Alana Jochum, Esq. (she/her/hers) is an attorney and Executive Director of Equality Ohio. She received her B.A. in English and B.S. in Psychology from Baldwin Wallace University and has been passionately engaged in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality at the local, state, national, and international level for more than a decade.
Alana spent time in Mumbai, India volunteering with the Humsafar Trust, a nongovernmental organization working to advance LGBTQ+ equality in India. After returning home, she worked at United Way of Greater Cleveland and continued her LGBTQ+ volunteer work through the Human Rights Campaign.
Alana attended Cleveland Marshall College of Law where she served as Editor in Chief of the Cleveland State Law Review. She became an Associate at Squire Patton Boggs, LLP where she focused her legal practice on complex civil litigation, international law, product liability disputes and other commercial litigation. She also represented clients in habeas proceedings before the Sixth Circuit and at the District court level.
Alana left Squire in 2014 to work with Equality Ohio full time where she has the privilege of advocating for LGBTQ+ equality statewide. She also proudly serves as a Board member for the Equality Federation, a national organization focused on capacity building and support for statewide LGBTQ+ organizations across the country.

Siobhan Boyd-Nelson, Esq. (she/her/hers) serves as Deputy Director for Equality Ohio. She received her B.A. in Legal Communication from Howard University in 2002. She returned home to Columbus and earned her J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2005. Her involvement in Columbus’ LGBTQ community began shortly thereafter and has included leadership positions on the boards of LinkOUT, Scarlet & Gay (the OSU GLBT Alumni Society), and the Legacy Fund of the Columbus Foundation.

Siobhan practiced law in the domestic, probate, and appellate fields before entering the nonprofit sector in 2012. At Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Siobhan served as the development and marketing manager before moving to Stonewall Columbus where she led the community center’s capital campaign. Siobhan joined Equality Ohio as the Director of Development in 2018.

Siobhan has served on numerous community boards and is currently serving as a board member for Black, OUT & Proud. She is a member of the Columbus Business First 40 Under 40 Class of 2019 and a recipient of the Create Columbus Visionary Award. Siobhan has lent her voice to discussions about LGBTQ+ identity, race, and the intersection of identities in forums across the state including Cincinnati Black Pride, the United Way of Central Ohio, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the Ohio Diversity and Leadership Conference.

Maya Simek, Esq. (she/her/hers) serves as the Legal Director at Equality Ohio, where she she has spent the past year developing and launching a state-wide legal clinic for the lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer (LGBTQ+) community. Ms. Simek further serves as a Clinical Law Professor and Co-Director of Case Western Reserve’s Health & Human Trafficking Clinic.
Ms. Simek focuses her practice on legal issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community and human trafficking prevention and victim redress. Other areas of interest for Ms. Simek include community lawyering and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with social services, on the efficacy of legal practice. The focus on these areas of interest inspired Ms. Simek’s spearheading of a law clinic for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS engaging in case management services at the Nueva Luz Urban Resource Center in 2012.
Ms. Simek earned her J.D. in 2010 from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, her M.S.S.A in 2007 from Case Western Reserve’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, and her B.S. in 2000 from John Carroll University. Ms. Simek is admitted to the bar in Ohio and California. In addition, she is an Ohio Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervision designation(LISW-S).
 

Maria Bruno, Esq., is a lifelong Ohioan and has been a community advocate for more than a decade. She has worked on a variety of public policy and civic engagement initiatives related to civil rights, economic justice, criminal justice, housing access, and voting. Maria joined Equality Ohio, an education and advocacy organization dedicated to pursuing lived and legal equality for LGBTQ+ Ohioans, in August 2021. Maria directs Equality Ohio's legislative strategy and engagement for state, local, and federal public policy.

Sarah Hastings (she/he/hers) serves as the Director of Development at Equality Ohio. She received her BA in Political Science and English from Kent State University, her MA in English Literature from Cleveland State University, and all of her practical knowledge from working at a plethora of incredible nonprofits throughout her career.

