411 Expert Program

Gabe Salazar is a dynamic conductor, tenor, and music educator with two decades of experience inspiring vocalists nationwide. Known for his vibrant leadership and inclusive approach, Gabe is passionate about empowering singers and cultivating transformative musical experiences that reflect the diversity of our communities.

He earned his Master of Music in Voice from Lee University, with additional studies in choral conducting at California State University, Fullerton. His career spans high-level performance and academic leadership, including roles with the United Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks, Grand Canyon University, and Osceola County School of the Arts. Gabe has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Pacific Chorale and has directed award-winning choral programs that have grown exponentially under his leadership. A standout achievement came in 2019 when his Chamber Singers debuted at Carnegie Hall after winning a national competition.

Now in his fourth season as Artistic Director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, Gabe continues guiding the chorus through extraordinary growth. Under his direction, the ensemble has expanded to 180 singers and produced acclaimed collaborations with artists such as Deborah Cox, Shoshana Bean, Amber Riley, and Todrick Hall. His bold artistic vision helped bring Disney PRIDE in Concert to life, further solidifying GMCSF's position as a national leader in LGBTQ+ choral excellence. In 2024, the chorus earned widespread recognition for its standout performance at the GALA Choruses Festival in Minneapolis.

Gabe also serves as Director of Music at Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale and was appointed to the board of directors of GALA Choruses prior to accepting his staff position as Artistic Advisor in Residence.

Kathleen Hansen has been working in the field of music education and performance since 1998. She has a Bachelor of Music degree specializing in music education and trumpet, a teaching credential, and a Master of Music degree in conducting. Kathleen is passionate about providing meaningful opportunities for all people to connect through musical experiences. She believes in the power of good musical programming, effective team training, and mission-based organizational leadership to build life-changing choruses. In addition to her work with San Diego Women’s Chorus (GALA), Kathleen directs the Sun Harbor Chorus and San Diego Chorus of Sweet Adelines International, where she is one of 30 worldwide “International Faculty”. She is an active clinician, adjudicator and vocal coach.

Eve Campbell has worked in the Not- For-Profit industry all of her adult life and loves being involved in mission driven experiences. As an early member of The Women's Chorus of Dallas she found her passion for the gay and lesbian choral movement. She served as the Executive Director of TWCD for over ten years and currently works as a consultant to non-profit arts organizations. Eve has served on numerous non-profit boards including the GALA Choruses board, with a term as president during the Festival Year 2000 in San Jose, CA. During her time with the GALA Choruses board Eve began working with member chorus boards to help with strategic planning, crisis intervention, annual planning, fund development strategies and other board issues. Since her first GALA Choruses consult in 1998, she has had over 100 consults with different choruses and other non-profits, many multiple times, as repeat requests have been frequent. She has also presented at Leadership Conferences, Festival and Artistic Director and Manager's meeting. Recognized as both a community leader and a leader in the gay and lesbian choral movement, Eve has received numerous awards including the Legacy Award from GALA Choruses (the organization's highest honor), the Extra Mile Award for service to the Dallas gay and lesbian community and a lifetime membership award with the Women's Chorus of Dallas.

‍

Non-binary Singer, Actor, and Producer, Abby is the Founder and Artistic Director of Voices United Los Angeles (VULA).  VULA is a Trans-forward chorus that celebrates ALL the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community. A chorus where Trans, Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Intersex, Genderqueer,  Gender Non-Binary, Gender Expansive, and Allies.  Together we lift our voices “INDIVISIBLY UNITED”. 

Abby served as the Artistic Director of the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles (TCLA) from 2017 through 2026. Under Abby's artistic guidance, the chorus proudly represented the TGI community on both local and national stages. In this role, Abby curated exceptional programming and collaborated with a diverse group of notable artists, including Dua Selah, Joy Frost, WRABLE, Boy Genius, MUNA, Angelica Ross, Alex Newll, Freda Payne, Demi Lovato, Noah Cyrus, Andy Grammer, G-Flip, and Maggie Szabo.

With a twenty-year background in Business & Legal Affairs at Paramount Pictures, Abby acts as the CEO of The Hollywood Disruptor (which focuses on teaching the business of show to give voice to all) and as a producer with Picture Lock Entertainment. Their comprehensive artistic background features vocal development with Anne Marie Ketchum alongside theatrical training at the Sanford Meisner Institute, Howard Fine Acting School, Lesly Khan, LA Film School, and the Groundlings. Furthermore, Abby shares their leadership as a board member for GALA Choruses (Gay & Lesbian Choral Association), BABY GAY, the Mankind Initiative, and APAIT.

