Presenting the Power List for LGBTQ+ Business Leaders

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The Rochester Business Journal’s Power List program continues this week with a new list: our Power List for LGBTQ+ Business Leaders.

The RBJ editorial department collaborated with members of the LGBTQ+ community to identify candidates to include on this list. Those candidates were then contacted and allowed to opt out if they did not feel comfortable being listed. 

With LGBTQ+ rights under attack in some parts of the country, it has never been more important to celebrate and cultivate an open and inclusive community that makes everyone feel welcome. The people on this list have worked to create safe spaces, build connections and provide services that allow people to be their true, authentic selves. 

As with our previous Power Lists, this one is presented in alphabetical order. And again, rather than tell you about all of these power players’ accomplishments and accolades, we decided to give them a chance to tell you more about themselves through their answers to a few different questions.  

I welcome any feedback you have at [email protected]. You can also make suggestions for people to appear on next year’s Power List for LGBTQ+ Business Leaders or any of our future Power Lists at rbj.net/power-list-recommendation-form/.

Ben Jacobs
Associate Publisher and Editor

Power List for LGBTQ+ Business Leaders 2023

Sady Alvarado-Fischer
Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Excellus BCBS

Bill Barnecut-Kearns
Owner
AB Williams Design, LLC

Jason Barnecut-Kearns
President and CEO
Trillium Health

Talethea Best
Chief People & Culture Officer
YMCA of Greater Rochester

Beth Bloom
Board President
Rainbow Seniors ROC, Inc.

Sam Brett
Chair
ROC Pride Collective

Harry B. Bronson
Assemblymember, District 138
New York State Assembly

Vicki Charles
Vice President, Human Resources
Trillium Health

Jess Cohen
LGBTQ+ Education Coordinator
Trillium Health

John Curtis
Senior Vice President – Global Leasing & Employee Resource Group board leader/ally
Xerox Corporation

Javannah Davis
President
WAVE Women Inc.

Mrs. Kasha Davis
Drag Queen
Drag Me to Brunch, Imagination Station

Maur DeLaney
LGBT Care Manager
Trillium Health

Stephen DeVay
Agile Coach, Office of the CDIO
Constellation Brands Inc.
Chairman
Monroe County Democratic Committee

Paris Faison-Lucas
Supervisor of The Mocha Center
Trillium Health

Dr. W. Bruce Gorman
Retired Teacher and School Administrator

Adrian Hale
Director, Economic & Community Development
Foundry
Director
Foundry Deploy
NYS Regent

Michael Hardy
Director of Partner Development
Zen Life Holding, Inc. /  JCA Specialist

Emily Jones
Retired Director New Materials Research
Eastman Kodak

Jonathan Meagher-Zayas
Owner & Chief Strategist
Equity Warrior Strategies, LLC

Peter Mohr
President
Bachelor Forum and The Avenue Pub

Andrew Moran
Community Education and Recruitment Manager
Rochester Victory Alliance
Board President
Rochester Rainbow Union

Robert Neale
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services

Patrick Pitoni
Senior Manager of Transgender health
Trillium Health

Terence Pleasant
Director of Community Prevention & Harm Reduction Services
Trillium Health

Jake Purcell
Donor Engagement Officer
Trillium Health

Todd Ranous
Senior Matcher, Homefinding
Monroe County Department of Human Services

Jennifer Sahrle
Executive Director
St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center

Victor Sanchez
Project Manager
University of Rochester

Josh Sankowski
Director of Corporate Partnerships
PathStone Corporation

Christoper Sardella
Staff Assistant, Human Resources
Monroe County

Joseph Searles
Vice President and Chief Community Engagement Officer
Trillium Health

Mark Siwiec
CEO
The Mark Siwiec Team at Keller Williams Realty

Chanel Snead
Board President
Rochester Black Pride

Susanna Speed
Sr. Director, Diversity, Equity & Belonging
Trillium Health

Penny Sterling
Creator
Penny: For Your Thoughts

Anne Tischer
Founder & Coordinator
Rainbow Seniors ROC

Dr. William Valenti
Co-founder and staff physician
Trillium Health

James Vesper
Director, Learning Solutions
ValSource, Inc.

Thomas Warfield
Professor
RIT / PeaceArt International, Inc.

Bess Watts
President
Pride at Work AFL-CIO – Rochester Finger Lakes Chapter

Elizabeth Williamson
Artistic Director & co-CEO
Geva Theatre