisted with drafting the club’s DE&I website statement. In these positions, he coordinated and co-presented webinars regarding various DE&I topics.  In May 2024 and again in July 2025, he was elected Vice President of DE&I for the Stonewall Democratic Club.

Mr. Rimas earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from UCLA, a Paralegal Certificate in Litigation/Corporations from UCLA Extension, a Master of Legal Studies degree, cum laude, with a Compliance & Legal Risk Management Concentration from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, and a Master of Arts degree in Education with a Diversity, Equity & Social Justice in Education Concentration from The University of Texas at El Paso.  He can be reached at [email protected].

Alex Banks -

Alex Banks -

Vice President, Communications

Alex Banx, a professional graphic artist with a sharp eye for design and a deep commitment to equity and visibility, has stepped up to serve as the Interim Vice President of Communications for the Stonewall Democratic Club.

Alex brings both creativity and strategic insight to this role. As a seasoned visual communicator, they understand how to craft compelling narratives that cut through the noise—amplifying our values, our candidates, and our calls to action. Their work has always centered the voices of those too often pushed to the margins, and their designs don’t just look good—they mean something.

With a background in branding, digital strategy, and grassroots messaging, Alex knows how to translate policy into people-powered campaigns. They are deeply rooted in queer culture, with a special sensitivity to how language and imagery can uplift or erase. In every tweet, flyer, and press release, they ensure that our values are not just stated, but felt.

Alex has already begun strengthening our digital presence, creating vibrant and inclusive visuals that reflect the diversity of our membership. As we head into one of the most consequential election cycles of our time, their leadership will be essential in telling our story with clarity, urgency, and pride.

Denise Quinn-Allen

Denise Quinn-Allen

Vice President, Community

Denise Quinn-Allen has stepped up to serve as the Interim Vice President of Community for the Stonewall Democratic Club, and she is more than ready to lead with vision, strength, and experience. Her extensive background in union organizing and political advocacy has uniquely prepared her for this role.

While on union leave from her position with the Employment Development Department, Denise served as a Member Political Organizer with SEIU 1000, California’s largest state employee union. In that role, she managed a team of 21 union employees on leave, overseeing timecards, scheduling, and performance tracking. Working directly in the Political Department, Denise engaged in high-stakes lobbying efforts with members of the California State Legislature—both in the Assembly and State Senate—as well as with presidential candidates. She conducted interviews with elected officials and candidates to evaluate their alignment with the interests of California’s public sector workers and assess their viability for public office.

Denise played a critical role in the Schools and Communities First Initiative, leading efforts for signature collection, and attended rallies across the state to research and assess ballot measures impacting state labor. Her expertise was recognized by SEIU 1000 offices in both Los Angeles and San Diego, where she was deployed as a union organizer. In that capacity, she was responsible for identifying, recruiting, training, and developing worksite leaders and stewards. She led internal and external organizing, built political and community alliances, and developed robust communication networks through newsletters, leaflets, and digital outreach.

Her strategic planning skills and deep commitment to social and economic justice are exactly what the Stonewall Democratic Club needs in this moment. Denise’s union experience grounds her in the values of collective power, fairness, and solidarity—principles that are essential to our mission of advancing equity and representation for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community. With her leadership, we are poised to expand our reach, strengthen our coalitions, and build a movement that truly leaves no one behind.

Nico Brancolini

Nico Brancolini

Vice President, Political

Nico L. Brancolini has been active in volunteer politics since his high school days in the Midwest. He has worked for numerous state and federal candidates, including serving as a campaign aide to Senator Barbara Boxer during her 2010 re-election campaign.

 

Outside of his involvement with the Stonewall Democratic Club, Brancolini is an experienced litigator, currently at Frost LLP, with extensive experience in state and federal courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. An alumnus of Claremont McKenna College and Loyola Law School, he was the Executive Symposium Editor for the Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review, where he co-organized a symposium on the 70th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials.

 

His legal expertise includes antitrust, class actions, business litigation, intellectual property, product liability, regulatory compliance, and unfair competition. Brancolini’s practice is marked by innovative litigation tactics and comprehensive strategic advice to clients.

 

In addition to the Stonewall Democratic Club, Brancolini is active in Lambda Legal. Outside the courtroom, he enjoys collecting art, reading (post)modern literature, watching horror movies, and open water swimming.

Vacant

Recording Secretary

Reuben Zadeh

Reuben Zadeh

Controller

Reuben Zadeh has been a member of Stonewall's Steering Committee since 2016. Reuben grew up in the San Fernando Valley and received his AA in Economics from Los Angeles Valley College in 1989 and his BS in Accounting from California State University Northridge in 1992. He has been a CPA in private practice for over 20 years and a lifelong Democrat. Reuben previously served as the treasurer of Democrats for Israel, Los Angeles from 1998 to 2005 and has been involved in Democratic Party activism over the past 2 decades.

Jasmyne Cannick

Jasmyne Cannick

Self-Identified Female At-Large Member

Jasmyne Cannick is a journalist, political strategist, and unwavering advocate for marginalized communities. With a Gen X perspective, she's been a fearless voice at the intersection of race, politics, and social issues for years.

From the newsroom to the streets, Jasmyne has tackled pressing national and local issues, including politics, foster care, public safety, criminal justice reform, women's rights, HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ racism, homophobia, voting rights, and homelessness. 