MD Sitzes (p. they/she)is Communications Manager at Equality Ohio, leveraging their extensive expertise in writing, education, and organizing to advance organizational goals. With over 10 years of proven experience, MD excels in robust communications, relationship building, and enhancing organizational capacity across diverse entities.

Since joining Equality Ohio in 2021, MD has passionately facilitated understanding and knowledge-sharing on complex LGBTQ+ issues affecting Ohioans. Their commitment to advancing Equality Ohio's objectives is evident through their dedicated and multifaceted contributions to the organization's success. MD also has a keen interest in LGBTQ+ parental and family rights as well as food access.

(Note: "p." in the parentheses indicates pronouns.)

[email protected]

Jen Scott (she/her/hers) is a native Ohioan from Forest Park, Ohio. She attended Northwestern University earning a degree in Chemistry.  After returning to Ohio, she embarked on a successful career in information technology and established her own consulting firm. In 2015, she began another path in life, that of a community organizer and grassroots activist. She became very involved with the atheist and secular movement, driven by a passion for separation of religion and government. She believes strongly that an individual’s right to religious freedom should not infringe on the rights of others. In 2016, she co-organized a campaign which drew international attention to raise awareness of the anti-LGBTQ hiring practices of a tourist attraction in Williamstown, Kentucky. In 2018, she was recognized as Activist of the Year at the national convention for American Atheists, and now serves on their board of directors. In 2019, she co-founded the Community of Reason (COR): Atheists and Humanists of Ohio and Kentucky based in Cincinnati. COR envisions a secular society that values science, reason, integrity, compassion and true equality for everyone. She also serves on the board of Cincinnati Pride as co-chair of the Parade Committee and represents Equality Ohio on the board of Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati. 

Through her volunteer roles, Jen learned how to use personal passion to empower a community to make a real difference in the lives of others.  She brought this passion to Equality Ohio when she joined the team in 2019 to establish and expand our work in the southwest Ohio region.

Joseph Ze Soza (he/him/el) 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.

Madelyn Smith (she/her) joined Equality Ohio in 2023 as the Northeast Ohio Organizer. Originally from Parma Ohio, she studied Religion and Classics at Hope College where she developed passions for LGBTQ+ and interfaith advocacy. She has years of experience working with religious as well as non-religious organizations doing outreach to LGBTQ+ people of faith, and is passionate about building community in Northeast Ohio and connecting more people in all parts of the region to the services, resources, and connections they need.

Kieran Robertson (they/them) joined Equality Ohio in March 2022. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Kieran came to Columbus to study at The Ohio State University. Here they earned a Master's Degree in Public History in 2015. Prior to joining the Equality Ohio team, Kieran was a Curator at the Ohio History Connection, where they managed the LGBTQ+ archival collection. They are excited to continue in the legacy of the many LGBTQ+ advocates that they have encountered in the archives!

Em Pate (they/them) is the Southwest Ohio Attorney for the Equality Ohio Legal Clinic. While in law school, Em interned with the Legal Clinic in 2021 and continued to work as a post-graduate fellow for the clinic until they were hired as the Southwest Ohio Attorney in 2023. As a young attorney, their areas of practice continue to grow with the guidance of the other attorneys in the clinic. Particularly close to their heart, though, is the ability to help provide legal name changes for trans Ohioans. Being able to help individuals live their lives and be addressed by the name that reflects them best is a particularly rewarding part of Em’s work with the clinic.

Justin Joseph (he/him) joined Equality Ohio as Northeast Ohio Staff Attorney in 2023. 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 an attorney in the Equality Ohio Legal Clinic. They are a Dallas native 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 policy 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.

LeeAnn Massucci, Esq. (she/her) is Senior Legal Counsel with Equality Ohio's Legal Clinic. She has passionately represented LGBTQ+ families for nearly two decades. Prior to practicing law, LeeAnn was the Head Women’s Tennis Coach at The OhioState University. LeeAnn has been an Adjunct Professor at Capital University Law School, and is a past President of the Capital Law School Alumni Association Board. She currently serves on Capital Law School’s Board of Counselors. 

