Board of Directors
The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is the main governing body of your Chamber, whose responsibilities include financial authority, long-range planning, and creating a lasting brand and image for the Chamber. BoardofDirectors@UtahLGBTQChamber.org
Tracey Dean, Chairwoman of the Board, she|her
Tracey Dean Financial
tracey.dean@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Tracey S. Dean is a door opener, community engager, and passionate golfer. She is an insurance and financial advisor by trade but spends significant time championing rights for diversity and inclusion within the LGBTQ+ and other underserved communities in Utah.
Tracey’s journey began after nearly losing her life in a severe car accident. This caused her to take a deep, introspective look at her own path and to make a conscious change to help others. Tracey is proud to be a first-generation college graduate, attaining her bachelor’s degree in Business with a concentration in Finance from Westminster College. Currently, she runs a successful firm, Tracey Dean Financial in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Through her 3 years of work with new and established LGBT and allied businesses with the Chamber, the membership has grown over 100%. In 2017 Tracey received an Ambassador of the Year award for her time as a director with the Utah Women’s Networking Group and is the proud recipient of a Q Salt Lake Fabby award for Best Financial Advisor. Tracey was also honored to be named Affiliate Chamber Leader of the Year in 2021 by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
Tracey resides in Millcreek with her partner Sherri and their rescue pup, Moxie. She adores her "bonus" kids and can't stop talking about her new grandbaby, Steele. If you cannot find them at home, look at the nearest golf course or pickleball court!
Daniel Romero-Guerrero, Board Vice Chair, he|they
Conexion Consulting
daniel.romero-guerrero@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Daniel is a transgender immigrant from Guadalajara, Jalisco, currently pursuing Gender, Ethnic, and Disability Studies at the University of Utah. He is passionate about community building and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ communities, with a focus on the intersections.
He primarily works as a community health worker and independent contractor, focusing on social determinants. His experience includes collaborations with Salt Lake County’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Salt Lake County Health Department, ASCENT, AHEC, and the Council on Diversity Affairs, in addition to leading the Rising Leaders Network for historically underserved and underrepresented communities.
Currently, he is a Gender Justice Scholar under Gender Studies at the University of Utah, in partnership with the Center for Community and Cultural Engagement. Additionally, as a Social Justice Facilitator and DEI+B (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) consultant through his business, Conexion Consulting, furthering his commitment to Justice Frameworks
Emily Potts, Board Treasurer, she|her
Sugarhouse Coffee
emily.potts@utahLGBTQchamber.org
I am an ally business owner that is committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for the queer community. I am personally committed to speak up and be loud for all LGBTQIA+ people. I am a proud mother of a gay son and have nourished a space for him to be proud of who he is since he was a baby. I have a staff that is more than 90% queer and I will continue to fight for each one of them. I am committed to ensuring they all have the same rights as I do and feel safe walking down the street.
Cassie Aubrey, Board Secretary, she|her
Realty with Cassie
cassie.aubrey@UtahLGBTQChamber.org
Cassie stands out in the Utah real estate scene with her dedication to her clients’ success in homeownership. Understanding that each real estate transaction is a significant life event, Cassie crafts personalized strategies tailored to her client’s goals, guiding them through the market with ease and confidence.
Deeply valuing community and continuous personal growth, Cassie is an active member of the National Association of Realtors, the Women’s Council of Realtors, and serves on the board of directors for the Utah LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. These roles enrich her expertise and enable her to provide exceptional service.
Committed to building lasting relationships, Cassie empowers her clients with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. Whether helping first-time buyers, assisting sellers, or managing real estate investments, her objective is to transform client aspirations into reality, ensuring a smooth and fulfilling experience from beginning to end.
Ed Turner, Chamber/Safe Zone Utah Liason he|him
Highland Street Antiques
ed.turner@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Ed Turner has always lived socially and economically in the LBGTQ+ community and brought his full identity to the world as a person living with HIV since 1982. Ed along with his husband and their dog Riley, are thrilled to be living their best lives in Utah. Ed enjoys travel and believes: ‘If you don’t go, you don’t see!'
