PANELISTS DETAILS

Steve Burke Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of California; CHEER SF 1990-2015 Former newspaper reporter, park ranger, and disability rights advocate. Avid swimmer, sports fan, and lover of nature and history. Bay Area native.

Nguyen Pham Board Secretary of San Francisco Pride; CHEER SF 2002 to Present Board Member of The Prism Foundation. CHEER San Francisco volunteer from 2002 to present. Community builder and philanthropic pageant titleholder: Mr. Mensa 2011, Mr. GAPA 2013, and Mr. Gay San Francisco 2015-2016. USA National Champion in competitive cheerleading. Bay Area native.

Sanford Smith Drag Performer and Social Justice Activist; CHEER SF 1999-2016 Also known as Afrika America, the DIVAlicious drag performer and social justice activist. Founding member of the CHEER for Life Foundation. Periodic emcee for the Pride Cheerleading Association during SF Pride. San Francisco native.

Anel Zarate Interior Designer Based in Oakland; CHEER SF 2017 to Present Residential interior designer serving the Bay Area and beyond, transforming homes into beautiful living spaces. CHEER SF marketing manager who creates graphics and videos for digital deployment. Avid seamstress who designs and sews clothes, occasionally hand-printing textiles. Sacramento native.

With Michelle Meow, producer and host of "The Michelle Meow Show" on KPIX/KBCW and via podcast; also a member of The Commonwealth Club's Board of Governors.