Regular Office Staff
Director
Dorothea Brauer started work as the first full-time Director of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning & Ally Services in September of 2001. “Dot” has been at UVM since 1992, providing mental health counseling at the UVM Counseling Center for nine years, and coordinating the Peer Health Education program for two years. Before that she was the Executive Director of Outright Vermont in ‘91/’92. She and her partner came to Vermont in 1986 after owning and operating Dorothea’s Breads in Westminster, MD. With her BA in Psychology from UVa, she worked with a small crew building homes until she enrolled at Antioch N/E Graduate School’s Psychology Program where she earned her Master of Arts in 1991. During the past 13 years Dot has provided over 75 professional trainings about LGBT issues and served on numerous university committees including the President’s Commission on Racial Equality and the new President’s Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equity. On a typical day, you’ll find Dot buzzing around campus, talking animatedly with students, staff and faculty, and building community with everything she does. Dot is an occasional contributor to Out in the Mountains. Academic publications include: "Dismantling Academia's Velvet-lined Closets: The Generational Schism Within LGBTQA Campus Communities" (Vermont Connection, 24, 99-110(2003)); “Similarities Between Friends in their Understanding of Nonverbal Cues” (Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 5, 64-68 (1980)); and an invitation to submit a manuscript May 31, 2004 for Social Class and Sexual Orientation in Higher Education.
Education & Outreach Coordinator
John Mejia is the son of Honduran immigrants to the US. Originally from the Bronx (NY) he has lived in VT for 14 years. He has traveled, studied, lived or worked in dozens of countries from the Dominican Republic to Uzbekistan and everywhere in between. A graduate of Middlebury College (and many a Summer Language School) he has forgotten more languages than he remembers. John is also very interested in the environment. He considers himself an amateur naturalist and enjoys time outdoors (particularly canoeing). He is married to a pastry chef (Jesse) and lives in Burlington with their Pug Juniper. Professionally, John comes to LGBTQA after six years working at the African, Latino, Asian and Native American Student Center at UVM. He has presented at conferences across the US including the NASPA/ACPA Joint Conference, Association for Experiential Education International Conference, and Translating Identity Conference among others. As a queer latino man, he is also very interested in developing ways of supporting students, staff and faculty with multiiple marginalized identities. On any given day you may find him in his office feverishly designing a 11x17 poster in Illustrator, getting ready to do an ally training, helping one of the many student groups he advises with an event, or developing a new program to educate, amuse (and generally feed) participants.
Nelson Sears earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the
Graduate Assistant
Vay Van joined LGBTQA Services as a Graduate Assistant in August of 2009. A first year masters student in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Vay graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in Photography and a minor in Journalism. Vay has worked in various roles in residential life, campus life and activities. Including leading and attending social justice trainings, leadership trainings and advocating for LGBTQQIA advancement on campus. In his free time he likes to wander around with his camera and loose himself in his surrounding and environment.
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