Becca is the new Central Ohio Staff Attorney at Equality Ohio, bringing both professional experience and a passion for service to their work. Since 2019, they have practiced and volunteered in the legal field, guided by a strong commitment to justice, education and meaningful community engagement. Becca previously served as President and member of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Worthington Kilbourne High School and continue to remain actively involved as a community educator, using their voice and knowledge to support and empower others. Becca earned their Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Smith College in Massachusetts. Through their work, Becca is dedicated to advancing equity, fostering understanding and making a positive impact throughout Central Ohio.

Dwayne Steward joined Equality Ohio as Executive Director in September, 2024. Steward joins Equality Ohio having previously served as director of inclusive excellence, accessibility & belonging of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and he is the founder and CEO of Make It Better Consulting. Dwayne assumes executive leadership responsibility for Equality Ohio and Equality Ohio Education Fund, providing strategic, administrative, and financial stewardship of the 25-person team with responsibility for direct organizational development, fundraising/resource development, policy/advocacy, organizing, and external relations, and partnering with internal and external stakeholders to advance Equality Ohio’s mission.

Sheena Barnes (she/her, they/them) is Equality Ohio’s inaugural Director of People and Culture. In this brand-new role, Sheena leads the agency’s Human Resources department and spearheads the development and implementation of its equity and inclusion strategy. She brings a wealth of experience in public policy, organizational leadership, and equity-centered advocacy, making her a vital addition to the team. Sheena’s career reflects a deep commitment to justice and intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community. In 2019, they made history as the first Black and openly queer woman elected to the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education—a landmark achievement archived in the Library of Congress. Sheena successfully retained her seat through a write-in campaign in 2023, further demonstrating leadership and dedication to equitable education. As the former Executive Director of Equality Toledo and founder of Just ACTS LLC, Sheena has worked to address systemic oppression at local, state, and national levels. Her advocacy continues to center equity, access, and intersectionality.

Sérah Munroe is the Digital Branding Specialist for Equality Ohio.   Former Creative Director of Prizm Magazine & Strategy Development at Equitas Health plus a 25+ year career in Marketing, Sérah’s sight’s spawn sponsorships and partnership platforms across the creative / corporate and publishing / PR industries. Limited Brands, Hollywood film sets, New York Fashion Week and endless editorials trust her instincts for impactful visualization turned emotionally intelligent regional business development-strategy.    Sérah vigorously fights for equality as a frequent LGBTQ+ advocacy speaker, ambassador, advisor and meeting-maker. Her magic historically increases healthy relational equity between intersecting interest groups and collaborators, for Sérah introduces people to themselves.      Sérah’s storytelling strengths spell sustainable systems wherever dignity within our shared human experience and creative connection are concerned.

Joseph Ze Soza (he/him/el) is the Local Advocacy Coordinator for Southern Ohio at Equality Ohio. He is an activist, creator, and community organizer with an intersectional vision for social change. He is incredibly passionate about the lived equity of other LGBTQ+ Latin(e) individuals. He brings this passion to his current Central Ohio Regional Organizer role with Equality Ohio. Joseph graduated from Malone University, studying history, global-international studies, and sociology. Additionally, he studied Mandarin and Chinese cultural history at the Dalian University of Foreign Languages, where he also taught the English language. Joseph has experience with the Ohio Legislative Service Commission Fellowship program. He worked for Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko and later for Senator Teresa Fedor, where he served as her legislative aide. He is an alumnus and current Board Member of the Columbus New Leaders Council. Additionally, he serves as a board member for the Ohio League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Avanzamos Unidos, a branch of the Young Latino Network. In his own time, Joseph enjoys writing, cooking, and participating in creative projects, including a feature in Carlos Motta’s multichannel sound installation, The Columbus Assembly, which a Wexner Center Artist Residency Award supported. He is also a student of Capoeira.

Leandrah Alexis (they/them) is the Local Advocacy Coordinator for Northern Ohio at Equality Ohio. In this groundbreaking role, they are dedicated to fostering deep regional collaboration and advancing Equality Ohio’s mission in the Northern Ohio. Leandrah is an active member of Mahoning Valley Queer Action and serves on the board of the Youngstown chapter of PFLAG. They bring a wealth of experience from their previous work at the Raymond John Wean Foundation as an Associate of Race Equity and Inclusion Data, where they developed skills in youth programming, volunteer coordination, equitable data collection, grant writing, and nonprofit leadership. Leandrah is also passionate about HIV/AIDS advocacy and education, having organized the 2023 World AIDS Day celebration at the Full Spectrum Community Outreach Center.

