Meet The Team
Our Board of Directors
elise michaux
CHAIR | Fairness Pennsylvania Institute
elise “e” michaux is from Connellsville, PA — a small rural community outside of Pittsburgh. She received her B.A. in English Literature and M.A. in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Slippery Rock University. She first discovered her calling to higher education during her sophomore year when she served as a FYRST year-leader, mentoring students through their initial transition to college.
You might notice that elise lowercases her name. During undergrad, elise was encouraged by a mentor to read queer activist and feminist bell hooks’ “Ain’t I A Woman” and it changed her life. As a nod to her and its profound impact, she too lowercases her name.
After graduate school, elise began her higher education career at Robert Morris University as a Counselor for Special Student Populations in the Center for Student Success. In this role, she specifically worked with student-athletes, assisting them in creating their academic schedules, connecting them to appropriate academic support services, and ensuring their overall wellbeing.
Currently, she serves as the Marketing and Communications Director at Erie County Community College of PA. She is charged with creating engaging content, both digital and print, that communicates all that is available at the newest community college in the country! She first signed on with the college as the Director of Enrollment Management in July 2021.
Outside of her professional duties, elise is committed to serving the communities that she is a part of. Passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, elise often presents and uses her social media platform to share on this important topic. As a proud alumna, she also serves on the Council of Trustees at Slippery Rock University. She also loves photography, specifically portraiture and has been shooting since 2016.
As a believer in lifelong learning, elise is currently pursuing her PhD in organizational learning and leadership at Gannon University where her research focuses on inclusive leadership practices and policies. Her publications and presentations focus around these topics as well.
elise now lives in Erie with her wife Dr. Aly Eagle and their dog Dexter. They recently married in September of 2022."
Nathaniel Yap
CHAIR | Fairness Pennsylvania
Nathaniel Yap spent seventeen years in the investment management industry and was the Head of Credit Research at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. He also previously held positions in asset management at JP Morgan and at Wells Fargo. Yap is now focused on political and civic engagement, having served on the personnel committee of the transition team for Governor Josh Shapiro, as well as on the City of Pittsburgh’s community task force on police reform under Mayor Bill Peduto.
Yap currently serves on Governor Shapiro’s Commission for LGBTQ Affairs, along with Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato’s Transition Committee. He previously was the Pennsylvania State Director for Ascend PAC, which has since merged with Run For Something. Yap continues to focus on voter engagement and supporting political candidates, particularly with campaign fundraising and volunteer recruitment. He currently serves as Regional Director of Allegheny County for Malcolm Kenyatta’s campaign for Pennsylvania Auditor General and is on the Finance Council for Senator Bob Casey’s 2024 re-election campaign.
Yap earned his graduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his undergraduate degree from Cornell University. Yap and his husband are the proud parents of two children and reside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Eddy Foster
VICE CHAIR | Fairness Pennsylvania Institute & Fairness Pennsylvania
Eddy Foster (he/him) is a gay man from West Chester, PA with over two decades of experience in campaign management, data analysis, and strategic consulting. He recently completed a five-year engagement as the Data Director for America Votes Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he ran campaigns at all levels of the ballot, including two stints on President Obama’s campaigns. Eddy also has extensive experience in the LGBT rights movement, including working to pass a statewide non-discrimination law in Pennsylvania and running a successful student-based campaign to pass Marriage Equality in Vermont.
Gillian Kratzer
TREASURER | Fairness Pennsylvania Institute & Fairness Pennsylvania
Gillian Kratzer is a mom, a political professional, and an active part of the PA Dems. She is currently the Deputy Director of Better PA, an organization dedicated to advocating for policies that help working people. Previously, she was an organizer for SEIU HCPA, in which position she helped to empower healthcare workers to create a safer and more equitable workplace. In addition to her professional role, she is a respected member of the PA Democratic State Committee. Elected as Blair County Democratic Chairperson in 2014, she is serving her third term as a county chairperson and state committee member. Gillian has a BA of Political Science from Penn State University and a Masters in Political Management from George Washington University.
Under her leadership, the Blair County Democrats have continually increased Democratic vote share in major elections. Though working in a majority red county, Gillian has worked tirelessly to recruit volunteers and candidates to run in races that have gone uncontested for years. In 2022, she expanded her role in state Democratic politics when she was elected as the Chair of both the North Central Regional Caucus and the Rural Caucus of the PA Dems.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, Gillian has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights for much of her life. Her advocacy took on a new dimension when her daughter came out as trans. Her experiences with the many barriers that exist to getting her child the gender-affirming care she needs especially for people who live in rural areas and small towns across PA. She hopes that, as an organization, Fairness PA can push for better access to healthcare for the trans community for her daughter and every amazing trans kiddo in the Commonwealth.
