LEAP (LGBT Employees At Penn)
Mission
LGBTQ+ Employees at Penn (LEAP) is a group dedicated to the retention and edification of Penn’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer employees of the University of Pennsylvania. This group is open to all staff, faculty, and postdocs, exhibiting a diverse range of interests at Penn.
Our goals are to:
- Conserve a personal and professional network for all LGBTQ+ Penn employees
- Support diversity initiatives at Penn, including recruitment, outreach, retention, and education on LGBTQ+ issues
- Develop & sustain a relationship with the Philadelphia LGBTQ+ community
- Research and advocate for improvements to policies that affect LGBTQ+ Penn employees
Interested in Getting Involved? Reach out to one of our co-chairs below!
Jacob Smith (He/Him), Board Co-Chair Jacob joined the Penn community in 2021 as a Senior Student Services Counselor within Student Registration and Financial Services. Completing his B.B.A at Temple University (FOX ’16) and his M.S.Ed (GSE ’24) he has called Philadelphia home for over 10 years but finds new things to love about the city every day. Outside of work Jacob loves a craft night or game night with friends, rec league sports on Sunday, volunteering to walk shelter dogs, and bringing his camera everywhere. Feel free to connect with Jacob about LEAP, Penn, or just about anything else at jmsmith0@upenn.edu. |
Asima Samanta (She/They), Board Co-Chair Asima works at the Perelman School of Medicine as a coordinator in a breast cancer research lab. They have been at Penn for over 15 years, first arriving on campus as a teenager for undergrad and receiving a BA from the College of Arts & Sciences in biology and international relations with a concentration in global health. Asima also previously worked at the Penn LGBT Center as the building coordinator for a few years. They are originally from Philly and currently reside in the suburbs of Delco with cats Oreo and Chips Ahoy. Meet them at the next LEAP event—they are always happy to chat about politics, public health, pets, and, of course, Penn!
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Sam Terry (They/Them) Programming Co-Chair |
Brigid Connell-Bryan (She/Her), Communications Co-Chair Brigid works in donor relations and communications at Wharton. She is eager to support, uplift, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community at Penn. Outside of work, she enjoys trivia, cycling, playing rec softball, and spending time with her wife and dog. Feel free to reach out with questions and ideas – brigidc@upenn.edu. |
Louis Listerud (They/He), Communications Co-Chair Louis Listerud (they/he) is a dedicated research project manager for the EIDOS LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing, as well as a master’s student in the Public Health Program. With a deep passion for advancing queer and trans sexual and mental health, as well as BIPOC health equity, Louis is committed to supporting research in HIV and suicide prevention for both adolescents and adults. Over the past five years at UPenn, they have honed their expertise in public health research while working to foster inclusive, equitable solutions for marginalized communities. Outside of their professional work, Louis serves as a board member for the Attic Youth Center, where they advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth empowerment and affirming resources. In their personal time, Louis enjoys exploring local farmers markets in West Philadelphia, crocheting, and spending time with their beloved pets, Obie (dog) and Baldwin (cat).
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Alexa Duffy (She/Her) Board Member Alexa graduated from Temple University in 2019 with a BA in Communication Studies, concentration in Intercultural Communication, Minor in Theater, and Certificates in French and Spanish. During her time at Temple, she interned with NYC Pride and worked as a volunteer for the March. She is now a part-time graduate student in Penn’s MLA program, concentrating on Global Studies. She has a passion for learning languages and is conversational in French, Spanish, and American Sign Language. In her free time, she enjoys seeing live theater, watching movies (especially horror movies,) dancing (especially hip hop, acro, and tap,) hanging out with friends, and archery!
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