The DC Center’s Youth Working Group Honors Timothy Elliott and Celina Gerbic

Celina Gerbic and Timothy Elliott
Celina Gerbic and Timothy Elliottt

The DC Center Youth Working Group will recognize Celina Gerbic and Timothy Elliott at the Youth Working Group Reception on May 18th.

2017 Youth Champion of the Year

Timothy Elliott is a licensed clinical social worker in DC who has a passion for supporting LGBTQ youth. He has been working in the District since 2009 and currently serves as the Coordinator of LGBT Youth Mental Health Programs at Whitman-Walker Health, a federally qualified health center. Timothy developed the LGBT youth mental health program – providing low-barrier, comprehensive outpatient mental health services for LGBTQ youth and young adults affected by crime. Additionally, he provides therapy and clinical trainings through his private practice located in Northern Virginia focusing on supporting gender expansive children, youth and their families. He has previously held the role of the Program Coordinator for Rainbow Youth Alliance, an adult-facilitated, peer-to-peer support group for LGBTQ youth and their allies in Rockville, MD and currently serves on the RYA Advisory Council. As a Social Worker, Timothy strives to encourage and develop safe, affirming spaces for all LGBTQ youth and their allies. Timothy is often seen as the “squeaky wheel” in agencies and organization he works with; he tirelessly advocates for needed changes in how we are supporting our LGBTQ youth. He obtained a BSW from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and his MSW from Andrews University in Michigan. In addition, he has completed advanced training and certification programs around trauma treatment, expressive therapies, and co-occuring disorders. He works with several local universities guest lecturing on issues around youth mental health, trauma, and the specifics needs of LGBTQ youth – committed to lifting youth voices and challenging providers to do better. His experience working within schools, outpatient mental health facilities, and government agencies has provided him with a vast knowledge and respect for how multiple systems work together. He has spoken at national conferences on various topics within youth mental health and meeting the unique needs of LGBTQ youth. In his free time, Timothy enjoys running and juggling. Most of all he enjoys getting to know people and hearing their stories.

2017 Youth Advocate of the Year

Celina Gerbic served a 2-year term as Co-Chair of the Trevor Project’s DC Ambassadors Committee from 2012-2014 and has been serving as Chair of the Education & Community Outreach Committee since 2010. She has been responsible for Trevor’s outreach with local area schools and community organizations, and has managed the Lifeguard Workshop trainings and volunteer coordination for local opportunities. She has also served on the DC Public Schools LGBTQ Steering Committee since 2011, working together with other community leaders to create the Plan for Inclusivity which was approved in August 2011 and has been implemented in over 30 pilot schools. This work is now focused on creating and implementing a transgender guidance policy. She currently serves on Point Foundation’s Regional Board of Trustees, serving as Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2014, and has co-chaired Point’s Annual Cornerstone Reception since 2013. She was a founding member of the GSA “Leading With Pride” Conference, working with other community organizations as a representative of the Trevor Project to create the first ever GSA conference in DC. She has served on the DC Citywide Bullying Prevention Task Force since 2013, and helped plan “It Takes A District: Tools & Tips to Prevent Bullying”. As a representative of the Trevor Project, she served on the Panel Planning Committee with Ford’s Theater Lincoln Legacy Project, assembling a panel “To Achieve and Cherish a Just and Lasting Peace: Envisioning a World Beyond Hate” in 2013. Celina has also served as a member of the DC Concerned Providers Coalition since 2010 and received their Excellence Award for Leadership & Commitment to LGBT Youth in 2013. She formerly served on the Board of UNA (Urban Neighborhood Alliance) as Advisory Committee Chairman, is a founding member of the 17th Street Festival, and has served as Arts & Entertainment chair for the festival. Celina was formerly a trial attorney focusing on employment discrimination law and a partner in a Boston firm, Thornton & Naumes. She received Boston University’s Young Lawyer Chair Award in 2000 and was named one of Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly “Up and Coming Lawyers” in 1998. Currently, Celina is the Annual Fund Coordinator at School for Friends, a Quaker preschool devoted to diversity in Dupont Circle.

About the Youth Working Group Awards and Reception

The  2017 Youth Working Group Reception on Thursday, May 18 from 6 to 8pm at Agora Restaurant at 1527 17th Street NW.  In addition to presenting our two awards, the event will have free appetizers, a champagne toast, and happy hour drink specials. There will also be a silent auction table and great several raffle prizes, too.

Tickets for $20, host committee tickets of $50, and sponsorship opportunities from $100 to $500 are at www.tinyurl.com/ywg2017.

Proceeds raised at this event will go to fully support mini-grants for gay-straight alliances and other LGBT affinity groups in middle and high schools; travel stipends for DC Center summer and fall interns; prizes and giveaways for year-round LGBT youth events; and staff support for our courageous advocacy efforts.

In previous years, our Youth Working Group Reception gave awards to Jim Graham of the DC Council; Maggie Riden of the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates; Jeff Poirier of American Institutes for Research; and Travis Wise of DENIM/Us Helping Us. Members of the group and the public submit nominations and current members of the group vote on winners.

About the Youth Working Group

In 2010, the Youth Working Group was founded at the DC Center. We are a group of 200 community members focused on creating a city where LGBTQ youth are safe, respected, and connected! Our priorities are safe shelter, freedom from bullying, affirming laws, policies, and practices, and avenues to make youth voices heard on issues affecting their lives. Since our inception, we were instrumental in supporting the passage of bills to ensure: More shelter beds for runaway youth; LGBTQ competency training for shelter workers; a ban on health providers trying to change a minor’s sexual orientation; mandatory LGBT training for all licensed healthcare providers; suicide prevention training requirements for school teachers; some of the nation’s most LGBT affirming and medically accurate health/sex education standards; and much more! We meet monthly at the DC Center.

About the DC Center for the LGBT Community

Founded in 2002, The DC Center’s mission is to educate, empower, celebrate, and connect the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. To fulfill our mission, we focus on four core areas: health and wellness, arts & culture, social & support services, and advocacy and community building.  Visit www.thedccenter.org.

 

 

 

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