Dannie Ceseña (He/Him/They/Them), Network Director, has over 15 years of experience working with non-profits in program development and advocacy. He has extensive knowledge in creating TGNC healthcare collaborations utilizing upstream interventions and addressing the root cause of the lack of access to TGNC affirming health care. His knowledge and leadership have assisted in the creation of two TGNC community health care clinics, and a monthly TGNC legal clinic in Orange County, CA. Dannie has become a trusted leader in LGBTQ health among partners in the California Tobacco Control Program. He is responsible for building We Breathe: Supporting Tobacco-Free LGBTQ Communities from the ground-up, and has established the program as a leader statewide, nationally, and even internationally.  He has provided leadership and guidance for LGBTQ organizations that are new to working with the Department of Public Health, helping them navigate the complicated bureaucracy and ensuring LGBTQ project staff always have a place to turn with their questions and concerns. He is in high demand to present on LGBTQ health at trainings, meetings, and conferences throughout the country, and internationally.

Dannie is currently serving a 3-year appointed term for the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee and was recently selected to participate in the Department of Managed Health Care’s (DMHC) Health Equity and Quality Committee. He serves as a committee member for the Coalition of Demographic Data Equity, Orange County Trans Latinas, Planned Parenthood Orange County-San Bernardino Latino and LGBTQ Committee(s), GLMA (Gay and Lesbian Medical Association), and International AIDs Society.  Dannie is a founding member of the Transgender Health Research Ethics and Advocacy (THREAT) Team which includes members from TGI-led organizations, trans-identified mental health providers, and academic researchers. Dannie is currently serving as a Community Investigator on a research team at UCLA called “Just Research? Trans Futures in Health and Scientific Knowledge”.

Dannie has been awarded Community Icon of the Year by Orange County Pride, Pro Bono Community Partner of the Year by UC Irvine School of Law, the Diversity Spirit Achievement Award by City Career Fair, The Courage Award from the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association and the Beacon of Light Award from the City of Costa Mesa. He has been recognized by Congressman Lou Correa, CA Senator David Min, CA Assembly Member Cottie Petrie-Norris and the Orange County Board of Supervisors for his work in LGBTQ Health Care and Advocacy.

He is a graduate of CSU Long Beach with Bachelor’s Degrees in English and Political Science, and is a graduate of National University with a Master Degree in Public Health. On his spare time he enjoys trips to Disneyland, hiking and traveling with his wife and two dogs Gracie and Iris.

Isaias Guzman (He/Him), CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network organizer, joined Health Access in 2018. Isaias received a B.A. in Political Science and Chicano Studies with an emphasis on issues of race, gender, and sexuality from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining the team, Isaias was a paralegal with a non-profit organization advocating on behalf of low-income, homeless, and/or HIV+ people in obtaining public disability benefits. Isaias also has an extensive experience organizing with queer and trans youth for racial and gender justice in the education system across local, state, and national boundaries. As a youth trainer for the GSA Network, he assisted in empowering LGBTQ youth and youth of color to become agents of change in their communities through youth-adult partnerships. At the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Isaias worked with LifeWorks LA to introduce culturally competent and comprehensive sexual health curriculum addressing issues of HIV/AIDs, PrEP, PEP, and youth legal rights. Most recently, he has organized the first-ever leadership summit in the East Bay tailored to the unique needs of LGBTQ youth of color. Isaias is excited to continue and advance the health and well-being of the queer and trans* community by advocating for LGBTQ health equity.

Isaias was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents. He enjoys dancing, learning about Queer Latinx art, culture and performance, and exploring new hiking trails during his free time.

Ariela Cuellar (she/her) joined the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network in 2021. As the Communications Specialist at the Network, Ariela works on several statewide campaigns to assist with improving the health and wellness among LGBTQ+ Californians. Ariela supports the Network’s project We Breathe and has led the creation of various educational materials on tobacco cessation, assisted in designing the Policy Platform and has created video projects to uplift We Breathe’s mission to reduce LGBTQ+ tobacco-related disparities.

Ariela also supports with creating digital content for the Network’s #Out4MentalHealth program and has led “Communications 101” trainings for #O4MH task forces to better support their advocacy efforts and build organizational capacity. Ariela is very passionate about creating communications content that is rooted in social justice advocacy and that represents the identities of all folks under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella.

