MODERATOR: Gina Leigh Duncan

CEO and President, The Pride Chamber of Greater Orlando

Gina Duncan has been a corporate leader in the mortgage banking industry in Florida for more than 30 years. She worked with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage from 1997 to 2011 and served as their area manager of Central Florida. She then was promoted to regional manager for East Florida, overseeing 26 branches, more than 250 employees and a multimillion-dollar budget.

Gina has also served in leadership roles with the Human Rights Campaign and the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce in Central Florida, the PRIDE Chamber. In 2011, Gina was the first elected transgender president of a major Chamber of Commerce in the United States.

Gina Duncan has also served as the state director of Equality Florida’s Transgender Inclusion Initiative, TransAction Florida, from 2014 to 2021. She oversaw a statewide movement comprised of a 1,200-plus-person advocacy network and led by the TransAction Florida Advisory Council, advocating for transgender rights and protections through public policy, advocacy and educational efforts statewide. She now serves as CEO and President of The Pride Chamber of Greater Orlando, advocating for “Equality Through Economics” with the Central Florida business community.

Gina was chosen as one of the 100 LGBT Movers and Shakers in Florida (2015), Orlando LGBT Center’s Trail Blazer Award (2017), the Diversity Champion’s Award by the Florida Diversity Council (2016), the Debbie Simmons Community Excellence Award at Come Out with Pride in 2018, and the Pride Chamber’s prestigious Community Champion of the Year, 2019. She has been featured on the cover of Orlando Weekly, Watermark and Florida Trend magazines. Gina was presented the coveted Equality Florida Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.

Dr. George Wallace

CEO, The LGBTQ+ Center Orlando



The center's mission is the promote and empower the LGBTQ community and its allies through advocacy, education,

information and support. George is an LGBTQ advocate, being named Orlando's favorite activist by Watermark Media for the past five years.

George's career has spanned 30 years in nonprofit management. Prior to joining The Center, he was the executive director at Orlando Fringe Festival and previously the director of community supports for Quest, Inc. 

When not spending time focused on human rights, George enjoys travel, Red Sox baseball (sorry, Yankee fans), and Orlando City Soccer games. Originally from Boston, George has called Orlando home since 1992. In 2019, Mayor Dyer appointed Wallace to Orlando's first Multicultural Board, and in 2022, Mayor Jerry Demings named him as Orange County's Distinguished Citizen of the Year.

Due to an unforeseen event, this panelist had to pull out of the event.

Heather Wilkie

Executive Director, Zebra Youth

Heather Wilkie is the executive director of Zebra Youth, a groundbreaking, nonprofit organization committed to empowering LGBTQ+ youth to thrive. She has led the organization since 2010, overseeing award-winning programs that provide crucial mental health counseling, support and housing to thousands of LGBTQ+ youths ages 13-24 in Central Florida.

Heather, a licensed mental health counselor and graduate of Rollins College in Winter Park, has been a dynamic and energetic advocate for global change and equality. Her leadership has been instrumental in Zebra Youth's evolution into a leading provider of services to victims and families affected by the tragic Pulse shooting. She continues to lead efforts to ensure that LGBTQ+ youth in Central Florida have a safe space to turn to and has been at the forefront of groundbreaking research to identify and address gaps in services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

In addition to her exceptional work in the nonprofit sector, Wilkie is an LGBTQ+ activist. She participates in advocacy efforts related to the community while also serving on several vital leadership committees, including the Board of Directors for The Pride Chamber, Equality Florida's Orlando Gala Steering Committee, the Orange County Domestic Violence Committee’s Public Awareness & Education Committee, the One Orlando Alliance, and Orange County Public School’s Mental Health Commission.

Wilkie has received numerous accolades, including the Heart of Florida United Way’s Change Maker Impact 2025 award, Orlando Weekly's "People We Love" 2024, Harbor House of Central Florida’s Champion of Equality award and Orlando Magazine’s “Women of the Year” award, and the Orlando Sentinel’s “People Who Make Orlando a Better Place to Live” recognition.

Nathan Bruemmer

Attorney

Nathan Bruemmer is managing attorney for Bruemmer Law Firm and serves on the board of directors for Equality Florida. He also is the former executive director of ALSO Youth in Sarasota, FL — a community center focusing on outreach, education and advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth — and as executive director for St. Pete Pride. He also worked as director for LGBTQ Affairs for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

He is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law where he was a member of Stetson Law’s Trial Team, Dispute Resolution Board, and Journal of Advocacy and the Law. Nathan is a Florida native, a graduate of the University of South Florida and a former teacher in Hillsborough County. He has worked as a consultant, educator and advocate on behalf of LGBTQ+ youth, the transgender community and those impacted by food and housing insecurity.

Nathan was named one of the Tampa Bay Area’s “Most Remarkable People” in 2018 by Watermark Media. The Tampa Bay Business Journal presented him with the Business of Pride “Outstanding Voice Award” for his advocacy work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community in 2017.

Nathan has served on the Sarasota County Bar Association’s Council of Diversity and Inclusion, the TransAction Florida Advisory Council and the board of directors for the Rainbow Housing Coalition.

Gabriella Rodriguez

Executive Director, QLatinx

Gabriella Rodriguez is a dedicated, queer woman of color, bringing a wealth of community knowledge and expertise to her work. Her journey as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, sexual health and wellness is deeply personal, rooted in her life experiences, and she approaches this work with an intersectional perspective.

These experiences have ignited a strong sense of purpose in Gabriella to rewrite the prevailing narrative. She now currently serves as the executive director of QLatinx, a small grassroots organization that works to uplift and empower Central Florida Latinx LGBTQ+ community. Her mission remains to dismantling stigma and discrimination within the community, raising awareness and empowering individuals to embrace self-discovery, self-love and personal well-being. Gabriella's work is rooted in the pursuit of social justice and equity, striving for liberation despite the odds.