Ed moved to Utah in 2017, having retired from a 32-year career at the Supreme Court of the United States as the Deputy Chief of Staff. Shortly after arriving in Utah, he served as the first Chair of the Board of Directors for Flourish Bakery — a non-profit start-up teaching life skills and the art of professional baking to those recovering from substance use disorders with a history of incarceration.
Ed enjoys skiing (but not putting on ski boots), antiques (prior business owner), travel (where will he land next?), fundraising (started at age 10 with my family), and choosing happiness (with a side of snarkiness).
James Aaron Sellers, Southern Utah Chair, he|him
JASA Acupuncture
jamesaaron.sellers@UtahLGBTQchamber.org
James Aaron Sellers is a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac) who holds a Masters in Oriental Medicine. After initially acquiring a California license (currently not active), he is now fully recognized by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commision for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) and the State of Utah DOPOL to practice medicine. He has honed his expertise through a Certificate in Facial Rejuvenation and his academic journey at AMIC Berkley with an emphasis on functional and integrative medicine.
Shannon White, Events Chair, he|him
Amalgamation Studio + Laziz Kitchen + Sweet Hazel & Co.
shannon.white@UtahLGBTQchamber.org
Shannon moved from Indiana to Utah in 2016 after finishing his BFA in painting where he fell in love with large scale events and art projects. After several public art commissions, Shannon worked with local catering companies as an event planner and sales executive.
Now you can now find Shannon working with local queer owned businesses as a catering and events manager. This is also his 3rd year as the events chair for the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce where he loves creating safe spaces for local Allied and queer owned businesses to connect and thrive.
Shannon is fulfilling his lifelong goal of founding his own company, Amalgamation Studio, a creative consulting firm that plans large scale events and art installations.
Sonya Drouguett, Marketing Chair, she|her
Pups SLC - Eco-Friendly Dog Grooming, Daycare
sonya.drouguett@UtahLGBTQchamber.org
Sonya Drouguett (she/her) is an entrepreneurial marketing and commercialization executive with 20+ years of driving award-winning clinical marketing strategies for Fortune 500 and international organizations in the genetic testing, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries. She is also the proud founder and owner of Pups, her first business venture focused on elevating the experience of grooming, training, and daycare for dogs and their humans.
As a corporate executive and a female business owner, Sonya actively supports diversity and career development for women, minorities, and those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Justin Utley, Advocacy Chair, he|they
Wells Fargo
justin.utley@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Having recently relocated from New York City, Justin has been involved in advocacy within our community since 2005. He testified in the Utah Legislative hearings on LGBTQ Employment and Housing Discrimination, as well as the recent hearings on banning the abusive practice of Conversion Therapy. Justin has been a guest speaker and performer at pride and equality-centered events worldwide and have been a featured contributor on CNN‚ Faces of Faith, NPR, Huffington Post, SiriusXM, and MSNBC.
Justin is passionate about building bridges of understanding, equity, and inclusion, and serves on the board of the Utah LGBTQ Chamber to help create meaningful change and growth within our business community.
Kaleb Claypool, Membership Chair, he|him
Claypool & Associates, LLC
kaleb.claypool@UtahLGBTQchamber.org
Kaleb is a creative and energetic problem solver with experience in both the private and public sectors. He has proven experience in volunteer management, non-profit development, personnel management, ticketing systems & policy, and much more. His portfolio of events covers everything from a large 15,000 seat venue to a small intimate event of fewer than 100 patrons.
When not working, Kaleb is generally found spending time with friends and family. He enjoys cooking and baking as well as taking a hammock out on adventures. He finds great pleasure in the arts and in leading a team to help patrons/patients have a great experience.
