About Our Board
Our organization is overseen by an all-volunteer board. Together they coordinate all branches of Geeks OUT across the country.
Executives
Nic Gitau
President
They / She
Long a fan of Geeks OUT’s work, Nic began volunteering with the organization in 2012. Since then they have served as Blog Editor, Vice President and, beginning in 2018, President. As a librarian and tech researcher, she counts Barbara Gordon and Jenny Calendar among her fandom inspirations.
Kevin Gilligan
Vice-President
He / Him
Kevin is a bisexual comic book lover, who has found strength in his queer geek identity through his work with Geeks OUT. He chairs the Conventions Committee, bringing a safe space and visible queer presence to conventions around the country. When he isn’t volunteering time to make geek culture more welcoming to the queer community, he spend his time acting, writing, and producing.
Steve Gianaca
Secretary
He / Him
Steve joined Geeks OUT in 2015, previously serving as the Creative Lead, webmaster and Flame Con Committee Chair. Outside of Geeks OUT, Steve has worked as a designer for major TV networks, Creative Director for several national publications, and marketing designer for a Fortune 500 tech company.
Daniel Lu
Treasurer
He / Him / They
Daniel has been a fan of Flamecon and Geeksout from the Boycott of Ender’s game to the first Flamecon in Brooklyn. He has volunteered, staffed and been to many cons from Anime to Fan conventions. However Flamecon has a special place in my heart because the community is truly like no other. I am excited to be part of Flamecon.
Board Members at Large
Jayson Bennett
He / She / They
Jayson Bennett (all pronouns) is a veterinary medical professional,who educates about Equity, Inclusion and Diversity in the veterinary field while also managing one of NYC’s largest 24-hour Specialty and Emergency Veterinary Hospitals in Manhattan. He has been working in LGBTQ+ advocacy for over 20 years with many organizations in both Philadelphia and NYC. When he isn’t working with the pets of NYC or planning events for Geeks OUT, he spends time cultivating his plant collection, reading fantasy novels and catching local drag performances with friends.
Phoebe Ellman
She / Her
Phoebe discovered Geeks OUT and Flame Con in 2018 as an attendee and hasn’t looked back since. She is thrilled to be part of this work of making vibrant queer nerdy spaces. By day Phoebe works as a museum educator, but in her free time she enjoys getting lost in sci-fi and fantasy books, writing, and dressing up in medieval armor to fight in full-contact armored combat events (it’s a real sport, I promise!).
Leslee Friedman
She / Her
Leslee got her first taste of queer advocacy in 1992 at the age of eleven, and has been hooked ever since. Happily dwelling in a variety of fandoms since she stumbled upon online fandom in 1998, joining the board of Geeks OUT feels like bringing together two of the most central elements in her life, while getting the privilege of working with other people who are as enthusiastic as she is. When not being a semi-professional queer person and/or geek, Leslee practices trademark law, spends time at shul, attends theater, and smooshes her dog’s and rabbits’ faces.
Kelly McTaggart
They / Them
Kelly is a life long lover of narratives, queer things, and all things human. Ever since attending their first FlameCon in 2016, they have dreamed of getting involved and in 2024 they made it official by joining the team. When they aren’t dedicating time to Geeks Out, Kelly can be found working in administration by day, and playing music by night.
Mike Moon
He / Him
Mike discovered a love of nerdy things when his parents first introduced him to Star Trek at the age of 6. Over the years his love of geekery and seeking out fellow queer geeks brought him to the Geeks Out podcast. He listened for a few years before deciding to find a way to get involved. Mike serves as the Marketing chair for Geeks Out and Flame Con.
Vicente C. Montoya
He / They / El / Elle
Vicente brings over fourteen years of experience in LGBTQIA+ outdoor event management and nonprofit development to the Geeks OUT board. Based in Oakland, Vicente excels at building productive relationships and translating organizational missions into compelling narratives for funders and communities. Vicente serves as the Sponsorship Coordinator and is helping with grants for Flame Con and Geeks OUT. For Vicente, comic books and graphic novels have been a vital source of joy and healing—offering refuge, representation, and lessons about ethics and lived experiences he didn’t find elsewhere growing up. He’s excited to collaborate with the Geeks OUT community to create safe, affirming spaces where queer youth can discover their authentic selves and build community.
Sam Scala
He / Him
Sam has loved all things nerdy since he grew up watching YuGiOh at age 3 — which makes sense considering his first queer ship was Jaden & Jesse from YGO GX. He first attended FlameCon back in 2017 and is the new Literary Coordinator for FC/GO. In his daily life, you can find Sam at his day job as a Young Adult Librarian or chilling with his demon cat in Astoria with too many books. You’ll probably never get him to stop yapping about all kinds of queer lit and other media.