Proud Innovation 2023

Jack Beck is the Founder and Executive Director of TurnOUT, a nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing communities to power queer and trans movements. He started his career in HIV services at AIDS Project Los Angeles and went on to lead the communications department at M-PACT, where he had the privilege of working with hundreds of queer and trans grassroots organizations around the world. In 2015, Jack left his job at M-PACT to start TurnOut, working to build community power to support queer and trans grassroots work at every level. TurnOut now works year-round to recruit new volunteers, staff, and board members for queer and trans nonprofits, providing the training and support they need to maximize their impact for our communities.

Dan Cavallari joined the USPTO in 2005 and is currently a Primary Patent Examiner in Electrical Circuits. He has served on detail at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and in the Patent Training Academy. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. In his free time, Dan enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and spending time with his nieces and nephews. He also values volunteering, which he has done at the New England Aquarium, HRC, and beach cleanups.

Jack Fleming is the Acting Chief Communications Officer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He works with the Chief Corporate Communications Officer to plan and implement communications initiatives to achieve agency and administration priorities. He serves as advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.

Prior to joining the USPTO, Mr. Fleming worked as the Associate Director for Digital Communications at The Education Trust, a national education equity nonprofit working to increase opportunities and improve outcomes for Black and Latino students and students from low-income families in our public K-12 and university systems. He and his team oversaw day-to-day digital communications work (website, social media, email marketing, and fundraising), and he was a strategic advisor to the Vice President for Communications and the CEO.

When Mr. Fleming is not working, he loves to travel (he’s trying to fill up his National Parks Passport), play board games, and compete in volleyball (indoor, beach, and grass), and he is currently training to race in his second full Ironman in 2024.

Corey has 25 years of consumer integrated marketing and brand building experience with a special focus on influencer and creator marketing strategies. Currently the Managing Director of Creator Marketing at Lippe Taylor, a mid-sized global PR agency based in New York City, Corey brings the perspective of three sides of the creator and influencer economy – representing clients, having represented talent during his tenure at Elite World Group, and creating content with his husband and son on their personal TikTok and Instagram channels @RainbowDads, with over one million followers across both channels creating content for the NFL, Nickelodeon, Quaker, Marriott Bonvoy, and many P&G brands. He has developed global influencer marketing programs representing clients like Galderma, Kroger, Kellogg’s, Unilever (AXE, Dove, Vaseline), PepsiCo, Nespresso, DSW, the New York Times, and many more. In 2013, Corey led the earned media team and designed the global media relations strategy that won the Cannes Golden Lions in PR and Social Media for Dove Real Beauty Sketches. Corey is also a proud U.S. Navy veteran and an advocate for awareness of veterans within the workplace.

Justin Nelson is the Co-Founder & President of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the LGBT community and the largest LGBT economic advocacy and business development organization in the world. NGLCC is the exclusive private sector certifying body for LGBT-owned businesses. In addition to over 50 LGBT affiliate chambers in the United States representing America’s 1.4 million LGBT business owners, NGLCC leads economic development opportunities for over a dozen international affiliates.

Justin is the recipient of the 2016 Excellence Award by the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce and the 2017 Disability:IN Global Disability Leadership Award for his work in building and leading cross-segment partnerships. He has also been named to the Global LGBT Power 100 by the U.K.’s Guardian Newspaper, Top 20 Leaders We Admire by SmartCEO Magazine, and twice to The OUT 100, to name a few. Justin resides in Washington, D.C. and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wyoming.

Tarik is the Director of Programs at StartOut and has over two decades of experience in food manufacturing, international development, and organizational development. He has spent his career working at the intersection of entrepreneurship and social justice, particularly in his role at Cuso International, where he served as the Regional Program Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean. During this time, he oversaw the implementation of programs in Access to Justice for Women and Children and Youth Social and Economic Inclusion. Tarik graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in economics and from Georgetown University with a master’s in international development studies from the School of Foreign Services.

Stacey has always had an entrepreneurial mindset, which is evident by the fact that she has been on the ground floor of nine start-ups. When not starting new businesses, she has spent much of her career in the medical field doing occupational therapy and honing her expertise in technology for the aging population. With her experience, she now enjoys helping other business entrepreneurs build strategic plans for growth as the Co-Founder of A Salty Rim. Stace is the Co-Founder/CEO of OME Gear, where her main focus is head of manufacturing and new product development; Co-Host of the Do It In Nature podcast; and co-author of the children’s book Rescued By Rico. Her biggest piece of business advice is that if you want to do something, just do it, because she believes that the biggest risks in life are the ones not taken.

