[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 114 (Friday, June 30, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E632-E633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING DISTINGUISHED LEADERS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR PRIDE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 30, 2023

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor distinguished leaders in 
Central Florida for Pride Month: Kimberly A. Holdridge, Andrea 
Montanez, Billy Looper and Tom Christ, Jessica Beers, Jorge Lanza, 
Joseph ``Joey'' Knoll, Svetlana ``Lana'' Dunn, and Tatiana Quiroga.


                         Kimberly A. Holdridge

  Kimberly A. Holdridge is a labor leader with the International 
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 631 in Orlando, Florida. 
In 1993, Kim became the financial secretary of the Local and remained 
in that role for two decades. In June of 2020, Kim was elected to serve 
as a business representative for the same group and has just begun her 
second term in this prestigious role. During her career, she has served 
on the Florida AFL-CIO Executive Board where she currently serves as 
chairman of the Finance Committee and as executive vice president of 
the Central Florida AFL-CIO. In addition to the elected position of the 
local union, she was elected by acclamation to the role of district 
secretary/treasurer of the IATSE District 14 in 2006, representing 
thousands of theater and film craftspeople in Florida, Puerto Rico, and 
the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2006, Kimberly was selected by the Central 
Florida LGBTQ community as Female Role Model of the Year and by the 
AFL-CIO as a Rising Star within the labor movement. In 2009, she 
received the IATSE International Presidents Award. Within the greater 
Central Florida community, Kim received many appointments to city and 
county boards. She is also chair of the Public Art Board, chair of the 
city and county Municipal Planning Board, and a member of the 
nominating board for the City of Orlando. Additionally, she serves as 
Chairman of the Board for the Mental Health Association of Central 
Florida.
  The LGBTQ community has seen plenty of Kim in action. She has served 
as president of the Orlando Gay Chorus and the Rainbow Democratic Club 
and is the chair of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee. 
Currently, she is proud to serve on the International IATSE Pride 
Committee and as secretary of the Central Florida Pride at Work 
Chapter. Kim resides in the heart of the City of Orlando with her 
partner of 30 years, Denise Holdridge, whom she married in 2014 in 
Providence, Rhode Island before gay marriage became permissible within 
the state of Florida. Lastly, Kim served in the armed forces of the 
United States Air Force Reserves in the early 1980s as a sheet metal 
specialist just prior to ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' She is a champion 
for working families and is doing whatever she can to create 
opportunities for everyone to thrive and live their best lives.


                            Andrea Montanez

  Andrea Montanez (she/her/ella) is an openly proud immigrant 
transgender Latinx woman from Colombia. She serves as the LGBTQ+ 
immigration organizer lead for Hope CommUnity Center and is a Contigo 
Fund community board member. Andrea's role is to bring visibility and 
educate communities on the intersections of being an immigrant and 
transgender.
  A long-standing community builder through volunteerism, Andrea is a 
board member at Peer Support Space, whose mission is to build and be a 
local hub for diverse, peer-led recovery communities. In addition, she 
is the co-director of outreach at Come Out with Pride Orlando, whose 
focus is to produce an annual Pride event that fosters a sense of 
community, encourages LGBTQ+ citizens to live openly and with pride, 
and educates the general public about our shared cultural heritage.
  Andrea is also in charge of the ``ventanilla de inclusion'' at the 
Consulmex in Orlando. She is also a captain at Equality Florida.


                      Billy Looper and Tom Christ

  With entrepreneurial backgrounds, Billy Looper and Tom Christ began 
producing large LGBTQ+ events at Walt Disney World Resorts in 2009. One 
Magical Weekend has included events at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon 
Waterpark, Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and the House of Blues at 
Disney Springs. As one part of one of the longest-running events in our 
history, Billy and Tom are proud to contribute to Gay Disney and 
welcome guests from all over the world year after year to Orlando. They 
are especially proud to host over 250 alumni from Bliss Healthcare's 
Transformation program over the past three years at Riptide, providing 
a safe place for their trans friends at TransBeach. In 2018, they co-
founded the Kindred Pride Foundation, whose mission is to honor the 
original Gay and Lesbian Day at Magic Kingdom attendees back in 1991 
and continue the RED Shirt Pride Days kickoff to Pride Month, now in 
its 32nd year. The Kindred Pride Foundation values diversity, 
inclusion, equality, safe expression, and kindness and contributes to 
the community by producing the Pride Cup--an LGBTQ+ multi-sport 
tournament each year. The Diversity in Sports Summit included a forum 
of eight collegiate and professional athletes telling their inspiring 
``coming out'' stories in front of business and sports leaders in 
Orlando. They invite you to join them for Santa's Bike Force--an annual 
tradition since 2003 where they give out ``first time'' bikes to 
deserving kids. Their LGBTQ+ marketing company is a Certified LGBT 
Business Enterprise, and they are proud members of the Pride Chamber 
and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.


                             Jessica Beers

  Jessica Beers currently serves as the executive director of the 
Kissimmee Sports Commission. In her role, Jessica provides oversight of 
the administration and management of the Kissimmee Sports Commission. 
She is also responsible for identifying and pursuing new strategic 
partnerships on behalf of Experience Kissimmee.
  Before her new role, she served as a leader in the sports, 
entertainment, and transportation industries. Her past employers 
include Brightline Trains Florida, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 
Orlando City Soccer Club, and the Dr. Phillips Center for the 
Performing Arts.
  Jessica played for and volunteered with the CFSLeague--an amateur 
softball league for all persons with an emphasis on LGBTQIA+ 
participation.
  She was also a staff member who supported the ownership's decision to 
install 49 rainbow-colored seats at Exploria Stadium to honor Pulse 
victims and survivors.
  As a sports enthusiast, Jessica also supports the Pride Cup--an 
annual LGBTQ+ multi-sport competition held the first weekend in June in 
Osceola and Orange Counties.
  Jessica graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Master of Arts in Early 
Childhood Education from Concordia University, St. Paul, and currently 
resides in Central Florida with her wife Gina Lutz.
  She serves on the Howard Phillips Center Community Leadership Council 
and is an active member of the Central Florida WISE Chapter.


