Meet the Team - Equality Virginia

Meet the Team - Equality Virginia
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MEET THE TEAM AT EQUALITY VIRGINIA.
Get to know the board members and roles we have to help defend LGBTQ rights in Virginia.
Staff
Narissa Rahaman (she/her)
Executive Director
Narissa Rahaman is an experienced advocate and campaign manager who currently serves as Executive Director of Equality Virginia. She previously served as Associate Regional Campaign Director for the Human Rights Campaign, managing legislative and electoral efforts across southern states. She brings 10+ years of experience in long-term strategic planning and implementation of organizing efforts, legislative advocacy, strengthening of partnerships, coalition management, and staff development.
Reed Williams (she/her)
Director of Digital Engagement & Narrative Strategy
Reed Williams graduated from the University of Virginia with high honors in 2024 with a B.A. in Political & Social Thought and English Literature (with a concentration in poetry writing). Her TEDTalk at the TEDWomen 2023 Conference in Atlanta with award-winning NYTimes photojournalist, Lindsay Morris, “How a sanctuary for self-expression can change lives” about her childhood as a trans girl in South Carolina and experiences at a gender-affirming summer camp reached over 500K views after publishing online. Before joining Equality Virginia, she worked as a camp counselor for Harbor Camps, the first ever gender-affirming summer camp created for trans youth, and as a grant writer for New Vision Youth Services, a non-profit for homeless and at-risk youth based in South Norfolk.
Narissa Rahaman (she/her)
Executive Director
Narissa Rahaman (she/her)
Executive Director
Narissa Rahaman is an experienced advocate and campaign manager who currently serves as an Associate Regional Campaign Director for the Human Rights Campaign, managing legislative and electoral efforts across southern states. She brings 10+ years of experience in long-term strategic planning and implementation of organizing efforts, legislative advocacy, strengthening of partnerships, coalition management, and staff development.
Reed Williams (she/her)
Director of Digital Engagement & Narrative Strategy
Reed Williams (she/her)
Director of Digital Engagement & Narrative Strategy
Originally from Tennessee, Addison graduated from the University of Richmond with a dual degree in Rhetoric and Communications as well as Russian Studies. Before joining Equality Virginia, they began their work in nonprofits with the Chattanooga Women’s Foundation–an organization focused on forwarding the status of women and girls in Tennessee. From there, they returned to Richmond, Virginia and began working with Freedom Virginia as their Director of Communications. In their spare time, Addison is a writer and a poet. They enjoy hosting community art nights from their home in Richmond when they’re not training for triathlons.
Board
Charley Burton (he/him)
Director
Charley Burton (he/him)
Director
Charley is the owner of Charley Speaks. Charley conducts speaking engagements and training where through his storytelling and inspirational chat involves his audience on what it is like to be a Black Transman living in the south.

Charley is a board member of Equality VA, Board Chair for PFLAG of the Blue Ridge. Was appointed by Governor Northam as one of the members on the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. Founder of Diversity in Recovery. An organization that was founded to provide safe spaces for the LGBTQ/BIPOC community to find recovery spaces. Charley also has created a group called Black Transmen Can Cook. Through this group Charley will be creating a cookbook created by Transmen with recipes and stories.

Charley was honored in 2021 as an Outstanding Virginian by Equality VA, The Community Root award by Black Pride RVA, Caring for the Community for Above and Beyond Voice for Equity by United Way of Greater Charlottesville.

Charley works for WorkSource where he manages and trains people with various disabilities.

Charley is currently enrolled at Morehouse College where in March of 2022 he was voted by his peers as Morehouse Man of the Month.

Currently Charley has his life story on Amazon. The Boy Beneath My Skin. It’s a story about a survivor of abuse, addiction, mental illness, gender dysphoria. That in the end shows this one man’s indomitable spirit to recover and live a rich life. This is just not one man’s story, in many ways it’s a story about us all.
Daniel Jones (he/him)
Director
Daniel Jones (he/him)
Director
Kimberly Morris has been an active advocate for the Transgender Community since 2014 when, as an Active Duty U.S. Marine Officer, she joined the transgender advocacy group SPARTA. SPATRA is the 501(c)(3) organization that advocates for an inclusive military policy. After her retirement in 2014, she became lead for SPARTA’s Veteran’s group and assisted recently separated SPARTA members find resources and support after separation from service during the era of restricted service.

From 2015-2021 she served as a member of the Transgender American Veteran’s Association (TAVA) Board of Directors. In this role, she helped assist transgender veterans navigate the Veterans Administration systems and in correcting their military records, such as the DD-214. She also engaged with military leadership and policy-makers concerning transgender veteran issues and concerns.

Kimberly has been a speaker of the transgender experience, telling her story as a keynote speaker at The University of Maryland, University of Mary Washington, Navy Network Warfare Command, and by testifying in front of House and Senate Armed Services Committees. She has engaged with Senior Marine and DoD leaders concerning developing an open service policy as well as working with the American Unity Fund (AUF) to encourage politicians to promote the value of more inclusive policies in Washington.

