Meet the Team
Need to contact us?
For general inquiries: info@qplusct.org
GSA support: gsa@qplusct.org
Q+ specific programs: programs@qplusct.org
Youth Leadership Team
Ryan
(he/him)
Hello I’m Ryan (he/him) and I work for Q Plus as a Youth Leadership Team member. I look to provide a place of true support in places like school and not just performative support.
Youth Leadership Team
Oliver
(he/him)
Hi! My name is Oliver, and my pronouns are he/him. I'm part of the Youth Team here at Q+! When I'm not helping facilitate Support Group or Friday Activity Nights, you can find me at jazz band, reading queer literature, or hanging out with my friends.
Youth Leadership Team
Meilani
(she/her)
Hey! My name is Meilani and I use she/her pronouns. I am a part of the Q+ Youth Leadership Team. My favorite hobby is writing and being in my backyard, enjoying nature at its finest.
Executive Director
Mel Cordner
(they/them)
HI! I'm Mel (they/them), and I'm the Director (and Founder!) of Q Plus. I oversee all of our programs and do a lot of the behind-the-scenes work to keep things running smoothly while we build and expand! You can find me at our in-person events, GSA visits and meetups, online open mics, and Online Support & Discussion Group; I'll sometimes be at Thursday game nights too!
Administrative Manager
Kira Edic
(they/them)
Hi! My name is Kira (they/them) and I do a lot of the behind-the-scenes work at Q Plus! I’m also a librarian, which means I always have books to recommend! When I’m not working, you can find me hanging out with my 2 cats, taking care of my various house plants, or learning new hobbies! My favorite thing about working at Q Plus is getting to connect with awesome queer people and giving back to the community.
GSA Manager
Alberto Cifuentes
(he/him)
Alberto Cifuentes, Jr. (He/Him/His) is the new GSA Coordinator for Q Plus. He is a licensed social worker and is currently a doctoral student at the UConn School of Social Work. When he’s not busy teaching and working on his dissertation, he loves to watch movies/TV, go to new restaurants, read interesting articles, and hang out with friends.
Program Manager
Dee
(they/them)
Dee (they/them/theirs) is the Program Coordinator at Q Plus! When they aren't curating programming for Q Plus, they are a local performance poet and CT's poet laureate runner up. Outgoing and personable, they enjoy the outreach work they do and strive to meet new people and make new friends every day.
Program Manager
Yoda
(she/they)
Hi, I'm Yoda! I am a Q Plus Program Manager and a Social Worker by trade, with a passion for supporting and amplifying the voices of queer youth.
Outreach Manager / Board Member
Norm Lebron
(he/him)
Norm is a state certified CHW (Community Health Worker) who has spent the past several years working around CT engaging populations for HIV/STI testing, syringe exchange, Narcan education and distribution, and dispensing complete, holistic sexual health education! He is now happy to be helping the Q Plus team as the Outreach Manager!
Education Manager
Derek
(he/him)
Derek Hall is a dynamic anti-racist intergroup dialogue facilitator, public speaker, and activist committed to challenging beliefs and institutional culture rooted in systemic racism and other forms of oppression. Derek has worked in the diversity, equity, and inclusion field for over seventeen years, partnering with public and private school systems, for profit and non-profit organizations both locally and nationally. His passion for decolonized education, human connection, and implementation of racial equity strategies has inspired sustainable change at the internal, interpersonal and institutional levels within the organizations he’s worked with.
Content Coordinator
Val
(she/her)
Hi! I’m Val (she/her) and I’m a Content Coordinator here at Q+. I have been actively involved in community organizing since 2018 and have since worked with several nonprofits and queer organizations in Connecticut. My roles have included everything from assistant event producer to social media management, and I love how rewarding each role has been. I am also an artist by trade and by nature, and I take any opportunity I can get to integrate art into whatever I’m working on. I’m excited and honored to bring my artistic vision to Q+!
Lead Facilitator - Online Groups
Ke
(she/they)
Keana is a queer afro-latinx non-binary mental health worker and advocate. They have spent the last five years working in Residential Case Management and LGBTQ+ youth services. They are a plant-medicine advocate, disability justice advocate and spiritualist.
