Asher McMaher (they/them) is the Executive Director of Trans Up Front IL and Senior Advisor of Development and Regional Strategy at Brave Space Alliance. With over a decade of experience advocating for transgender and gender-expansive youth, they are one of the few deaf and transgender leaders nationally, offering a vital perspective on accessibility and intersectional justice. McMaher has led major initiatives, including organizing Chicago’s Trans Day of Visibility protest and directing a coalition of over 40 TGNC+ organizations. Their background in legal research and membership in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association strengthen their work at the intersection of gender, disability, and policy reform. Known for blending direct service with systemic change, McMaher is a trusted voice in community empowerment, frequently speaking on legal protections, trans rights, and movement-building. A devoted parent and grandparent, their lived experience fuels their commitment to building inclusive, supportive futures for all.

C. Rizleris is a professional in higher education, communications professional and a writer with a passion for breaking down barriers in educational access. Before joining Trans Up Front IL, they were an active LGBTQ+ youth leader at Guilford Green Foundation in Greensboro, NC and before that at YouthOUTright in Asheville. They also served on the City of Greensboro’s Transgender Task Force. 

In their free time, C. can be found enjoying poetry, reading, writing, and brainstorming drag performances.

Karen advocates passionately for trans youth, championing access to affirming medical care, safe spaces for learning, living, and playing, while countering harmful disinformation and anti-LGBTQ+ policies. As a Board member of Trans Up Front Illinois, she proudly stands up for transgender and gender non-conforming youth and their families by amplifying their voices and providing resources, training, and support to enable them to live authentically.  Karen also contributes her expertise to the Human Rights Campaign steering committee and its political action and community engagement subcommittee. Additionally, she co-facilitates a national parents' virtual support group and serves as a parent advisory board member for an LGBTQ+ youth research study.

Tanya is Chair of the Parents & Caregivers Advisory Board for TUF and works to support both TGNC youth and the families and caregivers who love and raise them. A life-long LGBTQ+ ally, when her child transitioned in elementary school, Tanya’s allyship transformed into advocacy. Finding few centralized resources at the time, she began to inform herself on TGNC legislation, healthcare access, and education reform to support her child and others like them. She led the successful effort to update her local school district’s equity policy to include gender identity. She also serves on the board of her workplace’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group. She is a frequent speaker at rallies, protests, and school board meetings, and advocates passionately for TGNC equity and visibility.

Charlee Friedman (they/he) is the co-founder and Director of Operations for Trans Up Front IL. With over a decade of experience in communications, marketing, and branding, Charlee brings valuable insight and strategic skill to their advocacy work. They’ve been organizing protests since high school, most recently leading actions such as the Lurie Children's Hospital and Trans Day of Visibility demonstrations and have supported LGBTQ+ youth as a research assistant with Project Q2. A self-described stage manager, jack-of-all-trades, and support-human, Charlee also manages all of Trans Up Front IL’s social media, contributes as a journalist, and is more than moderately good at graphic design. When not organizing or parenting, you’ll likely find them with a cup of tea in hand.

Dr. Corey Lascano (she/they) is a music educator, GSA advisor, adjunct professor, ethnomusicologist, and an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and queer liberation. When not teaching, Corey is one of the co-chairs for the LGBTQIA+ Committee for the Chicago Teachers Union, where she works on district-wide initiatives that actively work to support, protect, and uplift Chicago Public Schools’ LGBTQIA+ students and staff.

Iana Amiscaray (she/her) is a transgender, Filipino & Chinese American woman. She graduated from American University in D.C. with an M.Ed. in Education Policy & Leadership. Iana is currently the Senior Manager of Special Projects on AFC’s Policy and Advocacy team and Pride Action Tank. Her primary responsibility in this role is to the Connection to Care Learning Collaborative, an initiative to increase the capacity of health centers across Chicago to provide culturally responsive HIV treatment and prevention services to LGBTQ+ communities. Iana also leads the coordination, development and implementation of Pride Action Tank programming, such as the Silver Wellness Advocacy Group, OUTReach, the Community Restroom Access Project (CRAP), and educational trainings and webinars. Iana is also a community organizer with Malaya Movement Chicago, a broad movement defending human rights, democracy and sovereignty in the Philippines, as well as standing in solidarity with oppressed peoples across the world. In her free time, Iana is either writing poetry, reading tarot and astrology, or watching something immersed in sci-fi/fantasy. She is a Sagittarius ☉ Taurus ☽ Cancer ↑

Evryn Sevcech (they/them) is an ASL interpreter, mental health advocate, theatre enthusiast, spouse, and a proud resident of Chicago. 

Evryn began their interpreting career virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, and since then have worked in Deaf education, mental health, as part of the ASL accessibility team at Lollapalooza, and with Tellin' Tales Theatre, a theatre company that shatters barriers between disabled and non-disabled communities. 

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As a trans person with invisible disabilities, accessibility is a deeply personal commitment for Evryn. They are honored to serve in this role for Trans Up Front