LeeAnn is dedicated to serving our legal community; she served two terms on the Columbus Bar Association Board of Governors, having served as the Chairperson of the Family Law Committee. She is a founding member of the United Way of Central Ohio Women’s Leadership Council and PRIDE Council as well as The Legacy Fund of the Columbus Foundation. 

Ms. Massucci received her Masters of Education degree from The Ohio State University, and her law degree from Capital University Law School. She received recognition as a National Pro Bono Advocate Honoree from LAMBDA Legal in 2008, and was named an Ohio Super Lawyer from 2014-2019 and was honored with the designation “Top 25 Women Lawyer in Columbus” by Ohio Super Lawyers.

Sol A. Kersey, MA, JD (they/them/theirs) is Equality Ohio Legal Clinic’s Legal Specialist. 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.

Becky Sullivan (she/her) is a legal intern from Cleveland, Ohio. She obtained her BA in English and Political Science from Cleveland State University in 2020. Currently, she remains at Cleveland State where she is pursuing her J.D. from CM Law. Becky is committed to using her law degree for the benefit of the community. She hopes to use her legal skills to increase access and transparency in the law. When she isn't studying, Becky spends her time with friends and family, cooking, and enjoying a good sunset. Becky is excited to spend her summer working alongside LGBTQ+ advocates and continue the values she learns at Equality Ohio throughout her legal career.

Leslie Johns, Esq. (she/her)  is the Intake Specialist in the Equality Ohio Legal Clinic. In addition to her role as Intake Specialist, Leslie is a criminal defense attorney and a Magistrate at Shaker Heights Municipal Court. Leslie was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio and now resides just down the road in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Leslie attended Bowling Green State University, where she earned her degree in Criminal Justice in 2011. Leslie returned to Cleveland after completing her undergraduate degree and attended Cleveland State University’s Cleveland Marshall College of Law where she graduated in 2014. When Leslie is not working and serving on boards and committees, she is soaking up precious time with her family and friends.

[email protected]

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 ten 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. 

Kim vlogs about LGBTQ issues as kimperfecttv. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her wife and pets and frequently visits her children and grandchildren in Indiana.

[email protected]

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.

Melissa McLaren (she/her) is the Administrative Director of Graduate Nursing Programs at the Leavitt School of Health, Western Governors University. She graduated from Ohio State with a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Minnesota. She has a Master's degree in Management and a Master's also in Leadership and Business Administration. Before moving to higher education, she worked as a nurse and nurse practitioner in neurosurgery and critical care. She is a founding board member of the Rainbow Alliance of Fairfield County and serves as Vice President. She also serves on the board of the Recovery Center in Lancaster, Ohio.

As the mother of a transgender teenager, Melissa has over 12 years of advocacy work educating professionals in healthcare, education, and policy-making related to supporting gender-diverse youth. She has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign, Welcoming Schools, PFLAG, ACLU, and healthcare organizations and has spoken to lawmakers and officials at the state and national levels. Melissa and her husband Mikael live in Lancaster, Ohio, with twins who are about to leave the nest for college, as well as several entitled cats and the two best dogs in the world.

Benjamin M. Williams serves as an Assistant Dean of Students at Miami University. In his position, he oversees outreach efforts, restorative justice, and conflict resolution on campus, campus climate & bias incident response, and supporting students facing challenges. He has worked in higher education for over a decade and is pursuing his doctorate in Education Policy Studies from Georgia State, looking at a sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ collegians.
Outside of his professional role, he serves in various volunteer roles in addition to Equality Ohio, including on NASPA Foundation Board of Directors, Miami University 1809 LGBTQ+ Alumni Board,  and the  Greater Cincinnati HRC Steering Committee.

