dsm magazine

dsm magazine is proud to present our annual LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awards, now in its sixth year. Along with presenting sponsor Capital City Pride, we recognized a slate of LGBTQ Legacy Leaders who have demonstrated a lifetime of achievement and commitment to the LGBTQ community. We celebrated the honorees at a special event Sept. 12 at the River Center.

2024 Honorees

Shea Daniels (she/her) is the inaugural Emerging LGBTQ Legacy Leader. She is an engineering manager at Dwolla and its first openly trans employee.

MD Isley (he/him) is the vice president for academic affairs at Des Moines Area Community College and was the first executive director of Bravo Greater Des Moines.

Dan Jansen (he/him) helped found the Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and recently chaired the board of Capital City Pride.

Erin Sheriff (she/her) is a senior actuary for Principal Financial Group, where she leads its efforts for nonbinary gender inclusion.

Daniel Zinnel (he/him) is the CEO of Proteus and formerly served as executive director of One Iowa.

Natali Justiniano Pahl (she/her) is this year’s Ally honoree. She is an executive coach and longtime advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion with experience at EMC Insurance Companies, Principal Financial Group and Wells Fargo.

Read more about the honorees in the dsm Sep/Oct issue.

Full Event Recording

From left to right: Shea Daniels, MD Isley, Dan Jansen, Erin Sheriff, Daniel Zinnel and ally Natali Justiniano Pahl

Past Honorees

2023

Rich Hendricks, pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities and a leader in eastern Iowa’s LGBTQ community
Rick Miller of Des Moines, a pioneer in Iowa’s LGBTQ rights movement and archivist of the Des Moines Pride Center
Laurie Phelan of Farrar, who founded the nonprofit iJAG to help Iowa students graduate and find meaningful in-state employment
Scott Valbert of Des Moines, an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion at several of the city’s largest corporations
Aime Wichtendahl, a Hiawatha city councilor and Iowa’s first transgender elected official
Rich Salas (ally) of Des Moines University will be honored for his work to improve health care for LGBTQ patients through more inclusive education and advocacy

2022

Pamela Duffy, Des Moines, retired associate professor, Des Moines University
Mark Kassis and Terry Lowman, Ames, retired restaurant owners
Jordan Selha, Des Moines, program manager, NuCara Staffing Services
Bruce Teague, Iowa City, mayor
Aiden Vasquez, Davenport, founder of the Aiden Vasquez Foundation
Rebecca Gruber (ally), Des Moines, former artistic director and conductor of the Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus

2021

Tim Hickman, Des Moines, principal at Substance Architecture
Eugenia Kutsch-Stanton, Des Moines, research scientist at Corteva Agriscience
Randy Mayer, Ames, chief of the Bureau of HIV, STD and Hepatitis at the Iowa Department of Public Health
John Schmacker, Des Moines, retired certified public accountant and nonprofit executive
Elle Wyant, Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, account executive at United Parcel Service
Dr. Kyle Christiason (ally), Cedar Falls, physician at UnityPoint Health

2020

Tracy Lewis, Des Moines, vice president of Ankeny-based Mom’s Meals
Alexandra Gray, Des Moines, actress/performer and activist
Jan Jensen, Iowa City, associate head coach of women’s basketball at the University of Iowa
Eileen Gebbie, Ames, minister of the United Church of Christ
John Harper, Iowa City, retired minister and retired English professor at the University of Iowa
John Forsyth (ally), Des Moines, Wellmark CEO

2019

George Belitsos of Ames, founder of the youth services organization YSS
Karen Mackey, a Sioux City attorney and champion of the rights of Native Americans
Sharon Malheiro, a Des Moines attorney and prominent civil rights advocate
Sonia Reyes-Snyder, a crusader for the rights of Latinos with the Iowa Office of Latino Affairs in Des Moines
Jeorgia Robison, a Marion attorney and pioneer in Iowans’ understanding of transgender persons
Jonathan Wilson, a Des Moines attorney and former school board member
Terri Hale (ally), retired from Principal in Des Moines