Today I’m proud to announce two new additions to the Transadvocate family! Both have committed to twittering for Transadvocate and I look forward to their tweets! Welcome and thank you both!

Mel Goodwin

Mel Goodwin is a Las Vegas native. She is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the School of Social Work. Mel has worked in the non-profit sector for four years and holds a Certificate in Non-Profit Management. In November 2008, she became the Youth & Volunteer Services Director at The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada. Shortly after starting there, Mel realized that there was a critical need for transgender services in local LGBT community spaces. With the support of other community members, she has since created the Southern Nevada Transgender Resource Guide and Trans.lation, a weekly social and discussion group for trans people and their loved ones. She has also conducted numerous diversity trainings about the transgender community to various groups and organizations, including mental health professionals, social workers, school district teachers and administrators, high school students and others in the queer community. She is currently advocating for safe and inclusive policies to benefit transgender people receiving services at homeless service organizations in Southern Nevada. In her free time, Mel enjoys baking, taking frequent trips to Disneyland and spending time with her partner Aidyn and their Italian Greyhound London. Her long-term goal is to obtain a PhD in Social Work and advocate for transgender rights at the national level.

Ethan St. Pierre

Ethan is the former board chair of the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition and currently a board member of the International Foundation for Gender Education, a board member of Families United Against Hate,  board member of the Garden of peace, board member of the gay and lesbian anti-violence project of Massachusetts and works with the Remembering Our Dead Project as coordinator of The International Transgender Day of Remembrance. He investigates and update the statistics of those who are murdered as a result of anti-transgender hatred or bias. http://www.Transgenderdor.org

He is also the founder and creator of the TransFM internet broadcasting network http://www.TransFM.org and co-host a live talk show; The Radical Trannies with TG Spirit.