Tony Brooks
SECRETARY
Tony Brooks is a long-time historic preservationist, local history lecturer, and architectural tour guide in Wilkes-Barre. Brooks is the director of the Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society and curator of the 1793 Zebulon Butler House Museum. He also serves as a Wilkes-Barre City Councilman, being elected twice by his colleagues as Council President. He has been active in the parish/diocesan/national affairs of the Epsicopal Church.
Brooks likes to stress the importance of having a place at the table. As a member of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Historic Marker Review Panel, Brooks was at the table to explain firsthand that Giovanni’s Room in Philadelphia was much more than just a bookstore in the 70s and 80s. It was the first time the PHMC commemorated a gay business. Brooks has also given testimony on LGBT issues before the Pennsylvania Senate.
Ted Bordelon
BOARD MEMBER
Ted Bordelon is an accomplished political strategist dedicated to driving transformative change through strategic electoral victories, direct and impactful communication strategies, and the advancement of LGBTQ+ empowerment in the realm of politics. With a trail of successes behind him, Ted's journey is characterized by his role in reshaping political landscapes, amplifying marginalized voices, and steering campaigns towards resounding triumphs.
As an adept campaign architect, Ted has been instrumental in historic milestones. Serving as both manager and GC, he deftly navigated Rue Landau's groundbreaking 2023 City Council campaign, positioning her to become Philadelphia's first LGBTQ+ City Council member. In the 2018 Blue Wave, Ted led press operations at 314 Action, contributing significantly to the election of Joe Cunningham to Congress in SC-01, flipping the seat for the first time in decades. He also played a pivotal role in MI-AFL CIO's 2020 efforts that secured victories for Joe Biden in the presidential race and Gretchen Whitmer as Governor. Notably, as Campaign Manager, Ted orchestrated the monumental triumph of Greg Yorgey-Girdy in 2021, facilitating his appointment as Philadelphia's inaugural Gay Black judge, and successfully electing multiple judges to Philadelphia's esteemed courts.
A staunch advocate for equality, Ted revitalized Philadelphia's Liberty City LGBTQ+ Democrats into a dynamic force, skillfully guiding the organization through two endorsement cycles. His role in founding Agenda PAC showcased his determination to counter anti-LGBTQ+ candidates, leading a 100%-volunteer fueled, remarkable fundraising drive in 2022 that raised $250k for this purpose.
Ted's prowess in communications is evident through a prolific record of securing coverage in reputable media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, and Politico. He has harnessed his skills to propel Democratic SuperPACs, including 314 Action and For Our Future, expanding their influence on a national scale and ensuring their messages resonate effectively.
He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels MPA program, and completed his undergrad at La Salle University. He lives in Fishtown with his boston terrier Mack.
Lauren Stein
BOARD MEMBER
Lauren Stein has spent much of her career being an advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves. She earned her Bachelors degrees in History and Foreign Languages from West Virginia University and her Juris Doctorate degree from Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
She is an active member of TransCentral PA, a support group for LGBTQI+ people in the Harrisburg area where she currently serves as Vice-President. In addition, she holds a key role in the planning and running of the Keystone Conference, one of the largest conferences dedicated to the celebration of gender diversity, held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
As a member of the LGBTQ community and having a daughter who is also part of the community, it is her desire to do everything within her power to push for equality of opportunity and life for all members of the community within Pennsylvania and beyond our borders.
Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg
BOARD MEMBER
Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg (she/her) grew up mostly in Kansas City and Toronto, and received her B.A. in English Literature at the University of Western Ontario’s Huron College (now Huron University). She has been serving as a rabbi and Jewish educator since 2004. She was ordained in 2006 by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she also received a Masters in Hebrew Letters and a Masters in Jewish Education. Her rabbinical thesis was entitled, “Feminine Acts in a Male World: God’s Tears and Man’s Tears in Rabbinic Discourse.” Rabbi Tornberg has served communities in Brooklyn, Albany, Sacramento, Orange County (CA), the Philadelphia suburbs, and now Allentown, PA, where she is proud to be the rabbi of Congregation Keneseth Israel of the Lehigh Valley.
In addition to her career-long participation in local rabbis’ councils, and memberships in the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Association for Reform Jewish Educators and the Women’s Rabbinic Network, Rabbi Shoshanah currently serves as the community’s clergy representative on the board of the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley. Shoshanah has planned conferences, led workshops, and facilitated many groups in professional development settings and schools. She has served as a member of the AIDS Council in Boston, was a founding member of the board of Keshet (keshetonline.org), and has been involved in LGBTQIA+ activism and justice work for many years. A member of the queer community, she is also the parent of a queer child. Shoshanah is raising four children with her partner Dr. David Fryer (they/them). Shoshanah loves to hike, make art, dance, practice yoga, and write prose and poetry.
They have the best dogs.