Q Christian’s Volunteer
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Advisory Council
The EDI Advisory Council is a group of EDI thought leaders who can help us ensure that all QCF communications, content, and programming fully represent the diversity of the LGBTQ+ Christian community. The council will meet quarterly as well as ad hoc meetings or email requests/surveys, as needed, throughout the year to consult with the QCF team to assess new programmatic offerings.
The council is composed of community members and coordinated by QCF staff members Samantha Hasty and Mick Atencio, to help guide Q Christian Fellowship as we continue to plan future events and resources.
Faith Clarke
She/Her
Faith Clarke is an organizational culture and teamwork specialist dedicated to helping organizational leaders cultivate values-driven, inclusive cultures where people feel like they belong and can deliver on business and social impact goals. She has over 30 years experience and an educator and consultant, supporting schools, non-profits, small businesses and faith-based organizations. As a Caribbean immigrant and mother of neurodistinct humans, she's passionate about inclusion and belonging for BIPOC and neurodistinct individuals.
Lindsey Holt
he/she/they
Lindsey enjoys discovering ways to make a harmony out of differences among diverse groups of people. Pulling from personal experience as well as professional experience as a DEI consultant, Lindsey’s core desire for every new engagement is fostering belonging. They believe that creating communities of belonging is a critical part of meaningful relationship, and a keystone of God’s call for the Church. Because of this, Lindsey approaches every idea with an eye towards who is being overlooked and seeks to create space for everyone to share their own experiences. On occasion, Lindsey also enjoys speaking and writing on the intersection of faith and LGBTQ experience.
Lin Melone
She/Her
Lin Melone, (she/her), is a covenant member of the Church of the Sojourners in San Francisco, an intentional Christian community. Lin identifies as cis/gay/queer and is the mom of a grown son from a 25-year mixed-orientation marriage. Lin's professional background is in education and children's ministry, and she is the author of "Welcoming Rainbow Kids" in Faith Forward: A Dialogue on Children, Youth and a New Kind of Christianity (Czinos and Bray, eds., Wood Lake Publishing, 2013). Lin has presented at conferences such as Revoice, E3, and Weaving Our Gifts, as well as at prior QCF conferences. Lin has served on the QCF Side B Advisory since its beginning at the 2017 GCN/QCF conference in Denver.
Terence Mayo
he/they
Rev. Terence Mayo (he/they) is an accomplished Black queer feminist practical theologian, critical educator, and LGBTQIA+ youth advocate. He currently serves as the African American Roundtable Coordinator within the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) and Chief Academic Officer for the Center for Ministry Leadership Center. Terence is also a Steinhardt PhD Fellow within New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. His research explores the intersections of Black queer knowledge production, faith, and performance within urban spaces. Terence’s work has been supported by the Institute for Policy Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School, and Sacred Writes.
Nik Pettye
he/they
Nik “nYk p” Pettye is an Atlanta-based indie recording artist, public theologian, and mass communication professional. Inspired by his experience as a seminary student, he founded his company Adwin Media, LLC in 2020. In 2022, he graduated from the Interdenominational Theological Center with a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Liturgical Arts and Culture. Under the artist name “nYk p”, his latest single entitled “Love is Love (Stripped Version)” serves as a love anthem for all people.
In January of 2025, he formed an activism choir now known as The Qindred Qoalition. This organization engages the talents of not just singers but also public servants, videographers, musicians, visual artists, technologists, social media gurus, and more to fulfill its slogan “Creating Harmony to Conquer Hate”. Nik is committed to building and supporting more affirming communities of diverse talents through the arts and mass communication his life calling.
Regan Saoirse
She/Her
Queer identity includes genderqueer and pansexual. I am a chaplain of 18 years in Kansas and love discussing the spiritual and have a bottomless well of curiosity for life stories. I started out in wildlife biology and love nature and animals. My spouse of 18 years is agnostic and also queer in his own way. EDI is important to my life story as a fat, disabled, queer, white clergywoman. My doctorate in Intereligious Chaplaincy addresses social and cultural contexts that inform spiritual life. My dissertation is on LGBTQ Clergy Care.
Lamont Anthony Wells
he/him
Rev. Lamont Anthony Wells (he, him, his) is the Executive Director, Network of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Colleges and Universities (NECU). NECU is an association of 28 colleges and universities affiliated with the ELCA.
Wells also serves as Strategic Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Wartburg Theological Seminary, and is the immediate past National President of the African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA).
A dynamic and prophetic speaker, Rev. Wells is a global leader among international communities serving as an United Nations Fellow since 2021.
Matthew White
he/him
Matthew White is facilitator, author, and organizer committed to advancing social and individual liberation and creating equitable communities. With over 15 years of experience in the labor movement, Matthew has served in various capacities, including as a union organizer, representative, and educator. His commitment to uplifting marginalized voices is evident in his work with organizations such as QCF, AFSCME, the Poor People's Campaign, and California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, as well as his role as Executive Director of the UDW Resource Center, where he championed the needs of care workers and their families.
Currently, Matthew leads education and leadership development efforts with SEIU Local 1000, where he continues to empower members and enhance their skills for effective advocacy. He is also completing his Doctorate in Ministry at the Pacific School of Religion, exploring the intersections of faith, activism, and community well-being. Matthew has studied Arts Administration at the Savannah College of Art and Design and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Music from the University of La Verne.
An author of the children's book "The Owl Who Didn't Who," Matthew believes in the power of storytelling to inspire empathy and understanding across generations.
Shani Wilson
She/Her
Shani Wilson is a Physician Associate with 10 years of internal medicine experience, specializing in LGBTQ+ health and addiction medicine. Community activism and engagement have been especially important to Shani; she is passionate about giving a voice to the underserved people. She uses her experiences working in medicine to lecture and teach on the intersectionality of social justice and medicine, which she uses in her everyday life to serve the people of the 46th ward of Chicago as their Public Safety Director. She recently served as Rochester Black Pride's inaugural Board Vice President and continues to put her skills to use advocating for Physician Associates as the current President of the LBGT PA Caucus, one of the oldest Caucuses in the Physician Associate profession.
Are you looking to apply to be on the EDI Council or to see what other volunteer opportunities are available? Click the link to see more!