Nikita Burks
Nikita Burks, a native of Savannah, GA first became involved with Campus Pride in the summer of 2008 attending Camp Pride summer leadership camp as a student participant. She later went on to serve as a Pride Leader and currently holds the titles of Camp faculty and Logisitcs Coordinator. Outside of Camp Nikita has always assisted with the LGBT-friendly college fairs as well as many other various conferences. She is a graduate of Columbia College in Columbia, SC where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography and her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education with Teacher Certification. After graduation Nikita continued to work with Campus Pride in addition to accepting a position in Residence Life at Columbia College and served as the Assistant Chair to the Diversity Committee. While at her alma mater, Nikita opened the campus’s first Diversity Resource Center, assisted with the revamp of the campus Open Door (Diversity training) program and served as the Advisor for the campus gay-straight alliance organization, “Spectrum.” She has served on the Campus Pride Board of Directors since Fall 2011.
Christian Wiggins
Chief Operating Officer, Pi Kappa Phi
Christian Wiggins serves as the chief operating officer of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, a college men’s fraternity headquartered in Charlotte, NC. In his role, he is responsible for the day-to-day management and execution of strategy for more than 9,000 students and 90,000 living alumni, including direction of chapter services, expansion, education, volunteers, communications and technology initiatives. Prior to his current role with Pi Kappa Phi, he was employed by Harrah’s Entertainment in hotel operations management and customer loyalty. Christian received his bachelors degree in business administration and political science from Elon University in 2003. He recently completed a five-year term on the Elon University Young Alumni Council, serving as president 2010-2011 and in September 2012 began service on the Elon Alumni Board.
Brian Sims
Representative, 182nd District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Brian Sims was recently elected as the Democratic nominee for the 182nd District of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Sims will be Pennsylvania’s first openly elected LGBT state legislator. He has distinguished himself as an attorney and civil rights advocate in Philadelphia and served as the Staff Counsel for Policy and Planning at the Philadelphia Bar Association and just recently stepped down as the President of the Board of Directors of Equality Pennsylvania and as the Chairman of Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP). Sims served as a member of the National Campaign Board of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund until August 2011. He made history in 2000 by coming out to his college football team. He remains the only former NCAA football captain to have ever come out and is one of the most notable collegiate athletes to do so in any sport. Brian holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor degree in International & Comparative Law from Michigan State University College of Law.
Alison Doerfler
Executive Director, Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation
As the world’s first foundation dedicated to raising awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, the StandUp Foundation raises funds to support those doing real-world work to stop it. Alison was named as Executive Director to lead the organization’s mission and vision by building a highly collaborative organization funded by social business models that help connect communities and create a world of understanding and kindness. Prior to joining the StandUp Foundation, Alison was Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Points of Light, a national nonprofit based in Atlanta that is the leading volunteer organization with more than 20 years of history and a bipartisan presidential legacy. After a short time in marketing and events management for a restaurant company in Chicago, Alison built her career in the nonprofit sector, working for organizations like Chicago Cares, the Museum of Science and Industry and the Notebaert Nature Museum. Alison earned a B.A. in English Literature from Northwestern University and an M.A. in Social Work and Social Policy from the University of Chicago.
Thomas A. Feldman
Vice President/Senior Art Director, Tyvola Design
Thomas Feldman is Vice President and Senior Art Director for Tyvola Design. He started the company in September 2001 based in Charlotte, NC. Clients range from retail, healthcare, telecommunications, construction, grocery and motor sports. Feldman is active in many local organizations as a volunteer including the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network and has been central in the founding and development of Campus Pride since 2001.
Patrick Washburn
Senior Systems Analyst, Delhaize America
Patrick Washburn is a senior systems analyst for the retail store systems team at Delhaize America. He provides support, system design and project management for retail systems in Delhaize America’s various banners including Food Lion, Bottom Dollar Food, Harveys, Reids, Hannaford and Sweetbay. He also serves as a co-chair of Delhaize America’s Friends LGBTA business resource group. A native of Shelby, North Carolina, Patrick currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. He earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Education from Gardner Webb University.