Lead Facilitator - West Hartford
Hayden
(they/them)
Hi, I’m Hayden! I love my role with QPlus where I get to hang out with queer youths doing fun activities and crafts as the West Hartford Group Facilitator. I never dreamed that I would find a job where I can get paid to have fun with a bunch of queer youth but here I am!
Lead Facilitator - Southington
Marie Johnson
(she/her)
Hi there, my name is Marie (she/her) and I’m thrilled to join the Q+ team as a Group Facilitator! I am coming to Q+ after a two-year neuroscience fellowship studying neurodevelopmental disorders. I love spending time outside, reading, crafting, and collecting funky mugs!
Lead Facilitator - Adult Groups / Board Member
Ace Ricker
(he/him)
Ace Ricker has been an educator and advocate for over fifteen years. He has worked with a wide variety of organizations, religious forums, and non-profits, and has delivered diversity and inclusion workshops and materials on topics like suicide prevention, LGBTQ+ awareness, toxic masculinity and sexism, religion and spirituality and more.
Lead Facilitator
Cole D.
(he/him)
Born and raised here in central CT around the turn of the century, I grew up queer without resourses, or even knowing queer was a thing a person could be. Since then, I've always wanted to make sure my lonely past was not repeated for current ct queer youth. Having queer youth groups run by queer adults is so important and I'm happy to be part of it!
Facilitator
Myles Place
(he/him)
My name is Myles, and I'm a Group Facilitator! Being elected the president of Pride Club during my last semester at CCSU pushed me in a really activism-y direction - which led to me joining Q Plus. When not facilitating, I can be found in the classroom - I'm also a substitute teacher!
Lead Facilitator
Cassie
(she/her)
Hi! My name is Cassie, I use she/her pronouns and I am a licensed master social worker and advocate! I love connecting within the LGBTQ+ community and couldn’t ask for a better gig than working with queer youth! When I'm not working you can find me listening to music or at a drag show or concert somewhere!
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Facilitator
Cade
(he/xe)
Hi, I'm Cade (he/him and xe/xem/xyr)! I'm a UCONN student and group facilitator for Q+, and I run Q+'s Tabletop Roleplaying Game night! When I’m not running games for Q+ or at pride events, I’m usually playing my own Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, camping, listening to podcasts, or cooking!
Facilitator
KQ Miller
(they/them)
KQ Miller (they/them/theirs) is a Group Facilitator at Q Plus. They are excited to help Q+ create spaces for queer youth to be self-empowered and find community. KQ is an Alabama transplant, and they are proudly non-binary, trans, and queer. They can be found engaging with other local LGBTQIA+ programs, kissing their cats on the head, and listening to Brené Brown audiobooks on repeat.
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Facilitator
Varun Khattar
(they/she/he)
Varun K. Sharma (they/she/he) is a Punjabi Queer non-binary facilitator, visionary, writer, designer, uncle, and auntie. They live in Hartford with their gold fish Yaara and Sofia and are working on practicing and cultivating rest, joy, (un)learning, healing, care, cooperation, freedom, and interdependence in the world.
Facilitator
Mary
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Photo & Bio Coming Soon
Facilitator
Gavin
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Photo & Bio Coming Soon
Facilitator
Stefan
()
Photo & Bio Coming Soon
Meet the Board
President
Joshua O'Connell
(he/him)
Josh has more than two decades of experiences building both nonprofit and for-profit businesses, in a variety of roles including marketing, sales and operations. As Q Plus Board of Directors President, he aims to help Q Plus grow in an organic and structurally sound way, to ensure that the great work being done by and for the youth of the state extends to operational excellence.
Vice President
Dave Greenberg
(he/him)
I am the vice president of the board of directors. I am a 4th grade special education teacher. I like to be outdoors and by the ocean as much as I can. I spend time with my cat Wally and enjoy planning social events and meeting new people.
Treasurer
Alice Bauer
(she/her)
I was first a math major, then an attorney, now I am a mentor and an author of novel for kids. Along the way I got married, had two children who are now adults, and adopted a dog. I have always admired the work that Q Plus has done with queer kids, and it's an honor to now be part of the organization.
Secretary
Roberto Vargas
(he/him)
Hartford resident. Former queer youth, current queer adult. Formally trained professional mental health counselor turned meteorite hunter/dealer. Founding Q-plus Board member and current Board secretary.