Statewide, Ariela leads with organizing and disseminating all communications for the Network’s annual CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Convening which brings together over 200 LGBTQ+ community leaders from across California who are dedicated to improving the health and wellness of their communities. Ariela was recently appointed to the Covered California Marketing, Outreach, and Enrollment Assistance (MOEA) Advisory Group for a two year membership term. In this role, Ariela will be working alongside key professionals and stakeholders who provide input to the Covered California Board and staff on critical issues related to Covered California’s efforts to assure as many Californians as possible are aware of and use its services.

Prior to joining the Network, Ariela was the Sacramento LGBT Community Center’s Community Engagement and Marketing Strategist, where she helped amplify the Center’s mission, services and programs through multi-media outreach and by leading tours of the Center to community members, donors and stakeholders.

Ariela grew up in Vallejo, CA and is a proud second generation Salvadoran-American. She identifies as latine, queer, femme, leo sun, taurus moon, gemini rising, and a dog mom. In her spare time she can be found supporting local drag shows, spending time with her fiance and emotional support animal, playing video gaymes and practicing photography. Ariela received her B.A. in Communications with a minor in Sociology from the University of California, Davis.

Kitty (they/them/she/her) comes in with ten years of non-profit experience, focusing specifically on child abuse prevention and infant sleep related death prevention. Much of Kitty’s work has focused on racial disparities within our health care services and child protective services, and working on systematic changes to better serve those populations to keep families intact, happy, and healthy.

Kitty has over twenty years of operations experience, and prefers to use those skills as an admin support to the direct service specialists in our communities.

Kitty is an alumni of California State University of Sacramento, where she served as an officer of the QSA. After her work on campus, Kitty went on to work on education and awareness for AIDS and HIV statistics in the U.S.

Kitty is an Orange County native, but resides in Sacramento with her animals. She enjoys playing piano, reading novels or ancient history books, gaming, and hiking with her dog.

Mallery Jenna Robinson is an AfraCarribean Transwoman and transgender and HIV healthcare advocate in Los Angeles. She has worked with the LGBTQ Center Long Beach from 2019-2021 as the Engagement Specialist and Service Navigator for their Transgender Health Program. In the summer of 2019, she began working at The LGBTQ Center Long Beach as the Engagement Specialist and Service Navigator for The Transgender Health Department. The duties of this position included: case management of clients, linkage to care, PrEP and PEP services, STI screening and HIV testing. While at The LGBTQ Center Long Beach Mallery implemented several successful essential programs such as: Rack and Roll (a clothes closet), Snack Shack (food pantry), TRANSport ( an essential items delivery service,) and events such as: Come OUT and Pose, Valen Trans Day, and a The T-Report Red Desk Diaries a panel for National Transgender HIV Testing Day. She has also presented several Transgender Empathy Trainings (TET Talks) presentations to Sony PlayStation, and Long Beach Vocal Rehab to list a few. Mallery has also spoken publicly for The Long Beach Transgender Day of Remembrance at Harvey Milk Park in November 2019 and for ALL Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and co-hosted several LGBTQ virtual award shows such as Unique Woman’s Coalition Our Honors Award. On Transgender Day of Visibility.

Astin Williams (she/they) joined the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network in November of 2022. Astin received her B.A. in Psychology from Cal Poly Humboldt and her Master of Public Health from California State University, Sacramento. Astin has spent more than a decade advocating for sexual health education and bodily autonomy in multiple counties across Northern California. From her personal and professional experience, she believes part of the path toward LGBTQ+ liberation is providing intersectional health education that guides our community to have full agency over their bodies via an understanding of their health.

Astin has worked on implementing comprehensive sexual education curricula with various organizations and institutions, including County Public Health Departments, Unified School Districts, and California State Universities. She has also dedicated her time to local non-profit sectors, working with organizations such as Planned Parenthood and WEAVE. Astin finds most of her joy in advocating for sexual health within QTBIPOC communities. Astin is a Berkeley, CA native and now resides in the Sacramento area. She identifies as a Black, queer, femme, Aries, plant lover, foodie, and activist.