                              Jorge Lanza

  Jorge Lanza (he/him) serves as the Kissimmee program manager for the 
LGBT+ Center Orlando, Inc., also known as The Center. His commitment to 
serving the LGBTQ+ community began the night of the Pulse Nightclub 
tragedy when he responded to the needs

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of survivors and victims as a volunteer at ORMC's Emergency Department.
  His journey with The Center began in 2017 as a volunteer. A year 
later, he was hired on as The Center Kissimmee's HIV coordinator. In 
2022, Jorge was promoted to his current role managing The Center 
Kissimmee. During his tenure, Jorge has been instrumental in the growth 
of The Center Kissimmee, providing a sex-positive safe space for HIV 
and HEP-C testing for underrepresented communities, including those 
with limited English proficiency. He is committed to breaking barriers 
to testing by providing services during non-traditional hours to 
accommodate the needs of the community. Under his watch, HIV testing at 
The Center Kissimmee has grown from an average of 200 tests annually to 
more than 700 tests annually.
  Jorge's service includes collaboration with the Osceola County Health 
Department on numerous events, including hosting a vaccination drive 
for Monkeypox and other communicable diseases, as well as community 
health fairs, including co-hosting Osceola County's first World AIDS 
Day Health Fair in 2021 and again in 2022. Additional partnerships 
stewarded by Jorge include those with Club Orlando, Valencia College, 
the City of Kissimmee, Kissimmee Main Street, Harmony Healthcare 
Orlando, and Walmart Pharmacy.


                         Joseph ``Joey'' Knoll

  Joseph ``Joey'' Knoll (he/him) is the founder and president of 
SPEKTRUM Health, a charitable community-based health center that caters 
to the LGBTQA+ community in Orlando, Florida. He has a wealth of 
experience working in a variety of healthcare practice settings with 
over 20 years of nursing experience. Starting as a nursing assistant in 
New York at the age of 16, he worked his way up the nursing ladder to 
become a licensed practical nurse (LPN), then a registered nurse (RN), 
and ultimately a nurse practitioner (NP). One of his favorite roles was 
as a nursing instructor, teaching pharmacology classes for 10 years. He 
has additional formal training and experience in health policy, risk 
management, and health law. He also served on the executive board of 
the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners (FLANP) for eight years. 
Clinically, he specializes in LGBT primary care with a special focus on 
mental health management, HIV treatment and prevention, STD treatment 
and prevention, and gender-affirming care for transgender individuals. 
He is also an active member of the World Professional Association for 
Transgender Health (WPATH). Nursing and advocacy are at the heart of 
everything he does, and he believes all humans deserve equal quality 
and affirming healthcare in all settings. For fun, he enjoys the beach, 
sun, sand, and water. Though Joey does not have any human children, he 
is happy to have two four-legged companions, Kimber and Speck.


                         Svetlana ``Lana'' Dunn

  Svetlana ``Lana'' Dunn (she/her) is the chief operating officer for 
SPEKTRUM Health, a charitable community-based health center that caters 
to the LGBTQA+ community in Orlando, Florida. Born and raised in the 
Pacific Northwest, Lana's early experiences as a transgender woman 
struggling to understand her own place in the world helped shape her 
deep empathy and passion for social justice. Lana's advocacy efforts 
extend far beyond her role at SPEKTRUM Health. She is a prominent voice 
in the fight for transgender equality, advocating for policy changes, 
increased awareness, and improved healthcare practices at both the 
state and national levels. Recognizing the importance of collaboration 
and inclusivity, Lana actively engages with community members, 
patients, and advocacy groups to ensure their voices are heard and 
their needs are met. She firmly believes in the power of education and 
empowerment, working tirelessly to promote transgender rights, mental 
health support, and access to gender-affirming healthcare services. She 
believes in the healing power of art and creativity and often channels 
her passion into various artistic endeavors. Through her multifaceted 
approach to life and work, Lana inspires others to embrace their 
authentic selves and create a world where transgender individuals are 
celebrated and supported without discrimination. Lana's unwavering 
commitment to transgender equality and her exceptional leadership at 
SPEKTRUM Health have made a profound impact on the lives of countless 
individuals. Her tireless dedication and advocacy continue to drive 
positive change, shaping a more inclusive and equitable future for the 
LGBTQA+ community in Orlando and beyond.


                            Tatiana Quiroga

  Tatiana Quiroga (she/ella) is a committed and seasoned leader with 20 
years of experience in diversity and inclusion, pragmatic planning, and 
working in the nonprofit sector. She is an enthusiastic activist for 
the LGBTQIA+ and Latinx community who has held various advocacy roles. 
Most recently, she has been appointed as the first executive director 
for Come Out with Pride, Inc. Prior, she was the director of family 
equity & diversity with Family Equality, a national nonprofit 
advocating for LGBTQIA+ families. In addition, Tatiana also serves on 
the board of directors for Zebra Youth as co-chair. She earned her 
Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling from Rollins College, a 
certificate in diversity, equity, and inclusion from Cornell 
University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of 
Central Florida. Originally from La Paz, Bolivia, Tatiana immigrated to 
the U.S. and is a strong advocate for social justice, racial and gender 
equity, and the LGBTQIA+ movement. She lives in the Orlando area with 
her wife and two kiddos.

                          ____________________