Eileen Galvin is Director of Applications and User Services at the Columbus College of Art & Design where she also serves on the Bias Incident Response Team. Born and raised in Columbus, OH, Eileen began organizing around LGBTQ+ rights by co-founding the first GSA at Hilliard Davidson High School in 2006. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. and M.A. in Linguistics. She is a member of Columbus Trans Pride, a grassroots coalition whose mission is to uplift trans* voices and make trans* lives possible. The group organizes the annual Columbus Trans Pride March and the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Eileen is also a burlesque artist of over 10 years. Her work envisions a world where sexual liberation and empowerment is available to all bodies. She lives in Upper Arlington with her partner, Monte. She is an enthusiast of Tarot, antiques and origami.

Amanda Everitt serves as the Executive Director of Destination Downtown Lancaster and the President of the Downtown Lancaster Special Improvement District.  Passionate about community and a fixture in Lancaster nonprofit work, Amanda was one of the founders of AHA! A Hands on Adventure, A Children's Museum and currently serves on the boards of Lancaster Friends of the Parks, Lancaster Sherman Rotary, Keller Market House, and Equality Ohio. She was active in the development of Lancaster's PRIDE organization, The Fairfield County Rainbow Alliance, and is committed to the revitalization of downtown Lancaster where she lives, plays, and works. Amanda and her husband Bryan have 5 children, 2 rescue pups, and one grumpy cat.

Ben Garcia (he/him) is Executive Director of the American LGBTQ+ Museum, slated to open in New York City in early 2025. Ben has worked in various roles as an educator and administrator at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Skirball Cultural Center, Hearst Museum of Anthropology, Museum of Us, and the Ohio History Connection. Ben led initiatives to return Indigenous ancestral human remains and belongings in San Diego and Ohio. He serves as Vice President of the Association of Midwest Museums board.

Ben graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Boston with a B.A. in Art and from Bank Street College of Education with an M.S. Ed. In Museum Leadership. He has shared his life since 1999 with his husband, Scott Fabianek, a UX/UI Designer and comic book artist. Ben is the child of a journalist and a visual artist. He has six siblings, thirteen nieces and nephews, and one great-niece and nephew (as well as many beloved in-laws). He is a proud fantasy and science fiction nerd.

Bethany E. Sanders is an attorney in Columbus with a career focused primarily on public sector policy.
Currently, Bethany is the Director of Policy & Strategic Initiatives in the Franklin County Auditor’s office. There she pursues goals related to improved government service and equity in property tax policy. She previously served as caucus counsel to the Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus with particular focus on election law and redistricting, labor and employment, and health and human services. Prior to joining the public sector, she was in-house counsel with Ohio Council 8, AFSCME, AFL-CIO.
Bethany is the current Co-Chair and long-term member of the Democratic Party’s Ohio Promote the Vote steering committee. During the 2018 campaign she served as the voter protection director. She is particularly proud of how the voter protection hotline empowers individuals to exercise their right to vote.
After growing up in Toledo and Whitehouse, Ohio Bethany came to Columbus to attend the Ohio State University and then the Moritz College of Law. She now lives in the Glen Echo neighborhood with her dog Sly and a garden always in need of tending.

Lynn Carter is the Senior Policy Coordinator for the Office of Human Resources at The Ohio
State University. She graduated in 1981 from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Science
in Business Administration. In 1984, she received her Juris Doctor from The Ohio State
University College of Law, and in 2006, she received her Master of Arts from The Ohio State
University, with a specialization in Counseling Psychology.

Lynn is serving her second term with Equality Ohio, and has been an advocate for LGBTQ+
equality for over 25 years as part of the employee group that drafted the City of Columbus’ first
domestic partner ordinance, as a founding member of the Legacy Fund of the Columbus
Foundation, and chair of the grants committee, and as a board member with Stonewall
Columbus.

Lynn lives in Columbus and enjoys music-especially jazz, classical, and 70’s R&B and pop,
working out and spending time with (and spoiling) Tyler, her Golden Retriever and Monte, a
shorthaired tabby kitten who recently joined the household.