Eliza Hill, Ambassador Committee, she|her
Eliza Hill Coaching
eliza.hill@UtahLGBTQchamber.org
As an intuitive guide and an energetics and mindset coach, Eliza Hill guides others on their paths as they learn about and value who they are and how they are designed to live. She mirrors back the beauty and strength within all of us, that we have sometimes forgotten.
In her own life and healing, Eliza has learned how to grieve the past without judgment, release it, and rewrite a new story filled with alignment, honesty, and strength. By sharing her own journey, she is able to share the truth of her humanness in order to show how it, along with love, is actually her power.
Eliza shows up in her work and life, to show others the beauty in both loving and being themselves — living messily and openly — as this is where desire, curiosity, and inclusivity thrive.
Kaitlyn Mahoney, Board Member At Large, they|she
Under the Umbrella Bookstore
kaitlyn.mahoney@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Kaitlyn Mahoney is the owner of Under the Umbrella Bookstore. They discovered their queer identity primarily through books after making the decision to read more diversely in their mid-20s. Because the publishing industry does not prioritize the stories of queer folks or other marginalized identities, finding these stories was—and continues to be—more difficult than it should be. In January 2021, after years of waiting for someone else to do it, they decided to open a queer-specific bookstore where queer folks of all ages could gather and celebrate their identities in a safe, sober, and accessible space.
Joshua Lucero, Board Member At Large, he|him
Lucero Hair & Wellness
joshua.lucero@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Joshua Lucero has been in the hair industry for 10-years and is the owner of Lucero Hair and Wellness, an inclusive hair studio for all people. His passion for his clients hair journeys and his employees future is what gets him out of bed every morning. He believes in community and uplifting voices that aren't always heard in every room. He wants to see the stigma of those who have done wrong, flipped to see how someone can thrive and change lives, just like himself. He is happily married to his husband Nate, and they have 2 dogs that they love deeply.
Connie Zeller, Board Member At Large, she|her
Salty Bee Events
connie.zeller@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Connie Zeller is the CEO and Founder of Salty Bee Events. A company that manages the details of what live and online events require for entrepreneurs, coaches & mid-size companies. With over 15-years in the business she has extensive experience helping people let go of doing it all while hosting their own events Connie partners with her clients by developing a plan for growth and profitability!
Samantha Parmley, Chairwoman Emeritus, she|her
Strong & Hanni
samantha.parmley@UtahLGBTQchamber.org
"Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges." - Bob Paris
Ever since escaping from the closet herself, Samantha has dedicated her talents, time, and abilities to breaking down barriers and making the world better for everyone in the LGBTQ+ Community. In her roles at the Chamber, she is dedicated to increasing workplace diversity and creating business opportunities for those who identify as LGBTQ+...
Samantha has over a decade of business ownership experience in the tech industry and now works as a freelance Litigation Support Paralegal. She is actively involved in diversity & inclusion efforts, mental health advocacy, and suicide prevention. She is also a mother of 3 darling children, a community activist, writer, and businesswoman.
Chamber Staff
Liz Pitts, President & CEO, she|they
liz.pitts@utahLGBTQchamber.org
Liz is a Salt Lake City native and has for many years been a social justice activist and community volunteer in Utah and elsewhere. Liz served as the Utah Pride Festival Director in 2017 & 2018. She was also on the founding Board of Project Rainbow Utah and was one of the producing directors of the Redrox Music Festival 2017-2021.
They earned bachelors degrees from the University of Utah in Women's Studies & Political Science and a Masters of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington. Liz is a librarian by trade and worked for many years in enterprise system sales, sales enablement, event management, and training before pivoting to a career in local LGBTQ+ non-profit work.
Liz is a mother to a most amazing non-binary young adult, Chance. She is also an avid skier, loves travel, live theater, all things outdoors, and operates a ski lift in their spare time.
Carlos Toledo, Member Engagement Manager, HE|HIM
carlos.toledo@utahLGBTQchamber.org