Staff & Board

Rush Frazier, Executive Director
They/Them
rush@youthprideri.org

Rush is a Central Massachusetts native with over 20 years of organizing experience. Most recently, Rush was Central/East MA Organizing Coordinator at Neighbor to Neighbor, where they worked with parents, doctors, clergy, and other concerned residents to bring comprehensive sex education to all Worcester Public School youth K-12. They also worked to keep bus fares free throughout Worcester, now in its second year. In previous roles, Rush worked to end the death penalty in New Hampshire. Rush was Co-Grand Marshal of the Worcester Pride Parade in 2018 and was awarded the Key to the City of Worcester in 2020. In their spare time, Rush is a DJ, practices herbalism, and loves to hike. They are a proud parent of two dogs and two cats.

Andy Taubman, LCSW, Director of Youth Service
She/They
andy@youthprideri.org

Andy graduated with a Masters in Social Work (MSW) from Rhode College in the Spring of 2019. They have worked in nonprofits for 20+ years and have a particular love and interest in working with youth, especially being around their energy and being part of the process of helping them navigate adolescence and young adulthood. YPI is particularly appealing to Andy as a queer person who loves the opportunity to work directly with the youngest members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

In their free time, Andy performs as a drag king performer, producer, mentor, workshop maker and event manager and community builder. They enjoy hiking with their dog (the world’s prettiest Soi (street) dog that they rescued in Thailand named Saku!), working out, traveling and exploring new places, and flopping on a couch and binge watching TV shows. 

Tiffani Carcieri, Administrative Coordinator
She/Her
tiffani@youthprideri.org

Tiffani grew up in Providence and received her double major in Psychology and Health Studies from the University of Rhode Island in 2017. Prior to YPI, Tiffani worked at the University of Rhode Island’s Gender and Sexuality Center as Building Manager where she gained great insight and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community and its unique needs. 

Jordan McWhite, Case Management Lead
He/Him
jordan@youthprideri.org

Jordan attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL and obtained a BS in Biology minor in Chemistry. After graduation, Jordan was unsure what direction he wanted for his life. After a couple of months working as a medical assistant in Georgia, it was clear there was a deficit of Black men in the healthcare system, more specifically black and brown trans men advocating for equal rights for the LGBTQ community. So he decided that was going to be his mission. Jordan relocated to Providence in 2021 in search of a brighter future and better opportunities that aligned with his goals and aspirations. After working with Rhode Island’s larger healthcare networks, the opportunity to work for the trans community presented itself with Thundermist Health Center and now Youth Pride Inc.

Jordan aims to build a career as an advocate for the BIPOC/QPOC trans community and give back the support that was given to him as a fledgling gay-by. His medical background combined with lived experience allows for a unique perspective of youth dysphoria. Jordan’s goal is to resolve the gap of support and acceptance amongst the black and brown community as well as educate lawmakers, schools, medical systems and others on truly equal gender affirming care in all aspects of society. His goal with Youth Pride is to be the queer role model he wished he could have had as a youth and be a support person for the families his family needed.

When Jordan isn’t working, he spends all his time with his devoted wife of 4 years and watching Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, listening to Beyonce, Big Freedia and AJR, or playing the sims.

Zoe Armstrong, Case Manager & Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Coordinator
She/Her
zoe@youthprideri.org

Aileen Feliz, Center Coordinator
They/Them
aileen@youthprideri.org

Aileen is a Providence native, living most of their life in this city. They can probably give you directions to any location in Providence as a fun party trick. They started attending youth pride at the age of 14 with their then partner and now wife. YPI was the center of queer youth culture and provided a safe and warm space for queerness to exist openly and unapologetically. It provided them the opportunity to explore more of their identity free of judgment and is eager to contribute to the community again.

 Aileen is very passionate about activism and restorative justice work. Also, they work hard to be an advocate for pedestrian rights they can go on about urban street design. Aileen would call themselves a mix media artist due to their indecisiveness on picking a medium. In their free time they can be found drawing, painting, sculpting, digital designing, screen printing, and more. They are very proud of their art supply collection. If you ever are curious about Aileen’s wardrobe, chances are 90% of their outfit is thrifted. They are a thrifting connoisseur.

Jess Peters, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist – Clinician
She/Her

Jess has worked as a clinician at YPI since August of 2016, previously facilitating the Way Out and Thirteen and Under groups and currently providing individual counseling services.

She is originally from the Boston area and obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky. She moved to Providence to complete her clinical residency and postdoc at Brown University Med School, where she continues to research adolescent emotional functioning. Her specialized clinical training includes helping people manage difficult emotions, decrease risky behavior (like self-harm, substance use), and deal with challenging relationships. She is also an experienced mindfulness teacher. Throughout her clinical career, she has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ issues and is thrilled to be part of the YPI team.

When not working, Jess loves creating and experiencing art, reading, inventing new recipes, and hanging out with her cat.

Kody Harrison, LICSW – Clinician
They/Them

Kody is a clinical social worker and is excited to provide individual counseling services at YPI! Kody has been passionate about working with and advocating for LGBTQ+ youth since they were a queer youth themself, as a peer facilitator of the LGBTQ+ youth group in Hartford, CT way back in 2010. They have worked with youth ever since in community-based, hospital, and residential treatment settings. They moved to Rhode Island in 2013 and love the beauty and diversity of their adopted state.

Kody has specialized training in multiple clinical approaches and evidence-based practices to help people manage strong and difficult feelings and unwanted or unsafe thoughts and behaviors, as well as complicated family relationships. Kody primarily works at Family Service of RI as a clinical supervisor for the in-home trauma treatment program. They often provide training and advocacy to schools, community agencies, and state systems (like DCYF) to promote understanding and support for trans and nonbinary youth.

When they’re not being a clinician, Kody loves walking their dog or listening to podcasts in their hammock.

Erren Robateau – Chair
Monique Collins – Treasurer
Maia Bailey – Secretary 

At Large Members:
Guillaume Bagal, Favour Bello*, Lisa Carcieri, Scott Gowrie, Gabby Porcaro,
Andrew Prescott, Jordan Scott, Cassie Sutten-Coats
* = Youth Board Member