Dabney K. Conwell is the Vice President and Executive Director of Rose Centers for Aging Well
at the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging. She is responsible for the oversight of all nutrition and
socialization programs within seven senior centers and four home delivered meals programs.
To address food insecurity and social isolation amongst older adults living with chronic diseases
Ms. Conwell designed Cuyahoga County’s first medically tailored meals program.
Dabney received her master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2007. She holds
a professional license from the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family
Therapist Board. Dabney serves on multiple community boards. Most recently served as a
National Board of Governor for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
Dabney and her wife live in Richmond Heights.

Levent Talgar is a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase & Co, where he leads technology and operations initiatives to innovate and transform Chase’s ~5,000 retail branches.  Prior to joining Chase in 2003, he was at McKinsey & Company serving financial services and high-tech clients with growth, service, and technology strategies.

Outside of his day job, Levent serves as Chase’s sponsor in Ohio for both Pelotonia and Next Gen, its internal business resource group focused on leadership development for early career professionals.  He has previously served for multiple years on Chase’s Columbus Management Committee and Diversity/Equity/Inclusion Committee.

Levent holds B.S. and M.Eng. degrees in computer science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  His research at MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory focused on natural language processing and knowledge-based systems.

Levent resides in Dublin, OH with his wife and 3 children.  They love to travel, visiting family spread across the globe including Turkey, Ireland, Portugal, UK, UAE, Thailand, Cambodia.

Lynn has had a long and varied career primarily as a litigation attorney in private practice, in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and as Deputy General Counsel at The Ohio State University. She has also served the State of Ohio as Executive Director of the Ohio School Facilities Commission. In 2018, Lynn retired from her full-time career as Associate Vice President, The Ohio State University, Facilities Operations and Development where she oversaw new construction, building renovation and maintenance, environmental health and safety, utilities and groundskeeping for the 1700 acre OSU campus.

In retirement, Lynn works as a part time business development advisor for Engie North America, a global energy company focused on decarbonization. She serves as Chair of the Dublin, Ohio New Community Authority for the Bridge Park Development Project and is Vice Chair of the Westbay Cove HOA on Anna Maria, Island Florida. She has served on the Equality Ohio Legislative Committee since January 2021.

She is an Air Force Veteran with bachelors degrees from Southeast Missouri State University and University of Vermont and a JD from the University of Dayton.

Lynn and her partner of nearly 30 years and now wife, Sandy Anderson, live with their dog Scout in Dublin, Ohio.

Joseph has been a member of the Equality Ohio Education Fund Board since 2018. He previously served on the Equality Ohio Board from 2012-2018, including as Chair from 2016-2018. In addition to his service with EOEF, Joseph is a Trustee of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving Ohio's justice system. He engages in a number of other volunteer activities, including teaching middle and high school students about civil rights and the law.

A proud Buckeye, he graduated from The Ohio State University twice, receiving his BA in History in 2007 and JD from the Moritz College of Law in 2012. While at Moritz, he received the Robert M. Duncan Service Award and served as co-chair of OutLaws, a student group dedicated to advancing equal rights for the LGBTQ community through education, advocacy, and outreach.

Joseph works at the 10th District Court of Appeals for the State of Ohio. Originally from Lancaster, Ohio, he currently resides in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus. He loves to bake, read, and spend countless hours on conference calls for EOEF.

Chad Williams is the director of Tax Systems and Technology for Eaton Corporation where he manages a global team to ensure efficient management of statutorily required data.  Chad has over 15 years of tax technology experience and prior to Eaton held positions of increasing responsibility in tax consulting and private sectors.   In addition, Chad serves as the global lead for Eaton PRIDE, the Eaton LGBTQ employee resource group where he champions Eaton’s initiative to create a safe and inclusive environment allowing everyone to bring their most authentic self to the workplace.

Originally born in Mississippi and a graduate of Belhaven University, Chad lived in multiple locations across the US before landing in the Cleveland, Ohio area.  When not traveling, Chad and his husband Kerby reside in Chagrin Falls, Ohio with their dog Leaper.