John Witherington
Fixed Income Sales & Trading, Wells Fargo Securities
John Witherington is a director in the fixed income sales and trading division of Wells Fargo Securities, where he has been employed since 2003. Based in Charlotte, NC, John trades residential mortgage-backed securities. Prior to trading, John worked a year in ABF origination, specializing in esoteric asset securitization. native of Memphis, TN, John is a 2003 graduate from Duke University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.S. degree in Economics.
John serves as one of three Diversity Champions for Wells Fargo Securities as a founding member of the Development and Engagement Council. In addition to LGBT initiatives at work, John’s leadership includes campus recruiting, employee engagement, and mentorship. A strong supporter of the arts, John serves on the executive committee of the Charlotte Arts and Science Council’s Young Donor Society. He formerly served as chairman and founding board member of the NODA School of Arts, a Charlotte-based non-profit that provides arts education to underserved youth. John has also served as the president of Charlotte Succession, a highly-selective organization committed to community outreach and leadership development for its 65 members.
Eric Yoak
Student, Morehead State University
Willard “Eric” Yoak of Grayson, Kentucky first became involved with Campus Pride in July 2012 as a camper at Camp Pride summer leadership camp. Since coming out in 2008, Eric has been heavily involved with LGBT activism. At Morehead State University, Eric is involved with the ALLYance of Morehead State, the on-campus LGBT equality organization, where he has held the Education and Support Chair position, hosted the campus drag show, and attended conferences as a representative of ALLYance and Morehead State University. He is currently working on a gender-neutral housing initiative for the campus dormitories and hopes to make his campus more LGBT-Friendly. Eric hopes to inspire others with his work for LGBT equality.
TJ Fisher
Student, Washington & Lee University
Timothy J. “TJ” Fisher is a sophomore at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a history and theatre double major and a museum studies minor. TJ received Washington & Lee’s Johnson Scholarship and has been named to the Dean’s List. He was first involved with Campus Pride as a 2012 Camp Pride summer leadership camp participant, and he currently serves as alumni liaison for the GLBT Equality Initiative and a peer counselor in the GLBQ Confidential program. TJ also serves as the Vice President of Member Development for the Virginia Epsilon chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He is active in the arts on campus as a singer, stage manager, and actor; presents a weekly radio show; and gives tours of campus. Off campus, TJ is a congregant at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and has worked with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture for three seasons operating and maintaining their antique carousel and band organ.
Ex-Officio — Jess McDonald
Media, Communications & Programs Manager, Campus Pride
Jess McDonald first became involved with Campus Pride in 2010 as a student attending Camp Pride summer leadership camp. In 2011 and 2012, Jess returned to Camp Pride as a Pride Leader to mentor other students through the transformative camp experience. Jess graduated from Elon University in 2012 as an Honors Fellow and Lumen Scholar with degrees in Sociology and History and a minor in Women’s/Gender Studies. While at Elon, Jess served as the president of the campus LGBT and ally organization, Spectrum, and assisted with the formation of the campus LGBT center. Along the way, Jess and Spectrum garnered awards for Student Organization of the Year and Student Organization Officer of the Year at Elon. Jess joined the Campus Pride staff in August 2012 after serving as the inaugural Camp Pride Summer Fellow during the summer of 2012.
Ex-Officio — Shane L. Windmeyer
Executive Director/Founder, Campus Pride
Shane L. Windmeyer, M.S., Ed., is a leading author on gay campus issues, national leader in gay and lesbian civil rights and a champion for LGBT issues on college campuses. He is cofounder and executive director of Campus Pride, the only national organization for student leaders and campus organizations working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students. Released Fall 2006 by Alyson Books, Windmeyer is the author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, the first-ever college guide profiling the “100 Best LGBT-Friendly Campuses.” He is also the editor of Brotherhood: Gay Life in College Fraternities and co-editor of the books Inspiration for LGBT Students & Allies, Out on Fraternity Row: Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternity and Secret Sisters: Stories of Being Lesbian & Bisexual in a College Sorority.
