TCNE
Board of Trustees
Irene Brank
TCNE President
Irene (she/her) is a storyteller, consultant, and advocate for the transgender, non-binary and gender expansive community. She is a bi-racial person who is proud of her Asian heritage. She specializes in transgender, nonbinary, or otherwise gender-expansive education, pro-bono consultation for individuals planning for their transition at work, and leading gender transitions in the workplace. Irene is a frequent speaker for corporate and non-profit events, often partnering with her transgender daughter who is promoting change as a social media influencer and content creator. She is a frequent speaker at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit and other conferences supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Irene has spent many years in different roles with both ERG’s and BRG’s including leadership. Irene brings her unique experience in Human Resources and Diversity Equity & Inclusion together to create sustainable impact for the transgender, nonbinary, or otherwise gender-expansive community.
olivia werth
Director of Finance
Olivia Werth is a trans woman who finally began transitioning two years ago after a lifetime of denial. Since then she has been looking for opportunities to put her skills to use to help the community. With a Masters in Accounting and over twenty years of experience in the field, she is looking forward to putting her professional experience to use for the community as TCNE’s Director of Finance.
Gabe Rodarte-Miller
Director of Education & Workshops
Gabe (he/him) is a proud member of the Latino and LGBTQ+ Community. Currently he is the coordinator of workshops and social programming at First Event and throughout the year at TCNE. As a dedicated Diversity Champion with expertise in DEI and recruiting, Gabe has made significant contributions to advancing diversity and inclusion. He has served on various LGBTQIA+ boards, demonstrating a strong commitment to fostering equitable environments. Gabe has led numerous initiatives in partnership development, conference planning, and diversity-focused recruitment efforts. Additionally, he has successfully managed several Employee Resource Groups, furthering his impact in promoting inclusivity in the workplace.
Marceline Friedman
Director of Logistics
Billie Charles
Director of Marketing
Billie (she/her) manages and designs content for social media, website, and email communications in support of the First Event Conference and throughout the year at TCNE.
She brings a background in both corporate and nonprofit design expertise and editorial skills to support strategic multi-channel marketing initiatives, ensuring consistent and impactful messaging across all platforms.
Billie holds a Bachelor of Science in graphic design from Northeastern University, a Master of Art in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston and is currently enrolled in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher training program at Brown University.
Her passion for uplifting the transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive communities is grounded in a profound dedication to her daughter, who identifies as transgender. She aims to channel her creative talents into a powerful advocacy for a future where everyone can embrace their authentic selves.
Lila Baxter
First Event Co-Chair
Lila (she/her) is a transgender woman who has volunteered for First Event since 2018, starting as a Big Sister mentor, then Registrar, and later as Director of Administration. She is presently Co-Chair and Director of Administration for First Event 2025. Her responsibilities include attendee and vendor registration, First Event financial performance, and administration of the Ken Garber scholarship program.
Upon joining the staff of First Event in 2019, Lila observed that the scholarship program in place at the time was insufficient, only providing assistance with the purchase of a conference ticket. After moving into a leadership role in 2024, Lila spearheaded the creation of a more comprehensive scholarship program that promotes equity by providing assistance with meals, lodging, and travel in addition to a conference admission.
In 2019, Lila co-founded the nonprofit Renaissance New England (RNE) to provide a safe space and peer support for adult transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive individuals, and adult family and supporters. RNE was founded to replace the local chapter of a national organization whose charter was to welcome heterosexual crossdressers only. Lila currently serves as Director of Membership for RNE and coordinates Pride event participation.
In her spare time, Lila works a full-time job managing the Electrical Engineering department for a company that designs, builds, and maintains robots for military and first responders. These robots are used to keep these brave public servants away from explosives and other hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods.
danica wiles
First Event Co-Chair
As the chair for First Event Danica, through the volunteer First Event team, is responsible for the program, financial performance, communication, logistics, customer service and the overall First Event experience.
Carmen Alvaro Jarrín
Director of Volunteers
Carmen Alvaro Jarrin (she/they) is an anthropologist and a professor specializing on trans and non-binary identities in Brazil and the United States. She’s the author of The Biopolitics of Beauty, they have published in Transgender Studies Quarterly and she is working on a new book called Our They/Them Future. At TCNE, Carmen has served as the Director of Outreach, as the Director of Volunteers and as the Chair of the Nominations Committee. They have pushed TCNE to better integrate people of color and non-binary folks into the organization, thus serving the needs of younger generations of gender nonconforming people.
david bedrin
Director of Outreach