What does identifying (or not identifying) with the BGLTQ community mean to you?

Growing up in the 1970's, I felt very isolated, like I was the only gay person in the world and that something was wrong with me. As I grew up I found my way to other BGLTQ persons who had shared or similar experiences and I felt a sense of belonging and inclusion. It was, and still is, quite affirming to be part of a vast & diverse community of people that understand and accept you.

How, if at all, has your identity shaped your academic and/or professional journey?

Being gay indirectly shaped my academic journey. In my youth I was horribly bullied at school and struggled with my sexual identity and self-esteem. I ended up being a late bloomer and didn't go to college until later in life, which in retrospect was probably a good thing for me. My professional journey began out of high school when it wasn't really safe to be out in the workplace. Once I eventually came out, my daily stress of trying to stay closeted morphed into the stress of needing to excel in whichever job I was in to prove that the "gay guy" was worth keeping on the payroll.

What advice would you give to yourself when you were an undergraduate?

I would encourage myself to take more risks and force myself out of my comfort zone. Stretch yourself, if you're afraid of speaking in front of people, take a speech course. Be a sponge and explore and discover all of the things that you don't know, and gain an awareness of just how much there is that you don't even know that you don't know.

What support can you provide to current undergraduate BGLTQ students who are hoping to enter into your field?

I don't really have a "field" per se, so my advice would be to discover what makes you happy and enriches your soul. Even if you can't make that your means of financial support, figure out what it is and how to keep it in your life. Also, know that it's OK to change your mind down the road...just because you decide you want to be a lawyer at age 20, doesn't mean you'll want to be a lawyer when you're 40. You won't stop learning and growing after graduation, and the decisions you make today may not suit the you that you become tomorrow.

What are your areas of expertise?

Professionally, a lifetime of various administrative jobs and several soul-sucking decades working as a litigation paralegal, provided me with well-honed organizational skills and the ability to juggle multiple deadlines and placate overly inflated egos. Currently, my growing area of expertise is in the arts, whether it be learning about and engaging in visual art (printmaking & painting), or the healing arts (massage & Reiki), these are the areas that I feed and nurture and that fill my soul. Holistically, other than being an expert at doling out clichéd advice gleaned from many years of making the wrong decisions, I'm a good listener and sounding board to anyone needing an ear as they come out or journey into their true selves.