Moderator, Jody Hirsh recently retired as the Director of Judaic Education at Milwaukee’s Harry and Rose Samson Jewish Community Center and is the winner of the 2014 Morton L. Mandel Award for Jewish Educational Leadership, and the 2005 Covenant Award for Outstanding Jewish Educator. He has taught Jewish Studies at the University of California, Mills College, the University of San Francisco, the Los Angeles University of Judaism and Hebrew Union College. An OBIE award winning playwright, Hirsh has been instrumental in forming gay academic unions in San Francisco and in Israel and was a contributor to the 1989 groundbreaking anthology, Twice Blessed: On Being Lesbian, Gay, AND Jewish.

Panelists: Kristen Whitson and Jenny Kalvaitis are co-authors of the We Will Always Be Here: A Guide to Exploring and Understanding the History of LGBTQ+ Activism in Wisconsin which draws on a rich collection of primary sources to highlight the powerful stories of LGBTQ+ activists and allies who worked to make a positive change in the world. Published by Wisconsin Historical Society Press.  

Whitson is a researcher, archivist, member of the LGBTQ+ community, and lifelong Wisconsinite. She has a Masters in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin Madison’s Information School and has worked with several community archives, including Madison LGBTQ+ Archive and with the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network. She also contributed to PBS Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Pride documentary, which premiered in June 2023. 

Kalvaitis has been an educator for over a decade. At the age of 10, while occupying a wheelchair because of a violent act of anger, she decided she would be a historian, earning an MA in Public History from Indiana University in Indianapolis. With the mindset of uncovering histories and empowering youth, Jenny has researched, written, and lectured about gender and women’s history and views research and storytelling as paths to understanding and fighting for a better future. 

Jess Annabelle works today as a Milwaukee Area Realtor, with a strong emphasis on inclusion for LGBT families and families of color in home buying, selling, investing and in employment in the industry. In their personal life, Jess is a longtime leader and advocate in our Jewish community, in LGBT communities, and in their neighborhoods.

Charlie Nash currently serves as President & Board Chair of Cream City Foundation – an LGBTQ+ foundation focused on SE Wisconsin with a 42-year legacy of impact. Throughout his life, he has been engaged with LGBTQ+ activism and philanthropy in the corporate world and wider community through volunteering, employee resource group engagement, and board service. Professionally, Charlie is an Executive Product Director with JP Morgan Chase and has over 20 years of experience in financial services and technology.

Shai Wise is the Jewish Community Relations Council Associate Director for Programs and Alliances with the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. He works to build relationships across identities and build partnerships to work together in living out Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and creating a just and equitable world. Shai has led educational and community engagement programming around a wide range of topics including religious identity, interfaith connections, LGBTQ issues and a range of healthcare related topics.