Maria-Elena Grant, born in the UK, moved with her family to the Bronx, New York in the late 1970s. Early in her career during the 1980s, Maria-Elena co-founded Blues, a social networking group for lesbians, the first of its kind in the borough.  Moving to Brooklyn in 1993 with her partner, filmmaker Cyrille Phipps, Maria-Elena joined the POC Steering Committee, a group of LGBT organizations of color working to achieve better visibility for themselves within the community. In addition, Maria-Elena was a founding mother of The Audre Lorde Project and an early member of The Unity Fellowship Church, Brooklyn. Maria-Elena has been recognized for her service to the LGBT community by receiving numerous awards including a citation from City Council Member C. Virginia Fields and a service excellence award in 2008 from GALA Choruses. In addition, Big Apple Performing Arts has acknowledged her more than 25 years of activism.

Maria-Elena’s most satisfying achievement continues to be her work in Lavender Light Gospel Choir, of which she has been a member for 32 years and served as chorus manager for the last 30. During her tenure, Lavender Light has reached national and international acclaim, singing for notables such as President Bill Clinton during his last term in office and developing programs like The Gospel of HIV Prevention, which uses a musical setting to deliver information about HIV/AIDS and safe-sex practices.

Maria-Elena is the president of the GALA Board of Directors and was recently featured in Go Magazine's "100 Women We Love 2023."

Reid Vanderburgh is a transman and retired therapist. In 1986, he was a founding member of the Portland Lesbian Choir and sang with that group for eleven years. In 1990, he helped found Bridges Vocal Ensemble, a subgroup shared by the Portland Lesbian Choir and Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. Reid transitioned from alto to bass while a member of Bridges. Though supportive of his transition, the PLC was sad to see him leave in 1997, as he began taking hormones. In 2001, upon returning to Portland after graduate school, Reid joined Confluence: Willamette Valley LGBT Chorus and sang bass with that group for seven years. In 2008, he joined the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus and continues to sing baritone with PGMC. He is a baritone section rep, and a member of PGMC’s DEI committee. Reid is also a member of the New Harmony Task Force for GALA Choruses. In 2016, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service by GALA Choruses. In addition to his work with GALA, Reid is a member of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church and sings in the church choir when not under quarantine. He has taught many Continuing Education classes on topics ranging from Religion and Trans Identity to History of the LGBTQQIAAPNb Acronym.

Sam Bullington is a public speaker and workshop facilitator, college professor and spiritual counselor, and founder and director of Phoenix, Colorado’s Trans Community Choir—the longest existing trans choir in history! Sam is nonbinary trans with a Ph.D in global gender and sexuality studies. Sam regularly gives talks and leads workshops on unlearning racism, decolonizing the classroom, self-care for activists, healthy masculinities, reimagining our vision for social change, trans leadership, reigniting passion, and the future of gender and sexuality. Sam sang with the Santa Cruz Gay and Lesbian Chorus in its first season (1994) and was co-chair of TransVoices, the trans choir that was generated from the Trans Voices Festival sponsored by One Voice Mixed Chorus in 2004. Sam went on to sing with One Voice, driving 8 hours each way to attend rehearsal each week for an entire year after being hired at the University of Missouri. Sam went to his first GALA Festival in 2012 with Harmony Chorale in Denver (where he was on the board) and it was the lack of trans visibility at the 2012 Festival that prompted Sam to start his own trans choir in 2015. Sam loves gospel music and, in additional to GALA choruses, has sung with 3 gospel choirs, including a decade with the One World Inspirational Choir at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival. Sam is also very involved with the Dances of Universal Peace and is on their Liberation Committee, the DUP North America equivalent to the GALA New Harmony Task Force. Sam has done research in South Africa since 1997, including with Gender Dynamix—the first trans organization on the African continent, and hopes to start a trans choir in South Africa as well! Sam received the Women’s Studies Social Justice Award from the University of Minnesota, the Catalyst Award (Honoring those who speak up and out and often) from the University of Missouri, and the Kevin B Winge Award for Community Leadership from the Philanthrofund Foundation. Sam is in the midst of completing 3 books: Gender Diversity in Music Education: A Primer with Sarah Bartolome (Routledge), Learning from Polyamory: A Spiritual Seeker’s Guide to Love (Beacon Press), and Transgender Wisdom: What I’ve Learned about Gender and Life from Living in the Grey Areas. Sam was a founding member of GALA’s New Harmony Task Force and Sam’s passion is creating a world in which we all can thrive.