She has established two transgender social meetup groups in the Fredericksburg and Hampton Roads areas to advocate the visibility and normalization of the transgender experience and to encourage gender diverse individuals to develop a strong and interactive community.

Last year, she joined with Equality Virginia, HRC and ALCU by speaking in opposition to a number of anti-transgender bills that were presented to the Virginia Statehouse during the 2023 legislative session.
Joe Cobb (he/him)
Director
Joe Cobb (he/him)
Director
Joe currently serves as a council member for the City of Roanoke and previously served as Vice Mayor from 2018 – 2020. He also works as Chaplain at Hermitage Roanoke, a senior living community in Northwest Roanoke. Joe has a Master of Divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas, and is currently working toward a Doctor of Ministry degree with Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Joe is co-author of Our Family Outing: A Memoir of Coming Out and Coming Through, written with his former spouse, Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor. The book is a unique, two voice narrative of a gay man and straight woman and their journey through marriage, children, coming out, divorce, healing, reconciliation, and creating a new way of being family.
Jonathan Yglesias (he/him)
Director
Jonathan Yglesias (he/him)
Director
Bryan is the Founder and Principal of GTP Wellness Consulting, L.L.C, a firm that takes a holistic approach to physical, mental, and societal wellness through webinars, coaching, mentoring and fitness classes. He also serves as a Research Assistant for Community Outreach for the University of Virginia Cancer Center. In 2021, Bryan was selected by Governor Northam to serve on the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Council for a two-year term. He was also recognized as the 2021 Community Star for the Commonwealth of Virginia by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health for his work with the Virginia Rural Health Association in launching an initiative to address health priorities for LGBTQ+ citizens in our rural communities.
L.Frances Brown (she/her)
Director
L.Frances Brown (she/her)
Director
Ali Woodworth joined the Equality Virginia Board of Directors in 2022. Her roots are in rural New York State, but Richmond has been home for over 20 years. An engineer by education and training, she has worked for CarMax since 2004, currently as Director of Environmental, Health & Safety, and is also a founding member of the company’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. Ali previously served on the board of directors of Health Brigade, was a member of the Leadership Metro Richmond class of 2020, and currently serves on the board of Groundwork RVA. Ali and her wife Ryan Burgess have been married since 2004, supplemented by a courthouse ceremony in DC on their wedding anniversary in 2013. They share their home with a varying number of cats, never greater than 5 nor less than 2.
Liam Hudson (he/him)
Director
Liam Hudson (he/him)
Director
Owner of Crystal Clear Financial Solutions, a small financial services company devoted to improving financial literacy and increasing wealth in marginalized communities. The company is a certified LGBTQ business enterprise. She has been doing this work for 15 years across VA, MD, NC, and DC. She is a proud alum of Virginia State and Grand Canyon Universities where she holds a B.S. in Economics and M.B.A. in Finance.Presently she serves as President of Patchwork RVA, a nonprofit dedicated to racial equity and voter education.
Nico Climaco (they/any)
Director
Nico Climaco (they/any)
Director
Diana Maurer joined Equality Virginia’s Board of Directors in 2019 and is currently Board Secretary and Chair of the Governance Committee. Prior to joining the Board, Diana was a member of EV’s Transgender Advocacy Speakers Bureau. Diana works for a federal agency, leading independent oversight of defense programs to support Congressional decision making. The proud parent of two wonderful sons, Diana is also an avid cyclist, film buff, and voracious reader.
Rob Logan (he/him)
Treasurer
Rob Logan (he/him)
Treasurer
Rob is a native of the Roanoke Valley, where he worked in the non-profit sector for three decades. He presently volunteers with several other organizations including the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation, the Friends of Mountain View foundation, and the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®. Rob currently works in residential real estate with The Real Estate Group in Salem. Formerly, he was employed as executive director of the Western Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council for over 30 years. Rob has been a proud EV supporter and participant for many years and is pleased to serve on its board of directors.
Rodney Nickens, Jr- Rodney (he/him)
Director
Rodney Nickens, Jr- Rodney (he/him)
Director
Luis joined the Equality Virginia team in 2021 as the Community Organizer. Originally from El Salvador and now based in the Northern Virginia region, Luis is a native Spanish speaker and he specializes in HIV advocacy within the Latinx community. His passion for defending the rights of people living with HIV started in 2009, where he was active in the San Salvador community and was responsible for coordinating awareness campaigns and social media content, as well as facilitating workshops to educate the public on HIV stigma and discrimination. Since moving to Alexandria, he has deeply immersed himself in regional advocacy, and he regularly volunteers with Impacto. When he’s not working, you can find him behind a camera, spending time with animals, or simply enjoying nature.
Charley Burton (he/him)
Director
Charley is the owner of Charley Speaks. Charley conducts speaking engagements and training where through his storytelling and inspirational chat involves his audience on what it is like to be a Black Transman living in the south.
Daniel Jones (he/him)
Director