This March, Brian began his new role as CEO of StartOut, the national non-profit empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs to turn their business ideas into reality. Prior to this, he served as Director of Lambda Legal’s Midwest Region, leading the LGBTQ+ legal defense group’s work in ten states. Brian previously served as Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Policy and Communications Manager at Google; National Spokesperson at the Democratic National Committee; and as a teacher with Teach for America. Brian graduated from the University of Chicago and earned his MBA from the University of California at Berkeley.

Irene (she/they) is an accomplished Program Director at StartOut, a leading national nonprofit accelerating LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship. Irene oversees research and insights on queer entrepreneurs’ impact on the United States economy. Irene has spoken about LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship at the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Commerce, and other organizations and foundations.

Prior to StartOut, Irene gained extensive experience managing programs at Google and CBS Interactive. Irene also led the nonprofit project Nice Queer Pals, a sober-friendly LGBTQ community focused on sports and outdoor activities. Irene holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in economics and psychology from the University of California - Berkeley, and a product management certification from the Haas School of Business.

Matt Skallerud has been in the LGBTQ+ digital space for over 25 years now, first with GayWired.com and SheWired.com, and now with Pink Media and the #ILoveGay network, helping companies reach their targeted LGBTQ+ demographic.

Wolf Starr, CEO of The Venture Atlas, is an esteemed business executive and Managing Partner of a series of impact-focused venture capital funds who has a strong conviction that venture funding should be accessible to all and a dedication to proving the largely untapped potential of impact investing.

The Venture Atlas currently operates three funds and intends to launch a total of ten by 2030. Pride Fund 1 is a first-of-its-kind fund focused on supporting LGBTQ+ founders and startups, providing them with the necessary resources to thrive in their respective industries. The Ohio Impact Fund concentrates on investing in impact-driven businesses across Ohio, contributing to job creation, and shaping the state's future. The American Dream Fund offers vital funding, immigration support, and specialized guidance to immigrant entrepreneurs.

Ben Stokes is the Founding Partner of Chasing Rainbows, an early-stage investment fund which invests in LGBTQ+ founded companies to ensure greater access to capital for underrepresented founders. As an emerging fund manager with both startup and corporate experience, Ben has been a driving force in creating opportunities for LGBTQ+ founders to receive early funding.

In 2023, Ben was named in 40 under 40 Rising Stars of Venture by the Venture Capital Journal and named in 40 under 40 LGBTQ+ Pride Leaders by Business Equality Magazine. In 2022, he was named in the Top 100 Investors by Alumni Spotlight and was recognized by the National Venture Capital Association as one of the Top LGBTQ+ Investors Making an Impact. In addition to this, in 2021, Ben spoke at the U.N. General Assembly on Living with Purpose, has been a guest speaker for the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Centre, British Government, and gave the Graduation Address for his alma mater after being awarded Young Alumni of the Year 2021 for the University of Tasmania.

Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, Jules got her love for starting businesses honestly, but it took her time to dive into the (often) scary waters of entrepreneurship. After college, she worked in leadership with a non-profit organization for ten years, then traveled for a year doing humanitarian work in 11 developing countries. Upon returning stateside, she became a business consultant, ultimately with PWC, prior to starting a consulting firm, A Salty Rim. Jules’ main focus these days is her role as the Co-Founder/CEO of an innovative outdoor gear company called OME Gear, with the goal of building it into a national household brand. She is also the host of the Do It In Nature podcast, where she has conversations with people who are doing really inspirational things connected to the outdoors, and she has co-authored a children’s book called Rescued By Rico.

Sean Wilkerson works in the Office of Innovation Outreach at the USPTO creating intellectual property (IP) awareness programs and managing outreach services to independent inventors, small businesses, entrepreneurs, makers, and universities. Wilkerson previously worked as an outreach coordinator for the programs leading up to the opening of the USPTO’s Silicon Valley and Texas Regional Offices. He also spent a year as part of the New York engagement team that developed the 2015 Future of Urban Innovation Startups Summit in coordination with Columbia University and the USPTO.

From 2011–2013, he served as the program manager of the inaugural Select USA Summit, developing the program, structure, and outreach efforts of a U.S. government-wide program housed in the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. As an education program analyst in the Global Intellectual Property Academy from 2008–2011, he managed international programs focused on providing IP training related to enforcement of patents, trademarks, and copyrights and the U.S. patent and trademark system. Prior to working for the federal government, he served as the Director of Events for the National Association of Homebuilders in Washington, D.C. and as the Ideas Exchange Manager for Accenture in Reston, Virginia.