Dr. Adriana di Bartolo and Steve Willich are the new Consortium regional representatives for the Southwest Region, which includes Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Nevada, and Utah.
Adriana is currently the Director of the Queer Resource Center serving the seven Claremont Colleges. Steve is the Director for GLBT Student Services at Auraria, which serves three institutions: Metropolitan State University of Denver, the Community College of Denver, and the University of Colorado, Denver. Steve is also the GLBT Knowledge Community Representative for NASPA Region IV-W.
Both Adriana and Steve believe their new Consortium positions are a way to give back to a professional organization that has supported them. Regional representatives work to ensure member and non-member institutions have access to continuing professional development, education, advocacy, and support resources.
"During my time as QRC Director, I've come to understand the importance of support, colleagueship, and friends who do LGBTQ work on college campuses," says Adriana. "In times of need, it is to those colleagues I turn to navigate difficult situations. I am grateful to be that support to others in the field."
"The Consortium and the colleagues that I have met through the organization have given me so much inspiration, advice, information, and hope as I work to support and educate the students on my campus and in my community," agrees Steve. "Serving as a Regional Representative allows me to make further connections within my region, increasing the level support for all of us."
The Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals's mission is "to critically transform higher education environments so that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni/ae have equity in every respect." Currently, over 30 college and university member institutions are located in the Southwest Region.
