Our Team

President
Jacqueline Murray

Jacqueline Murray is Professor Emerita of History and former Dean of Arts at the University of Guelph and Adjunct Professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto, and former Professor of History at the University of Windsor. Her research focuses on issues pertaining to sexes, sexualities, and genders in the Middle Ages.

Murray teaches and researches topics of importance to our society, such a queer identities and trans people in the past. Her op-eds on the medieval roots of same-sex marriage led to her presenting an affidavit for MCC in its court challenge, ultimately leading to legalization. She is a frequent public speaker and, in addition to academic scholarship, regularly publishes in the media on the medieval foundations of contemporary values and beliefs, including “red light” districts, female virginity, misconceptions about conception, and how medieval trans people provide a deep history of trans, nonbinary, and other queer people today.

Jacqueline has been involved in AIDS Walks in Windsor and Guelph, ARCH (formerly the AIDS Committee of Guelph, and Out on the Shelf (Guelph). She has also fundraised to support the education of girls and women in Afghanistan. She volunteered with the World University Service of Canada, completing three placements in Accra, Ghana. She serves on the board of the Canadian NGO Ghana Medical Help, which provides equipment and education to support rural healthcare in Ghana.

Vice President
Kelvin Kung

Kelvin Kung is a trained historian with three degrees from McGill University’s Faculty of Engineering and School of Architecture: a Bachelor of Architecture, a Master’s of Professional Architecture, and a Post-Professional Master’s Degree in Architectural History and Theory; with Alberto Pérez-Gómez, S. R. Bronfman Professor, Order of Canada; Martin Bressani M.Sc.(Arch.)(MIT), Ph.D (Paris-Sorbonne University); performing archival work with primary treatises (1300s to 1900s) at the McGill Rare Books Library. Kelvin served with the Society of Architectural Historians (founded 1940 at Harvard University); collaborated with historians from Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, National University of Singapore, Hong Kong University, etc., sharing LGBTQ+ history. Kelvin chairs the relocation committee, serves on the Ad Hoc Committee for initiates supported by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

Kelvin’s work includes: Canada’s first net-zero aquatic centre (Canadian Architect Award of Excellence), time at architectural firms who built the Wellesley Community Centre, Pan Am Aquatic Centre and the Cooper Koo Family YMCA in Toronto’s historic Church-Wellesley Village; King City Community Centre (hockey rinks, athletics, community); East Gwillimbury (swimming pools, libraries, community art galleries, and outdoor gardens.)

Kelvin has mentored LGBTQ+ youth at The 519, been a keynote speaker at Microsoft, Osler, and Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Kelvin runs with FrontRunners, an LGBTQ+ athletics group the heart of the Village with over 200 members, and has received the FrontRunners’ Favourite Newcomer Award, determined by a democratic vote of its membership.

Secretary 
Lisa Freedman
(she/her)

Lisa Freedman is a recently retired lawyer with a passion for advocating for LGBTQ2+ rights. With a 22 year distinguished career in governance management positions at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Lisa brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.

Lisa finished her professional career as an Adjudicator on the Social Benefits Tribunal from 2012-2017.

In addition to her professional achievements, Lisa has been actively involved in the LGBTQ2+ and feminist communities as a volunteer. She was a collective member of Broadside: A Feminist Review, a monthly magazine that made significant contributions to feminist journalism in the 80s and 90s. In 2012, the collective reunited to establish a dedicated website and publish a compilation of the best feminist journalism from Broadside, resulting in the book “Inside Broadside: A Decade of Feminist Journalism” by Women’s Press in 2019.

One of Lisa’s most notable accomplishments was her involvement in a landmark legal case in 1996. As one of four non-biological mothers, she fought for the rights of same-sex couples to bring joint adoption applications. Their efforts led to a groundbreaking ruling that the Child and Family Services Act of Ontario violated Section 15 of the Charter. This ruling made Ontario the first province to legalize adoption for same-sex couples. To celebrate this victory, Lisa’s family was honoured as one of the Grand Marshals of the Pride parade that year.

Director
Lucas Wilson
(he/him)

Lucas is the Justice, Equity, and Transformation Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Calgary. He holds graduate degrees from McMaster University, Vanderbilt University, and Florida Atlantic University. His academic work has appeared or will appear in Modern Language Studies, Canadian Jewish Studies, Flannery O’Connor Review, The Journal of Jewish Identities, and Studies in Jewish American Literature and in edited collections published by The MLA, SUNY Press, The University of Alabama Press, and DIO Press. He is currently working on a book about the children of Holocaust survivors (under contract with Rutgers University Press); an edited collection about the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors (under contract with Lexington Books); and an edited collection of stories of conversion therapy survivors (Jessica Kinsley Publishers). His public-facing work has appeared in The Advocate, Queerty, LGBTQ Nation, and Religion Dispatches, among other venues.

Director
Ryan McCann

(he/him)

Ryan brings nearly a decade of experience in corporate reputation management, media relations, public relations, thought leadership, and storytelling. As a Corporate Communications Manager at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), he takes great pride in his work as a strategic and creative writer, relationship builder, and supporting campaigns and initiatives with organizations creating an impact within 2SLGBTQ+ communities across Canada. He volunteers his time as the lead for LCBO’s Pride Network Employee Resource Group, championing safe and inclusive spaces where everyone can be their authentic selves. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto with a double major in Art History and Professional Writing & Communications. He has also acquired a post-graduate certificate from Humber College Media Studies in Public Relations and earned certificates for the Emerging Leaders Program and Inclusive Leadership Program.

Director
Ray Welsh
(they/them)

Director
Keith Bennie
(he/him)

Keith Bennie is the Vice President of Public Programming at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he leads five areas of audience engagement: TIFF Cinematheque, public programs, youth programs, community impact, and library and archives. He is an arts education leader, with previous experience at the Ontario Science Centre, Theatre Museum Canada, and the International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation. Bennie teaches about public programming at Humber College and was selected as a Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab fellow.