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Improving the health of LGBTQ+ and HIV-impacted Pennsylvanians.
Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation was founded in 2017 to improve the health of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities. We offer a variety of services and resources to our communities, as well as expert training for organizations to improve their capacity to serve LGBTQ+ clients and staff.
Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation is named in memory of Hugh “Huey” Lane. Huey lived in a time where being out and openly talking about HIV were highly stigmatized. Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation strives to address both LGBTQ+ and HIV bias across the many intersections of our communities to create spaces and opportunities for individuals to be their authentic, courageous selves.
For general inquiries or to reach our team: info@hughlane.org
For board of director inquiries: board@hughlane.org
Leadership Team
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Sarah Rosso, Executive Director
they/she
Sarah is a leading edge LGBTQ+ public health advocate, recognized nationally as an expert in LGBTQ+ Child Welfare. Sarah specializes in supporting providers in improving practices to better serve LGBTQ+ individuals, and travels the nation facilitating trainings for the Human Rights Campaign’s “All Children All Families Training Program”, as well as offering capacity-building and coaching on a range of topics for child welfare professionals and caregivers. Sarah adapted AFFIRM National’s LGBTQ+ Youth intervention for parents and caregivers, and piloted the training in Allegheny County as “Caregiver AFFIRM.” Together with AFFIRM creators, Sarah co-wrote the training manual AFFIRM Caregiver Implementation, now used nationally. Sarah initiated Hugh Lane contracts with Allegheny and Washington Counties to train foster parents in LGBTQ+ competency, using Caregiver AFFIRM.
Sarah works with lawmakers to address pressing LGBTQ+ issues, serves on the state of Pennsylvania’s Commission on LGBTQ Affairs; the City of Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ Commission; the PA COVID Equity Committee; the Allegheny County COVID Equity Task Force; and the Allegheny County’s Healthy Families and High Quality Human Services Policy Committee. Sarah was a 2019 Pittsburgh Magazine 40 under 40 honoree and was named one of Pennsylvania’s top 100 leaders, in the PA Pride Power 100. Sarah holds a BA in Cultural Studies & Psychology, an MA in Leadership & Organizational Transformation, and a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Promotion.
![J. Coley Alston, Director of Programs, Hugh Lane Wellness](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i0.wp.com/hughlane.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Coley_J_190-0181-web-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&ssl=1)
J. Coley Alston, Program Director
they/xe
Coley is an expert in supporting LGBTQ+ youth and has led innovative youth initiatives in various roles over the past 6 years. They believe in using data to drive change in policy and culture. Coley oversee’s evidence-based programming for youth, caregivers, and those who serve them, including the AFFIRM Youth and AFFIRM Caregiver interventions; as well as Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Prevention trainings. Coley adapted the AFFIRM Youth intervention for digital implementation to support LGBTQ+ youth remotely during an isolated time.
Coley’s educational background includes a BS in Natural Sciences and a Masters in Public Health with a certificate in LGBT Individuals’ Wellness from the University of Pittsburgh. Coley was inspired to pursue an MPH degree due to the health disparities experienced by Black LGBTQ youth and families and has dedicated their work to improving outcomes and implementing systemic change.
![Jule Arney, Director of Training and Research, Hugh Lane Wellness](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i0.wp.com/hughlane.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Arney_Jule_208-0246-web-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&ssl=1)
Jule Arney, Director of Training & Research
xe/they
Jule has been serving LGBTQ+ community members in Western PA for 15 years. Xe graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BA in Psychology, with studies focused in prejudice, discrimination, and public policy. Jule’s passion is leveraging research and data to improve LGBTQ+ community health outcomes.
Jule has developed and facilitated LGBTQIA+ trainings and workshops for government agencies, corporations, social service agencies, parents and caregivers, nonprofits, educators, and schools. Jule served as Vice Chair of the City of Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Council from 2017-2019.
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Keisha L. McToy, Director of Strategic Operations
she/they
Keisha is an experienced operations professional with a decades-long history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. She has a strong drive for diversity, equity, and inclusion, making every effort to centralize the voices and lived experiences of the most marginalized communities within the LGBTQ+ population.
Now entering her second term serving on the PA Governor’s Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, Keisha plans to use her skills to increase daily awareness of our bias(es), show up as an intersectional ally for our communities, advocate for state policies that protect us instead of punish, and work toward legal paradigm shifts. Keisha is also a spouse, parent (of a human and three cats), servant leader, and an involved community member who fights for everyone to get to live authentic lives: out, proud, and in color.
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Larry Shaffer, Chief of Staff
he/him
Larry has been working to organize and curate LGBTQ+ workplaces for over a decade, with extensive experience in recruitment, onboarding, supervision, and systems improvement. He’s Hugh Lane’s go-to guy for problem-solving, event planning, and project coordination. Over the past ten years, Larry has facilitated fundraising events for non-profits across Southwestern Pennsylvania. He has a knack for identifying individual’s strengths, and assembling teams tailored to best serve LGBTQ+ and HIV-impacted communities.
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Ashley Durham, Communications Manager
she/her
Ashley is a graduate of Westminster College with a BA in Broadcast Communications and has worked in Pittsburgh as a media specialist and writer in recent years. She has an extensive background in video and audio production along with photography and film in the worlds of education startups and brand experience. Ashley brings her skills in content creation and project management to Hugh Lane’s marketing and social media efforts along with general community outreach. She also continues her love of journalism as the Lead Blogger for True T PGH, an organization that provides Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ community with content centered around celebrating and uplifting BIPOC voices.
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Guillermo Biro, Fiscal Manager
he/him
With a career that started in his native country of Venezuela, Guillermo holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering with more than 35 years of professional experience in finance, supply chain and business operation and development in different countries and across the US. In 2018 he left behind his role in the corporate field to serve the LGBTQ+ in the Coachella Valley by leading community programs to end isolation and loneliness and help connect individuals to services, including the operation of a local community food bank serving more than 250 families weekly facing food insecurity. An animal and nature lover, he enjoys experiencing art, culture and engaging in genuine and thoughtful connections in his personal time.
Youth & Family Team
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Madison Baxter, she/her
Program Coordinator
Jack Cummings, they/she
Youth Programming Specialist
Micah Watkins, they/them
Youth Programs navigator
Community Health Team
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Tracy C. Baton, LSW, she/her
lead clinician
Leon Bell, they/them
community health worker
Ramona Flores, they/she
community health worker
Nicky Ripley, Esq., they/them
legal aid attorney
Training Team
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Oliver Burnett, he/him
sogie trainer
Leidy Diana Guerrero, she/her
sogie engagement coordinator
Beck Reid, they/them
education specialist/sogie trainer
Val Robledo, he/him
sogie engagement specialist
Jordan Sánchez, she/they
program administrator
Administrative Team
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