RECORDING: My Mental Health Experience as a Member of the LGBTQIA+ Community

Cristian Arango

Cristian Arango serves as a Finance, Operations, and Strategy Subscriptions Management Consultant (SMS) for Procore Technologies. Mr. Arango is a J.D. graduate from the University of Miami School of Law, where he also completed the Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig LL.M. in Real Property Development. He received his B.A. from the University of Florida, and holds certificates in Finance & Quantitative Modeling from Wharton and Behavioral Finance from Duke University.

Mr. Arango has extensive and impressive experience in the real estate development field. He spent a year and a half as a development intern at Carrfour Supportive Housing, Inc., where he garnered extensive knowledge regarding the financing and management of affordable housing developments under construction. Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Arango was hired by Atlantic Pacific Communities as a Development Associate, where he financed and managed several high-pressure developments. And, served as the Chief Operating Officer for the Miami Beach Community Development Corporation where he successfully stabilized the organization.

Mr. Arango continues to pursue his passion and advocacy for affordable housing and community development, LGBTQ rights. Further, he remains active with the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) as Vice-chair of Publications for its LGBT Division. And, is a member of the Board of Directors for the Pacific Pride Foundation.

Meg Alexander

Meg Alexander joined the PowerToFly community as a job-seeker in 2014, eventually landing her first remote role working for PowerToFly's Delivery Team. Her professional experience includes roles as a Talent Advocate, Head of Purchasing for a window factory, audiobook publishing, & more than 5 years as a paralegal. She has a bachelor's degree in Art History from Indiana University (mint condition, never been used!), where she also earned a varsity letter for Women's Rowing. She loves DIY projects and will never say no to french fries. She lives in Toledo, OH with her husband Aaron, an engineering technician, and their dogs, Radar & Cake.

Bryan Penny

Bryan Penny joined the Network and Acquirer Solutions (NAS) team as Vice President, Policy and Data Standards in March 2020. In this role, Bryan oversees a team that analyzes, consults, and develops policies and data standards for American Express issuers, acquirers, service providers, and their customers.

Bryan previously worked with Nordstrom, where he led the Merchant Payments team for six years. In this role, he led all payment innovation, including product management, store technology, and establishing co-branded credit card programs in Canada and Puerto Rico. Bryan recently served as the Vice Chair of the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG), has been an active speaker at various payments conferences, and is looked to as a leader in the merchant payment community. Earlier, Bryan was responsible for vendor management and information security for Nordstrom’s bank, having initially joined as a Controller for their bank in 2007. Prior to Nordstrom, Bryan held several accounting and finance roles with Quark, an international digital media software company, and First Data.

Bryan holds an MBA from Webster University and a BA in Economics and Accounting from University of Illinois/Urbana. When he is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his friends dining out, going to theater and enjoying the outdoors. Bryan has been involved in the Denver community over the past 15 years, where he was a founding member of the local neighborhood association. Bryan, his husband, Matt are splitting their time between Denver and Phoenix.

Alan Fitts

Alan Fitts is the Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Corporate Affairs & CommunicationsDepartment (CA&C) , and member of the CA&C Senior Leadership Team. In this capacity, Alanplays an integral role in driving the success of a wide range of initiatives across CA&C globallyoverseeing CA&C strategy and key deliverables; manage finance, compliance, and third-party
lifecycle processes for the department; and runs day-to-day administration of the CA&CExecutive Office.Alan has an impressive background with experience in public affairs and chief of staff roles inboth the private and public sectors. He joins American Express from JPMorgan & Chase, wherehe was the Executive Director of International Government Relations and Executive Secretaryof the JPMorgan International Council, a global advisory board composed of former politicalleaders and major clients that provides strategic advice on international strategy. Alanpreviously held several senior roles in the Obama Administration, most recently as SeniorAdvisor and Chief of Staff to the United States Ambassador to France and Monaco. He alsoserved as White House Liaison to the Department of State, and Trip Director and TravelingChief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama. Alan began his career in finance working in theInvestment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs in the London, Paris and New York offices.Alan received his MBA from Harvard Business School, and his Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studiesfrom Williams College. He lives in Manhattan with his husband, Brendan, and their goldenretriever, Georgie. In his free time, you can find Alan reading a good spy novel, on the skislopes or logging a Peloton ride.

Maryella Marie

Maryella Marie [she/her] is a renaissance womxn and social impact multimedia producer who has spent a decade working with diverse technologists, independent artists, and divergent innovators across the globe to deepen their audiences’ emotional intelligence.

You can find her at The Positive Force Team curating and facilitating masterclasses and workshops centered around emotional intelligence, equity, and creative leadership; producing mindful collaborations between artists and organizations in the Americas to build bridges and inspire positive social impact, and creative directing the “Brainwashing” radio series featuring counter-culture conversations, storytelling, ASMR, and independent music from heart-full thought-leaders, visionaries, and independent artists around the world.

Go to ThePositiveForceTeam.org to get their newsletter and learn how to participate.

E.C. Pizarro III

E.C Pizarro III is an award-winning Brand Designer and Digital Artist. He is also the Creative Director of his design firm, 1Z2R, the Executive Director of TransTech Social Enterprises, and the founder of Marsha’s Web (a resource directory for TLGBQIA+ communities, that centers BIPOC Transgender, Intersex, and GNC business owners/organizations). E.C. has been in the design industry for over 12 years and works with entrepreneurs and fortune 500 companies, alike. For his clients - he creates timeless branding and seamless digital content that drives confidence in their brand and fosters a foundation for success. Passionate about his people and his purpose, E.C. is a professional that is dedicated to using his talent and voice to create a new temperature in the industry for emerging designers.

Rob Ribar

I have produced and managed promotional campaigns, including events and experiential marketing for theatrical works, rock concerts, and in support of global luxury brands, Broadway productions, and television networks. Whether meeting with top tier industry talent or pushing cargo boxes at an event activation, I bring together my passion for media and production with a skill set focused through my professionalism and conscientiousness.