Jessi Sadaka (they/them) joined the Equality Ohio team in September 2023. They are excited to provide financial support for organized advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, equality, and belonging, by bringing to bear their expertise from the retail banking world and from prior non-profit accounting experience. Jessi received their BA from The College of Wooster.

Justin Joseph (he/him) is the new Associate Director of Family Law. Now based in Cleveland, he honed his legal skills by practicing family law in Illinois after obtaining his J.D. and passing the Illinois bar in 2014. Justin's commitment to social causes is evident through his volunteer work in criminal expungements and homeless outreach. He also assists migrant families in navigating the complexities of the immigration system. As he combines his legal acumen with his values, Justin remains poised to shape a brighter future for LGBTQ+ Ohioans.

 Kate Mozynski (they/them) is the Director of Legal Advocacy  of the Equality Ohio Legal Clinic. They are originally from Dallas, but have made Ohio a second home. Kate attended the College of Wooster, where they earned a degree in International Relations, and they are a graduate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Kate is an experienced litigation attorney and has frequently represented clients in discrimination cases, complex family law issues, and in numerous other case types. Kate is a passionate advocate for members of the LGBTQ+ community and is dedicated to working to extend access to justice to queer individuals across Ohio.  Kate was recently named as one of the National LBGTQ+ Bar Association's 40 Best Attorneys Under 40. They are a proud member of the LGBTQ+ Bar and National Center for Lesbian Rights' Family Law Institute. Kate is a frequent presenter to legal professionals both in Ohio and nationally. They focus primarily on teaching attorneys professional skills for culturally humble, ethical, and trauma-informed representation of LGBTQ+ clients. When they are not at work, Kate coaches high school debate and is devoted to helping make Ohio debate a supportive educational environment for LGBTQ+ students. They are also an avid organic gardener, environmentalist, and devoted cat parent. Kate is based in the Cleveland office.

Sol A. Kersey, MA, JD (they/them/theirs) is Equality Ohio Legal Clinic Intake Coordinator. Sol’s areas of focus include negotiation/mediation, family law, and the intersection of theory & praxis, with a particular emphasis on Critical Race Theory, Black Feminist Theory, and Modern Feminism/Social Justice. Before joining Equality Ohio Legal Clinic, Sol served as a Legal Fellow at the African American Policy Forum, working under Kimberlé Crenshaw. Sol has served as Visiting Faculty at Miami University, teaching Introduction to Women’s & Gender Studies and Introduction to Critical Race & Ethnic Studies. They live in Cincinnati, with their husband and two cats.

kim@equalityohio.org Kim Welter (she/her/hers) is CEO of KLW Consulting, LLC which supports LGBTQ and affiliated advocacy organizations with policy expertise. Her primary client is Equality Ohio where she holds the responsibilities of Director of Finance and Special Projects after previously serving as Deputy Director and Director of Programs and Outreach while on staff. She also briefly served as interim Executive Director; with over fifteen years of experience with the organization, she is Equality Ohio’s most seasoned consultant. She joined the organization as staff in 2008 after serving as the Executive Director of Equality Toledo for over 2 years. A graduate of University of Michigan, she got her secondary teaching certificate through the University of Findlay and her Master of Arts and Education from the University of Toledo where she taught composition for 3 years. Kim is a 2009/2010 graduate of the Center for Progressive Leadership. In 2010, Kim took a leave of absence from Equality Ohio to serve as Campaign Manager for the ONE Bowling Green Campaign in Bowling Green, Ohio which successfully defended two local non-discrimination ordinances from a ballot initiative to repeal.  In 2019, Kim completed her Capstone Project to earn a Certificate in LGBTQ Juvenile Justice as a fellow with the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform out of Georgetown University.  

mary@equalityohio.org Mary Zaller (she/her/hers) joined Equality Ohio in November of 2014. For the previous 3 years she was the Director of Development for the ninth quadrennial international Gay Games, which were held in Cleveland and Akron in August, 2014. She oversaw all fundraising for Gay Games 9, which were the first Gay Games in history to finish in the black and with a surplus. Mary has worked in the LGBTQ Community in Cleveland since 2003, and is a strong advocate for social justice and systemic change. Previously she worked in the broadcast special effects industry in Europe and Los Angeles. Mary is a Cleveland native and resides in Ohio City.