Shane Morgan, Founder & Chair
Shane Morgan, Founder & Chair, has been an Ohio resident for 12 years. He can often can be found facilitating transgender support groups in Central Ohio and speaking at conferences around the nation. Shane is a member of Stonewall Columbus, Equality Ohio and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).
Shane’s presented at The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Creating Change Conference; Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio; Southern Comfort Conference; IDKE X; and other national and local conferences. Shane is a Board Trustee at Stonewall Columbus, serves as a Steering Committee member at the United Way of Central Ohio, a member of the Equality Ohio Public Policy Committee and as a Local Action Team leader.
Shane is currently a Fellow of the Center for Progressive Leadership. The Ohio Political Leaders Fellowship is a 9-month, part-time program that focuses on providing the long-term resources and skills necessary for emerging leaders to become powerful political advocates for their communities. Through training, coaching, project-based work and mentoring, the program gives up-and-coming leaders the skills and networks they need to advance progressive political change in their communities.
Shane presents on several topics: Transgender Homelessness & Shelters; Ally & Coalition Building; Trans & Queer Community organizing; Female-to-male transition; Domestic Violence & Safety; Coming Out at Work; Creating gender-safe & neutral spaces; Sex and sexuality and Butch & Femme Identities & Dynamics. Presentations can be developed specific to individual organization needs and focus.
You can email Shane at: shane (at) transohio.org
Milo Primeaux, Treasurer
Milo Primeaux is FTM (female-to-male transgender person), and serves as a board member and treasurer of TransOhio. In this role, he speaks to college classrooms and corporate diversity committees on a variety of transgender topics, and participates in the planning of the annual TransOhio Transgender and Ally Symposium. Milo is also a graduate of the United Way’s Pride Leadership Cycle 2, a program designed to prepare LGBT professionals to serve on non-profit boards and committees. Previously, Milo founded and directed the Mount Holyoke Brothers and Others (MoHoBOs), a transgender student organization on the country’s longest-running all-women’s college campus. During his time there, he helped initiate the first official dialogue about trans-students with the administration, faculty, staff and student body. As a recent alum of the Ohio State University, Milo is currently preparing to pursue a career in law and non-profit management.
You can email Milo at: milo (at) transohio.org
Melissa Alexander, Board Member
Melissa M. Alexander is a transgendered woman enjoying life in Columbus OH. Melissa has completed her transition undergoing her Gender Confirmation Surgery (GCS) in May of 2009.
Melissa works as a meeting and event planning where she has obtained the CMP (certified meeting professional) designation which is only held by about twenty percent of her industry. She is currently also teaching as an Adjunct faculty instructor for several community and technical colleges. Prior to her work in this field and her teaching, Melissa practiced employment and labor law for twenty years in West Virginia and she has been admitted to practice in West Virginia and Kentucky as well as several federal courts. Melissa obtained her B.A. degree at Northern Kentucky University in 1982 in Political Science (cum laude) and graduated 22nd of 140 in her law class at West Virginia University in 1985. She is in a committed relationship with her partner Paula K. Prichard and she has two adult children from her previous marriage.
Melissa is active with NCTE as well as Equality Ohio in addition to her work with TransOhio including involvement with TransOhio’s Speaker’s Bureau.
You can email Melissa at: melissa (at) transohio.org
Jacob Nash, Board Member
Jacob Nash recently received his Masters in Psychology, Diversity Management Specialization program from Cleveland State University in Cleveland Ohio.
He is currently an independent trainer and consultant specializing in transgender and diversity issues. He has been working to educate others about the struggles of transgender individuals throughout the nation. He has worked with Children’s Social Service agencies as well as foster parents who care for them, to help them understand transsexuality and how they can help transgender youth. He has trained social workers, medical professionals, politicians and many others on the importance of treating transgender individuals with respect and care. Most recently he was the Executive Director for Transfamily of Cleveland. Prior to being the ED of TransFamily, he worked for the Law Office of SmithBernabei & Co., L.P.A. as their legal assistant. He has traveled extensively throughout Ohio and neighboring States to speak with legislators about the importance of inclusive language in bills where Civil Rights are concerned. He has been working directly with Cleveland City Council to include gender identity into the cities non-discrimination policy as well as incorporating the domestic partner registry in Cleveland in 2009.
Jacob is a board member for the GLSEN-NEO Chapter as well as actively involved with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland and People of All Colors Together. He has worked with other LGBT organizations to help them become more transgender inclusive. He remains active with many other organizations including Equality Ohio, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, The National Center for Transgender Equality, PFLAG T-Net and the Human Rights Campaign to name a few.
You can email Jacob at: jacob (at) transohio.org
Sarah Wagner, Board Member
Sarah Wagner is co-facilitator of the TransOhio Partners’ Discussion Group. She is the wife of an Male-to-Female transgender person. Sarah served on TransOhio’s planning committee for the 2nd Annual TransOhio Transgender and Ally Symposium which was held in August 2009 at Capital Law School. Sarah is a lifelong resident of Ohio and currently resides in Chillicothe with her spouse, Jennifer, and their 4 children. She is currently pursuing a specialized degree of her own creation, Gender Research, with the help of the incredible faculty at Ohio University. Sarah has spoken to various groups about transgender issues, including her own experiences and observations as a partner.
You can email Sarah at: sarah (at) transohio.org
