Meet the Team!
The People Who Make the Difference!
Staff
Roz Gould Keith (she/hers)
Executive Director and Founder
My journey began in 2013 when my son came out as transgender. We navigated the journey together so he could get what he needed to transition socially, emotionally, psychologically and medically. It took nearly a year to find appropriate resources to support my child. At that point I knew that we needed to be a support for others out there like us. Families needed to know they were not alone and with the blessing of my family, Stand with Trans was born.
Helping others is a passion of mine. I long for a healthier, safer world. I am a plant-based “foodie”, a novice knitter, and a doting grandma. I love my family and would do anything for my children. I am OBSESSED with my dog. I believe in the power of community to uplift others.
I founded Stand with Trans in 2015 and am currently the Executive Director of the organization; our mission is to empower and support transgender youth and their loved ones.
Daily Andrews, MSW, LCSW (they/them)
Director of Clinical Services
My name is Daily (they/them) and I am a clinical mental health social worker. I am a recent Michigan transplant, moving from St. Louis, MO. Previously, I had been working at a pediatric gender center, helping gender diverse youth and their families navigate social and medical transition. Before that, I worked as a school-based mental health therapist, working in three high schools and one middle school. I also have experience working with youth and parents as an intensive out-patient (IOP) therapist. I am passionate about providing care and resources to the LGBTQ+ community through mental health and advocacy.
In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my spouse, Opal, and pets, Richie and Frankie. I also enjoy playing volleyball, video games and trying out new brunch spots.
Dion Bourque (he/him)
Volunteer Coordinator
Dion brings nearly 20 years of management experience to the role of Volunteer Coordinator. His background in scheduling, training, leadership and organization will help facilitate the goals of Stand with Trans volunteers outreach within the community.
As the father of a trans child Dion strives to show support, love and respect to all youth who are embarking on their journey and desires to make a difference in their lives.
Eridian Dempsey (they/them)
Social Work Intern and Therapy Assistance Coordinator
Eridian (they/them) co-facilitates the youth advisory board at Stand with Trans. They played a key role in developing the platform and love collaborating with youth to create a space where youth voice really does matter!
Eridian is so happy to be working with trans youth and their families to ensure that all trans young people are supported and celebrated.
Outside of Stand with Trans, Eridian is a student at Michigan State University studying for their Clinical Social Work Masters degree, which they hope to utilise working with children and young people. They also love crafting, making music, taking on DIY projects, climbing, and skiing. They live with their husband, dogs (Woody and Jessie), cockatiel (Arlo), and owl finches (Pringle & Finn)!
Logan T.J. Harding (he/him)
Senior Resource Manager
I am Logan T.J. Harding (he/they), and I’m the Senior Resource Manager. I’ve been on the Stand with Trans team since August 2022. I’m a very proud Jewish, Queer, Nonbinary Transmasculine, and Neurodivergent person. I’m also a proud dad of a sweet deaf rescue American Pit Bull Terrier (Carhartt), and an energetic and fluffy rescue kitten (Zion).
My previous experience includes participating in the Avodah Jewish Service Corps service year in Washington D.C. from 2019-2020, where I received extensive training on anti-poverty and anti-racism work through a Jewish social justice lens. Part of that service year also included working at a digital literacy nonprofit (Byte Back), where I led computer foundations and Microsoft Office classes for adults who had been left behind in the digital age. I’ve also spent several years working in a variety of settings including food service, retail, animal care, and cleaning.
When I have free time, it’s usually spent hanging out with my pets, hyperfocusing on the latest interest, gaming on the PlayStation, discovering new-to-me music, collecting vinyl records, and quietly enjoying my peace.
My personal mission statement is: “I will loyally protect and advocate for what I feel is right by simply and intentionally centering work that serves the community, by remaining resilient, flexible, and adaptable, and by embracing the duality and balance of toughness and gentleness”
Aidel Hawkins (she/they)
Program Manager
Aidel Hawkins is a Certified Community Health Worker, a NMAC NextGen Emerging Leaders Mentor, event curator, and the Co-Founder of Dolls Night Detroit, an advocacy organization that seeks to create radical visibility for Trans & Non-Binary people in nightlife spaces, centering our safety and expression. Based in Detroit, Michigan, Aidel’s study of Public Health at Wayne State University and passion for Artistry inspires them to bridge the gap between engaging event & program coordination and Health Communication.