Jasmyne's government experience spans the California State Assembly, the House of Representatives, and Los Angeles City Hall. Over the years, she's advised mayors, city councils, and non-profits through her role as a political and public affairs consultant.

She's also made her mark as a producer and documentary filmmaker, with projects like "41st and Central: The Untold Story of the Los Angeles Black Panthers."

Beyond her professional life, Jasmyne openly shares her personal journey, including her foster care experience, struggles with food dependency, body positivity, and hysterectomy due to fibroids. She's passionate about plus-sized fashion and supports body-positive brands.

In 2020, she was elected to represent Assembly District 57 in the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and hosts the podcast series "Ring the Alarm with Jasmyne Cannick," focusing on the murders of queer individuals in Jamaica.

 

Lauren Buisson

Lauren Buisson

Self-Identified Female At-Large Member

Lauren Buisson (pronounced bwē-sŏn; pronouns she/they) is a third-generation unionist, and decades long community activist. In addition to her role as an At-Large member, she is galvanized to serve as the Chairs of Stonewall Cares and Legislative Action with the goal of combing all three roles to highlight the over-representation in, and the needs of, our Queer family among the financially vulnerable.

Lauren is a national leader of the campaign to honor the life of the always out Civil Rights organizer Bayard Rustin with a USPS stamp; her work was featured in the FX documentary series Pride. The Rustin stamp is the proposed first of an LGBTQ+ Forever series, a passion project that she steered to passage California Legislature and is endorsed by Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton and several other Democratic representatives.

Lauren is a founder of the NBJC’s Good Trouble Network steering committee, and a fellow of the Wellstone Candidate School and the Equality California Leadership Academy. She has previously served as an elected California Democratic Party Assembly Delegate and an Executive Board Member of the Echo Park Neighborhood Council. She co-founded the LGBTQ Alliance of Neighborhood Councils and worked closely with the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to ensure that Queer issues were addressed by the mandatory anti-bias training for all Council Board members.

These days Lauren’s advocacy focuses on Queer economic equality, always aƯordable housing, the need for a state-wide funded universal basic income program and ensuring that transitional aged foster youth are fully prepared for successful adult lives. A journalist by training, and a teacher by temperament, Lauren lectures on the intersection of Queer and Civil Rights history. She writes occasionally on Medium.

Edward Campbell

Other Than Self-Identified Female Member AT-LARGE MEMBER

John Pelletier

John Pelletier

Other Than Self-Identified Female Member At-Large Member

John Pelletier (He/Him), SoCal born and raised; is a self-taught photographer hobbyist and nature lover. He is a graduate of UEI College with many honor roll and perfect attendance awards, with the skill of being an electrician under his belt. John is a vocal advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms, and looks forward to being a force in political awareness within the Inland Empire.

Alex Mohajer (He/Him)

Alex Mohajer (He/Him)

President Emeritus

Alex Mohajer is an award-winning independent political writer and commentator, advocate, and organizer. In 2021, he became the first millennial and first Iranian American elected President of the Stonewall Democratic Club, the nation's oldest LGBTQ+ feminist political advocacy organization. He previously served as the Public and Media Relations Chairman, where his organizing efforts around the 2020 US presidential election earned a 2020 Truman Award. 

As a journalist, Mohajer has written for USA Today, Huff Post, and Medium, and in 2018, his criticisms of the Trump Administration won the 2018 Excellence in Journalism Award for Excellence in Feature Writing from the National Association of LGBTQ Journalists. He holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Chapman University School of Law.

Steering Committee

Operations

  • VACANT: Chair, Credentials, and Membership Renewal
  • VACANT: Sargent at Arms
  • Ernest Cornish he/him/his: Webmaster

Political

  • Sean Kolodji, Chair, Endorsements
  • Lauren Buisson, Chair, Legislative Action
  • Andrea Lipton: Chair, Leadership Development & Appointments
  • Tommy Contreras, Chair, Political Action

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

  • Bobby Rimas, Chair DEI
  • Andrea Lipton: Chair, Leadership Development & Appointments

Community

  • VACANT: Chair, Constituency Outreach
  • VACANT: Chair, Membership Recruitment, and Events
  • Colleen Quinn-Allen: Chair, Pride Festivals
  • Jasmyne Cannick: Chair, Program

Communications

  • Alex Banx: Chair, Email Marketing, and Newsletter Editor
  • Juan Markos: Chair, Public and Media Relations and Brand Management

Financial Development

  • Connor Treacy: Chair, Major Events
  • Sam Liu: Chair, Donor Cultivation, and Solicitation
  • Cordell Ruff-Williams: Chair, Donor Stewardship

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Bobby Rimas: Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Secretary

  • Bryce Jepsen:Chair, Historical Preservation

Appointed by the President

  • David Gould: Treasurer
  • VACANT: Civility & Decorum Officer
  • VACANT: Liaison, Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley
  • VACANT: Liaison, Los Angeles County Democratic Party

AD HOCS

Stonewall Cares

  • Lauren Buisson: Chair

2025 - Committee on Bylaws and Reforms

  • Renay Grace Rodriguez: Chair

50th Anniversary Celebration

  • Ernest Cornish & Connor Treacy: Co-Chairs

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