Mario is an alumni of GSM since its origin on Facebook in 2009 &  has been involved as the Volunteer coordinator since 2018. The conference has been inspirational to him on many levels, notably the growth in his own connection & commitment to a sober life & the joy and fulfillment that can bring. As conference Chair, Mario hopes that all attendees not only enjoy all the events that the conference offers, but that they also find connections that build their sobriety. GSM is a welcoming community of sober men & brothers - may you all find it to be that & much more at this year's conference!

Anthony discovered GSM in early recovery and has been an attendee and delegate ever since. He found the community of recovery that showed him life can be happy, joyous and free in sobriety. The Gay & Sober conference allowed him to enjoy the one of the world's most amazing Pride events, traditionally the least sober place, surrounded by people who shared his clarity of mind and joy for life.  This year as hospitality chair he is using his 25 years experience In the food and beverage industry in NYC to help curate some amazing tastes and exciting drinks to help ring in Pride. Delicious fun is his wheelhouse, can't wait to see what we get. GSM is a place where you can let loose and connect with peers and form life-long bonds, what better place to do that than the buffet table.

Happy committee member

With 11 years of sobriety, his first GSM conference was in 2018. He's bilingual and got sober in Dallas. He's grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this great conference that allows him to connect with sober people from all over the world.

Charlie has been sober since 2019, a GSM alum since 2022, and has now stepped up as volunteer chair for the upcoming conference. He appreciates the sense of community that GSM provides among a variety of people through different paths of sobriety and how it merges with the celebration of Pride. He hopes that the upcoming conference provides a wider fellowship among attendees and assures them that they can lead lively, adventurous lives of exploration while still seeing a gift in their recovery that leads commitment and accountability in their journeys.

Christian started the work of Gay & Sober in 2009. He never set out to make it - but after experiencing other roundups, he said to himself "we can do better". He brings his 25 years of experience in fashion, business and marketing to the organization. Under his visionary leadership, the brand has expanded to help more people in more places. 

Erik is our newest team member and joins us from San Diego. He's been living a sober life since 2019.  

Emmanuel is equally excited and grateful to Chair the Parade committee for this year’s conference. His past experiences with this conference has always surpassed his expectations and was eager to contribute to this year’s success. With an unwavering commitment to inclusivity, equality, and celebration, Emmanuel has played a key role in organizing GSM’s involvement in one of the world's largest and most iconic Pride events. Emmanuel loves to spend his spare time hiking the verdant trails of Northern California, in painfully hot yoga, thought provoking theater and indulging his culinary interests in and out of the kitchen. 

Gary is from Austin, TX and has been a part of GSM since it's inception. He's served in various roles over the years and now maintains our registration platform and provides information to support the committee. He has been sober since 2004 and is incredibly grateful for the life he has been given. Participating in conferences has always been a staple of his recovery and GSM is a huge part of that. 

Lisa lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. She specializes in bookkeeping and accounting for nonprofits. Though not in recovery herself, she is a special ally of the community. Her favorite words are "save your receipts - or else!"

This is Mitchell’s 2nd year at GSM. His 1st on the committee. He’s been a huge part of the queer recovery community in The Twin Cities for over 2 years. When he’s not being of service or working with a sponsee, he’s usually with his dog or playing kickball. 

2023 is Phil’s 2nd year at the GSM Conference.  After his first year as an participant he loved it so much that he agreed to being part of the Planning Committee before the 2022 Conference was officially over! He’s been diligently serving as the Registration Chair for 2023.  He’s currently residing in St. Paul Minnesota while pursuing a Master’s Degree.  But NYC was is and always will be home! This past April he celebrated his 6th Anniversary in Recovery. 

 He’s looking forward to meeting and greeting every single one of this years participants when they arrive at the Conference.

Shane is proud to be of service as the delegate for Alabama and serving as Raffle Co-Chair for Gay & Sober.  Shane attended his first Gay & Sober event in October 2022 on the Dollywood retreat during his first year of sobriety. He says “Finding Gay & Sober was such a blessing to me, and I am grateful to share my journey with others like myself and a fellowship of sober friends."

Steve is an alumnus of GSM since 2022 & it’s his first year doing service as Program Chair. Last year’s conference was such an amazing experience for him, not only with the great programs and entertainment, but also the friendships he made. Steve hopes that all attendees enjoy the conference to the fullest and find that it’s a safe place to let down your walls, feel free, and have fun!

T.J. is a 7 yr. veteran of GSM. Starting out as a participant, then Area Delegate, then a Production Committee Co-chairs, and Now Delegate Coordinator. He hails from Seattle, WA/ Vancouver B.C., but a true hometown bear from NYC. Sobriety date 1/19/85 and is very comfortable with service work to continue his quality sobriety.  Active in his fellowship in Seattle by attending meetings, sponsoring folks, holding service positions in his homegroup, and current treasurer of his AA District 40 in WA State.

Please say hi when you see him @ GSM2023 Freedom  Is....You can’t miss this big, brown, bearded bear...Grrrrr!

Tom is a native of North Dakota and attended Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He's created typography and brand design for Sony, Rolling Stone, Swatch and Michael Jackson. Tom is one of the most awarded creative directors in the world. His design and typographical work is part of the permanent design collections of Museum of Modern Art in NYC and the Smithsonian Institute. The primary reason why GSM has that polished and special look is because of Tom and his artistic talents!   

Will resides in Sacramento, CA and is an area delegate and this year’s GSM Raffle Chair. This will be his first year attending the conference, so what better way to experience it than by being of service?! With over a year of sobriety under his belt and an extensive career in sales, he hopes to help make GSM ‘23 one of the most successful yet! His intention is to spread love and joy to those attending the event while fostering a culture of inclusivity and community. Be sure to say hello when you see him!