After several years of working in HIV/STI prevention, in 2024 Aidel was nominated by NMAC to attend the Inaugural ‘White House Rising Leaders Summit: Shaping the Future of HIV Today’ and featured in an interview on HIV.gov, and in March of 2024 received they received the Paris Cameron Rising Star Award. Aidel’s mission is inspire a movement of fierce advocacy for Queer youth, encouraging everyone to live their lives authentically.
Jasmine Ionie Hobson, MA TLLP (she/they)
Psychologist
My name is Jasmine Ionie Hobson and I am a mental health therapist. I recently received my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Michigan School of Psychology in Farmington Hills. I also received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Classics (ancient Latin and Greek) from Butler Univeristy ‘22. I grew up in Livonia/Redford and graduated from Divine Child High School ‘18.
As a queer therapist, it is important for me to create a space for full self-expression and authenticity for the young queer community. I am passionate about advocating for and empowering my clients to discover who they are and how they want to live their lives.
My hobbies include watching or reading queer media, playing video games on my PC and Switch, and learning new art hobbies every few months.
S’Niyah Tate (she/her)
MYTV facilitator
Dubbs Weinblatt (they/them/theirs)
TEM Program Coordinator
Dubbs Weinblatt (they/them) is the Founder and CEO of Thank You For Coming Out, which inspires authenticity and belonging by uplifting, centering, and celebrating LGBTQIA+ stories and identities through DEIB trainings and workshops, their podcast, improv show, and other forms of art and storytelling. They are a recipient of the GCN Impact Awards, was named one of Logo’s NewNowNext 6 Inspiring LGBTQ Jewish Activists You Should Be Following, and was recently named one of Jewish Week’s 36 Under 36. Dubbs has worked with organizations and companies like SXM Media, KWT Global, The Foundation for Jewish Camp, The Ally Coalition, Shake Shack, HOMAGE, Level Forward, and more.
Board of Directors
Steven Davis (he/him)
Secretary
I am a proud gay man who works to make communities more inclusive for all LGBTQ+ members. I’ve witnessed the barriers that our society places in front of trans friends, family, and co-workers on a daily basis and I want to advocate for a safer, more inclusive world for them.
I am the Assistant Director, Conferences and Missions at Jewish Federations of North America.
I earned my B.A. from Connecticut College where I majored in fine arts, minored in art history, and completed a Museum Studies Certificate. I love traveling, photography, swimming, and hosting friends and family for elaborate dinner parties. I live in Ferndale, Michigan with my husband, Jacob, and cat, Xavier (aka “Little Cat”).
Anthony Edelman, M.D., MBA (He/Him)
Board Treasurer
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I was born and raised in southeastern Michigan. I earned my undergraduate and medical degrees at Wayne State University in Detroit. After completing my Anesthesiology residency training at The University of Michigan my wife and I moved to Baltimore for fellowship training at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to starting our family, we returned to Ann Arbor where we both work as physicians. After being in clinical practice for several years, I returned to The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business to earn my MBA. My wife and I have 2 wonderful children and 2 French Bulldogs. We love to travel, experience unique local cultures and try new foods.
When our family was looking for a community to support us when our daughter came out as transgender, we found Stand With Trans. The way our family was welcomed and supported touched us and we knew that we had to help foster and create that environment for others in our community.
Sheena Selene Fioritto (she/her)
Board Member
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I am a transgender woman still moving through my transition, which began on February 14, 2023 (yes, Valentine’s Day!). I had come out completely to the world as Sheena by February, 2024 (approximately😊).
I graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1997, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I received my Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School in 2000. I currently work as a Senior Attorney for Hirzel Law, PLC, at the firm’s Sterling Heights, Michigan office. I practice in the field of community association law, which involves guiding, counseling, and representing condominium associations and HOA’s in various legal matters.
I spent the first 46 years of my life in an ongoing state of inner confusion, inauthenticity, depression, anxiety, and self-denial regarding my true, but long-repressed, female gender identify.
Because of various pressures and paradigms imposed upon me since childhood, and some that I imposed upon myself so I could be accepted by others, it was not until mid-2022 that I even considered the possibility that I might be a transgender female person, despite the many “signs” I had seen, experienced, and felt over my lifetime.
I joined the Board of Directors to contribute my life experiences and professional skills to Stand with Trans to encourage, reassure, provide support and give hope to transgender youth and their families.
I hope to make the rest of my life a positive example for others by demonstrating that “coming out” as transgender, or as whatever else is your true, most “authentic self,” does not mean that you also “come out” of your status as a human being, or that everyone in the world will shun and disown you, or that you must forfeit your fundamental right to expect the world around you to treat you as a human being, one just as worthy as anyone else of people’s respect, unconditional love, and fair treatment.
Gisgie Dávila Gendreau (she/her)
Board Member
My husband, Tony, and I have two adult daughters and a teen-age son. Our oldest came out as trans at age 25.
We live on a lake north of Lansing, MI, where we spend as much time as we can outdoors, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. I’m an ultramarathoner and also make sure to bike, do yoga and hike for cross training.
I’m the communications and government relations director for MESSA, a health plan for public school and municipal employees who take care of children and communities around the state. I’ve also served as a foundation president, a statewide elected official’s spokeswoman and as a communications lead for several nonprofit organizations. I started my career as a journalist, so I love telling stories and ask a lot of questions.
Richard Keith (he/him)
Board Member
I am a proud Dad, husband and ally to my son, Hunter. It’s a privilege and honor to be a part of this journey, along with my wife, Roz.
It has been a learning experience, and like any worthwhile learning experience, it forces us to grow, both in knowledge and love, as well as in our willingness to look beyond our bias and pre-conceived notions. We are dedicated to guiding “Stand with Trans” to a place where transgender youth and adults can find the resources and support they need.
I am a Creative Director, dedicated dad and dog lover… I love exercise, writing poetry and watching movies. While living in NYC I served as a Self-Esteem and Substance Abuse Counselor and studied martial arts. I am presently a Certified Radix Practitioner.
Katy Pek (she/her)
Board Member
I’m a proud mom to my trans daughter and my son, and our kitty, Ruby. I value being a resource for parents experiencing transitions with their kids, as others have done for me many years ago when our daughter told us she was trans through parent support groups and events. I’m an experienced HR professional and have had the privilege of contributing to the success of organizations by supporting business strategies with their most valuable asset – their people. I thrive on creating inclusive environments that empower employees to reach their full potential. Beyond the world of HR, I enjoy traveling and exploring new destinations with my husband, family and friends. And, weather permitting, I love to play golf!
Jason Stafne (he/him)
Board Member
Jen Van Thiel (she/her/hers)
Interim Board President
Jen Van Thiel (she/her/hers) arrived in Michigan by way of California and New York. She has been an advocate of trans rights since 2015. She received a law degree from Cornell and worked and lived in New York before moving to Michigan. She is passionate about all human rights and specifically trans rights.
She shares her life with two wonderfully lively children and their two rambunctious cats. She loves to hike, read, run, dress up for Halloween, and go to the beach. She also loves coffee and cooking healthy plant-based meals. Each day she strives to make our part of the world a more loving, accepting and better place.
Chris Tull (he/him)
Board Member
My wife Rebecca and I are the proud parents of two teenagers, Sam, who identifies as nonbinary, and our daughter Lucy. We returned to our home state of Michigan a few years ago after many years in Chicago and Los Angeles.
