June is here, and we are delighted to be back with our annual Pride Series, that this year will be a little bit different.  It will be a bit different because although we are launching it in June, we intend to keep adding to the series all year long – because Pride is for life, not just every June. This year – to kick things off, we hear from the Founder of “Out in Finance” about the affinity group he is building, and the relief he felt on being able to be his authentic self as well as from a financial planner who specifically focuses on working with LBGTQ+ “folx” to enable them to live their lives authentically.

We hear from a Director on the Board of Grindr about the company’s vision for inclusion and her own insights from marketing as well as a software developer who speaks about why he focuses on inclusive design.

A Youtube influencer reveals how some of her online critics actually drove her engagement stats, a DEI expert and a “point guard” of cyber security round out the initial seven podcasts.

Besides professional inclusion we chat about office etiquette – and lack thereof and tackles some of the issues faced by the transgender community:

And we ask if for some, for whom intersectionality is a reality, things are getting worse not better and we are left with lessons for all of us:

The guests in the series are :

Laura LaTourette is financial planner who describes her practice as one designed to enable LGBTQ+ folx make a plan to simplify their lives to enable them to live authentically and leave a legacy of love. Based on her own 18 acre farm in Dahlonega Georgia,  Laura has been a financial planner for over 20 years and is also a National Resource Center Ambassador for LGBT Elder Issues.

Dru Holmquist is Principal and Head of Client Facing and Wealth Management Consulting Practices at Cutter Associates.  Now based in San Diego, Dru is also the founder of Out in Finance, an industry affiliate group for LGBTQ+ professionals in finance.

Maggie Lower describes herself as a Pop Culture Enthusiast and Music Lover as well as a CMO and Board Member. She is was formerly CMO for Hootsuite, a social media management platform where she fostered a collaborative marketing approach. She joined the Board of Directors of Grindr the largest LGBTQIA+ social networking App and has won multiple awards as an LGBTQIA+ advocate and been a keynote speaker. She also holds multiple roles as Senior Board Advisor.

Dr. Safi Mojidi, describes himself as a Point Guard of Cyber Security and Data Privacy.  He is the Founder and CEO of Hacking the Workforce, which co-creates employment opportunities for QTIPOC to upskill their lives and move from empowered to employed in cybersecurity. He is a Board Member and Director of Partnerships at TransTech Social Enterprises and has had a long career in cybersecurity.

Vikki Le is currently studying vocational nursing and is a Youtube content creator as well as marketing specialist.  She has focused on concept creation for transgender individuals including in the beauty, fashion and modeling industries and has spent time as a counselor to transgender youth.

Nathan Ortiz is an Associate DevOps Engineer at Red Door Interactive, based in the San Diego area. He previously was a software engineer at Trainsquare and prior to that was in the US Navy.

Erryca Robicheaux describes herself as shaping the future of Diversity and Inclusion through technology.  She is a certified DEI leader and strategist as well as a Neurodiversity ERG lead.

Ronnie Woo is the chef and owner of The Delicious Cook, an LA-based private chef company that specializes in four-star dining experiences. He is an accomplished chef, television personality, and cookbook author (Did You Eat Yet?, March 14, 2023) celebrated by his fans and peers alike for his infectious personality, background in dating & relationships, and creative Asian-American cuisine, which combines Asian dishes with All-American influences.

Ray Tierney is a cybersecurity specialist who was formerly a paramedic.  Prior to that she was a Security Forces Security Specialist.

This series was kindly supported by Laura J. LaTourette who describes herself as that Lesbian Financial Planner asking LGBTQ+ folx to make a plan to simplify their lives so they can live authentically and leave a legacy of love and a host of others in our Rainbow community.