Staff
Sal D.
Research Intern
B
He/They
Group Facilitator
B is an experienced facilitator, educator and artist working to uplift and connect with other tgnc people and the organizations that seek to support them. He has worked in youth and adult education for the last 15+ years and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with an MFA. After graduation he also pursued certification in coaching.
He is currently the tween & teen group co-facilitator at GFP where he gets to combine his love for teaching, coaching and work with the tgnc community. Some other favorite experiences include peer group support for the Latinx transmasculine community, creating and publishing a children’s and YA book series entitled “How Mischief Changed the World” through the Scout Books Equity Alliance Initiative Award and continued work for equity in healthcare through a partnership with Violet.
The inspiration behind all of his work is to get to help other awesome gender-and-identity-creative people feel more seen and possible everyday.
They are most excited about continued creative work including a forthcoming collection of poetry and a special collaboration with other tgnc artists about identity, art and entrepreneurship.
His bucket list includes taking a hottub tour of America and later the world!
Giselle A. Bluez
She/Her
Group Facilitator
Giselle Bleuz is a facilitator, actress, filmmaker, and media educator. Born in Astoria, Queens, NY, Giselle has over 10 years of experience with facilitation and safe space group leading. Giselle began her filmmaking career in 2014 as a video producer with Global Action Project, a social justice media-arts leadership program. In September 2019, she won the GLAAD Rising Star grant, presented by Netflix at the GLAAD gala in San Francisco. Bleuz contributed as a writer on the film "Soft" and recently screened her film "Birds of the Air" at several film festivals.
Ariel Emmanuel
She/Her
Associate Director of Training
Ariel (M.A, M.Ed, LMHC.) is a therapist, holistic healing practitioner, trainer, and D.E.I consultant with over 10 years of experience in gender equity, diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQI+ issues. Ariel has spent much of her professional career working with LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, advocating for gender equity, and educating people about gender and sexuality. She earned a Master of Arts and a Master of Education in Psychological Counseling from the Teachers College at Columbia University. She also received a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University at Albany, New York.
Ariel believes that everyone deserves a place to feel acknowledged and validated and that in those healing spaces, real transformational work can happen. Ariel applies her gender studies background to support individuals with issues related to their gender identity or sexual orientation. In addition to her position in the Gender and Family Project, Ariel also works as a Psychotherapist for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults struggling with identity and belonging.
Ariel identifies as a Black, Queer, Woman, and her identity informs her style as an intersectional feminist. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her dog. In her free time, she loves animals, music, and talking about equity, justice, and spirituality.
Stella Jendrzejewski
Any Pronoun
Training Facilitator
Stella Jendrzejewski, Ed.M., M.A., is a mental health care provider, researcher, and advocate whose work is dedicated to counteracting stigma and promoting competent, affirming practice with marginalized individuals and communities. Stella received Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Fordham University as well as a dual Master’s degree in Psychological Counseling and an advanced certificate in Sexuality, Women, and Gender Issues in Psychology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition to zir position as a training associate with the Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project, ze also works as a group facilitator at the LGBT Center of Manhattan and as a research assistant at the University of South Florida.
James Ramseur III
He/Him
Group Facilitator
James Ramseur III, LMSW, is a Group Facilitator at the Gender and Family Project. He was first introduced to GFP as an intern with the Ackerman Institute’s Social Work and Diversity Program in 2022. Since graduating from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, he has worked as a therapist in private practice focused on gender, sexuality, and relationships. James’ work is informed by his perspective as a Black, Latino, queer, and neurodivergent person. His previous experience was in undergraduate admissions at Columbia University, where he also received his BA in Psychology and his MA in Higher Education from Teachers College.
Nat Roberts
He/Him, They/Them
Research Coordinator
Nat Roberts is the Research Coordinator for the Gender and Family Project. He received his master's in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College in 2022, and now focuses on combining their activism and research expertise to expand resources and psychological literature on trans and gender non-conforming individuals. They hope increase GFP's impact by collaborating with other research entities and mentoring other TGNC researchers.
Nat dreams of a world where trans and gender non-conforming folks can live safely and authentically. His hobbies include biking, skateboarding, programming, being a research nerd and breaking the gender binary.
Lavender Roland-Waring
They/Them
Group Facilitator
Lavender Roland-Waring, licensed creative arts therapist, is from Queens, New York. They completed their BA in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College. In May 2019, they graduated from School of Visual Arts with a MPS in Art Therapy. Ariel’s prior experience includes youth development in after-school programming, family therapy for domestic violence survivors and their children, and anti-oppressive art therapy for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing street homelessness.
They are interested in building systems of care outside of the medical model and providing culturally-relevant mental health services for trans youth of color. Their pastimes include embroidery, painting, and gender anarchy.
Sanniel Sanabia
He/Him
Program Coordinator
ssanabia@ackerman.org
Sanniel Sanabia (he/him) is the Program Coordinator for Ackerman Institute's Gender & Family Project. An immigrant from the Dominican Republic, he has worked in the non-profit sector with queer BIPOC and Latinx populations since moving to New York City. With over 7 years of experience in project management and advocacy, he is passionate about impactful community work that creates equity for all marginalized people, while reducing the effects of systemic oppression until that is achieved.
Sanniel currently resides in Harlem. His hobbies include photography, traveling, and indoor gardening. His idols are James Baldwin, Bell Hooks, and the lady whose voice narrates the Popeyes commercials.
Futaba S.
He/Him
Communications Manager
Futaba is a creative digital communications strategist with over seven years of experience in social media, website, and newsletter management. His human-focused, story-based approach to communications has shaped cultural narratives across numerous social-justice movements, most recently with Creatives Rebuild New York, an economic justice initiative supporting arts workers across New York State. He has worked with Gender & Family Project for almost a decade, cultivating an online presence dedicated to improving the familial, health, and societal realities of transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive communities.