I currently serve as the Director for Humble Design Detroit, a nonprofit that fully furnishes homes for families and veterans emerging from homelessness. I pivoted into this mission-driven role after a marketing career in partnerships, sports and entertainment marketing, sponsorship and events at Chicago agencies including Wunderman (Y&R) and Arc Worldwide (Leo Burnett). My earlier career in Los Angeles focused on marketing and sales in the independent film world.
I’m an alumnus of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts film program and studied nonprofit management at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
I’m grateful for the chance to positively impact lives and community with Stand with Trans.
Advisory Council
Ken Bernard (he/him)
Investment Advisor
Antonia Caretto, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Antonia Caretto, Ph.D. is a fully licensed Clinical Psychologist and a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Alliant International University California School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Caretto’s 1991 doctoral dissertation research was on “Familial Homosexuality Among Women and It’s Relationship to Childhood Gender Role Non-Conformity and Adult Sex Role.”
Dr. Caretto has a solo private practice in Farmington Hills, Michigan and gender identity development continues to the focus of much of her work. Dr. Caretto presented her research on transgender youth at the WPATH Symposium in Bangkok Thailand in 2014 and recently co-authored an article: “Initial Clinical Guidelines for Co-Occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder and Gender Dysphoria or Incongruence in Adolescents.”
In addition to treating gender diverse adults, teens, and children she provides training on transgender identities to a variety of consumer and professional groups including medical professionals at Henry Ford Health System and the University of Michigan, University of Toledo, and Oakland University Medical Schools.
Yma Johnson (she/her)
Writer/Consultant
Yma Johnson is the mother of a nonbinary college student and a passionate advocate for youth rights. She co-founded the Ann Arbor-chapter of Stand with Trans and is a member of the Human Rights Campaign’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council. She also co-chairs the Washtenaw County Health for All Steering Committee. Yma is a committed activist for a variety of progressive causes, including protections for people managing mental illness, housing justice, and sustainable food systems. She is a grant writer and nonprofit development consultant who began her career as a journalist in San Juan, Puerto Rico 25 years ago. She holds a master’s degree in creative writing from Eastern Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan.
Jay Kaplan (he/him)
Attorney
Jay Kaplan is currently a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan’s LGBT Project, which was founded in 2001. He advocates for the LGBT community on a number of issues, challenging current laws and moving for reforms.
Dan Shumer, M.D. (he/him)
Pediatric Endocrinologist
Dr. Shumer is a pediatric endocrinologist at Mott Children’s Hospital, and the founder and medical director of the Child and Adolescent Gender Clinic at Mott. His research has involved the mental health vulnerabilities of transgender youth. His medical degree is from Northwestern University, and he also has a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University. He has a son and lives in Ann Arbor, MI.
Amy L. Ver Wey, MA LLP RPT (she/her)
Mental Health Therapist
Amy received her Master’s degree from Western Michigan University in Counseling Psychology and has been licensed as a mental health therapist since 2015. She currently co-owns a private practice, River City Psychological Services, and works with people of all ages, primarily children and young adults. Amy has been a Registered Play Therapist since 2019 and practices a creative, cognitive and interpersonal approach to therapy, incorporating mindfulness, popular culture, art, music, role playing games and technological aspects to modify her treatment on an individualized basis.
Amy identifies as a queer therapist, practices a gender affirmative therapeutic approach and focuses on working with members of the LGBTQIA+ community. She has specifically worked with TGNC youth for her whole career. She has held full membership with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health since 2017 and is a WPATH Certified Transgender Health Provider and Mentor. Amy works to support the transgender community through mental health support, educational advocacy, affirmative letter writing, resource connections, working events, running support groups and being an activist.
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We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, marital status, veteran status, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical size or weight, status as parent or caregiver, pregnancy status, ancestry, or physical or mental disability that can be reasonably accommodated without undue hardship. Our equal employment opportunity philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, training, promotion, transfer, job benefits, pay, and dismissal. Stand with Trans aims to be guided by people most-impacted by the issues at the center of our work. We encourage BIPOC and people with disabilities to apply for open positions.
Mailing Address
23332 Farmington Rd #84
Farmington, MI 48336
Call
248.907.4853