This November, we were thrilled to welcome Alexander Lee to the Funders for LGBTQ Issues team as the inaugural Project Director of our newest initiative, Grantmakers United for Trans Communities or GUTC (pronounced “gutsy”). GUTC, an initiative born of the Trans Funding Working Group, aims to inspire a philanthropic culture that is inclusive and supportive of trans people through grantmaking and decision-making. The initiative will work to:

• Increase the scale and scope of philanthropic resources supporting the wellbeing of trans communities.
• Elevate the dialogue regarding trans funding, by providing information and research to the field of philanthropy, and connecting funders committed to trans issues.
• Support, increase, and diversify the trans people working in philanthropy.

Alex will play a key role in leading the work of GUTC, working closely with our funding partners and the GUTC leadership committee. We launched GUTC this winter and we look forward to sharing more with everyone about this initiative in early 2018.

Prior to joining Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Alex was a public interest career counselor for law students at UC Berkeley School of Law. Before that he served as the founding Executive Director of the Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) – a community-based legal services and policy organization that works to end the abuse of transgender people in prison. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and was a grantmaking panel member for the Saguaro Fund of the Funding Exchange. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Borealis Philanthropy.

“Alex’s long history of advocating on behalf of trans communities combined with his impressive leadership development work, make him uniquely situated to lead the work of GUTC forward,” said Kristina Wertz, Director of Engagement. “His background in law, his leadership in the trans movement, and his experience in philanthropy make him a great fit. I think I speak on behalf of the entire Trans Funding Working Group when I say, we are thrilled to have Alex on board!”

We hope you become involved with GUTC and meet Alex soon!