Daniel is an HR Director for a global sciences company with a career rooted in people-focused work across human resources, insurance, and healthcare. Originally on a pre-medical track, he transitioned to studying psychology to better support the human side of organizational and community life. His professional approach is grounded in equity, access, and the belief that systems work best when they serve people holistically. Originally from Michigan, Daniel moved to Northern Virginia nine years ago, where he lives with his wife and their two rescue pups. He is the founder of RockOutWorld, an inclusive music academy dedicated to developing artists of all ages and fostering creativity. He also serves his local church by playing keys and organ, and volunteers at community events to support outreach efforts across Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area. Daniel is passionate about fostering inclusive spaces, and equitable work environments—particularly for marginalized individuals—and actively advocates for policies and practices that ensure access to affirming care, psychological safety, and belonging in the workplace. In his free time, he enjoys all things music, traveling, nature walks, reading just about everything, playing a wide variety of competitive games, and spending quality time with family.
Daniel Jones (he/him)
Director
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Joe Cobb (he/him)
Director
Joe currently serves as a council member for the City of Roanoke and previously served as Vice Mayor from 2018 – 2020. He also works as Chaplain at Hermitage Roanoke.
Joe Cobb (he/him)
Director
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Jonathan Yglesias (he/him)
Director
Jonathan has worked in the anti-violence movement as an advocate and organizer for 20 years. Currently, he is the Director of Mission Advancement for the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, where he guides sustainability efforts in support of a strong state coalition and a broad network of member agencies, survivors, policy leaders, and communities responding to and preventing violence. While his formal education includes a Masters in Sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University, Jonathan’s work is rooted in believing the power of stories and learning from movement builders who started the work before he could drive. For balance, Jonathan relies on his family and friends (both humans and animals alike), the ongoing search for Richmond’s most beautiful and secluded walking route, and books and movies. Usually in that order.
L.Frances Brown (she/her)
Director
L.Frances within the intersectionality of all her lived experiences: Black woman; Mother of Black sons; Parent to a Transgender adult; Graduate of a Historically Black College/University; Registered voter; and retired School Psychologist of urban school districts. She was initially led to support the LGBTQIA community as an advisor for the Gender and
Sexualities Alliance (GSA) at my assigned high school in Richmond, Virginia where I was the on-campus resource person to queer and questioning students. She co-founded and serves as Executive Director of Replenishing Roots, LLC. In this capacity, she is the leader of this diverse group where parents and caregivers of BIPOC individuals have the opportunity to give voice, identify, and discuss without censor the complexities of raising BIPOC gender expansive individuals in America. She recognizes her personal and professional experiences have enabled her to engage more effectively with diverse individuals particularly in underrepresented and marginalized communities. She lives by the motto: “Dignity and respect should never depend on who you are; what you believe; who you love; or what zip code you call home.”
Liam Hudson (he/him)
Director
Liam is a dedicated advocate for housing access, health equity, and LGBTQIA+ rights. As the Founder & CEO of the Lean In Project, Liam has led initiatives that uplift and empower LGBTQIA+ Virginians through advocacy, community engagement, and resource development. With a Master of Management in Health Policy and certification as a Trauma-Informed Care Trainer, Liam brings a deep understanding of the intersections between housing, health, and social justice. His career spans direct service, state-level housing administration, and program management, always centering equity and systemic change.
Nico Climaco (they/any)
Director
Nico joined the Equality Virginia Board of Directors in 2025. Nico is a facilitator and relationship-builder working towards realizing racial, economic, and social justice in our organizations and communities. Nico carries a north star that our liberation is collective and belief that we realize our dreams for a just society when people are brought together in community. A lifelong student, Nico’s work is informed by roles of a guide, weaver, builder, and an Ella Baker-ethic kind of leadership.
Rob Logan (he/him)
Treasurer
Rob is a native of the Roanoke Valley, where he worked in the non-profit sector for three decades. He presently volunteers with several other organizations including the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation, the Friends of Mountain View foundation, and the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®.
Rodney Nickens, Jr- Rodney (he/him)
Director
Rodney is the Founder of R&N Strategies, a civic engagement firm in Hampton Roads focused on building people-powered movements through organizing, advocacy, and storytelling. He is also the creator and host of The Rodney Kendell Podcast, a dynamic new platform for bold conversations on politics, justice, and culture, available on Substack and YouTube. Rodney’s political journey began in 2008 as a campus organizer for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, sparking his lifelong commitment to civil rights. His passion for justice led him to the forefront of the marriage equality movement after California’s Proposition 8, where he mobilized communities—particularly within the Black LGBTQ+ space—across D.C., Maryland, and California.
Rodney Nickens, Jr- Rodney (he/him)
Director
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
Email:
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