About Us

Mimi Hoang, Ph.D. (she/her), or "Dr. Mimi" is an internationally-recognized psychologist, educator, and activist specializing in the LGBTQ+ and Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities.  Since the 1990s, she has co-founded three bi+ orgs - the Los Angeles Bi+ Task Force, amBi Los Angeles, and Fluid at UCLA.  Dr. Mimi has authored multiple publications and earned a seat at the landmark 2013 White House Bisexual Community Roundtable which sparked her focus on bi+ affirmative counseling and mental health. Her steadfast leadership has earned her multiple awards and recognitions, including being one of Go Magazine's "100 Women We Love" and being named “One of the Most Significant Women in the Bisexual Movement.”  Dr. Mimi is currently the owner of Living in Color Therapy, the Program Coordinator of the LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Therapy Center at Airport Marina Counseling Service, and professor at the University of Southern California (USC). She also serves on the expert review board of Fluid Health. Dr. Mimi lives in Los Angeles with her wife, and 2 cats. www.drmimihoang.com 

Danielle Samuel, Ph.D., LMFT (she/her) immigrated from the Caribbean in 2012 and proudly identifies as Bisexual. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an Assistant Professor at California State University, Northridge (CSUN).  Dr. Samuel has presented on inclusive topics such as managing bisexual visibility in academia; media representation of bisexuality; and working with LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC survivors of interpersonal violence. She also participated on a panel for the Department of Mental Health at the 2019 LGBTQI2-S Mental Health Conference on intersections of race, culture, gender identity, sexual identity, disability, and age. She is rooted in a social justice orientation and is committed to advocacy and trauma-informed care through leadership, clinical practice, research, and consultancy. Dr. Samuel first served on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Bi Task Force in 2020-2021 and returned in Summer 2024, and lives in Los Angeles.

Eric V. Beck (he/him) is in ordained ministry and has served as an elected leader in the Presbyterian Church (USA) above the church level. He is grateful to have had the opportunity to both vote to ratify a change to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), making full LGBTQ+ inclusion a reality, and that he came out on the floor of the General Assembly during open debate. Eric is formerly active with Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE Justice) where he advocated for economic and social justice issues before local government bodies. He is a member of several bi+ and LGBTQ+ organizations, including amBi LA, Bridge Cities Alliance, the Organizing 501(c)3 for PRIDE on The Port of Los Angeles, and is a board member for the South Bay LGBTQ Center. Eric co-leads the Bi & Beyond discussion group at the South Bay LGBTQ Center in Torrance, CA. He spoke at Joe Jerry Mussari’s Memorial in 2019 and joined the LABTF Board in early 2021. In his free time Eric runs a D&D campaign, and is an avid Star Trek and Doctor Who fan. He lives in San Pedro with his wife and their dog.

J. Ross Victory, "Ross" (he/him), is a Multimedia Artist making a difference through literature, music, and his message. Victory has been featured in dozens of media outlets and podcasts, including LA Weekly, LA Blade, LA Progressive, Writer's Life, and Fix Yourself First. After losing his father and brother, Ross discovered the healing power of writing and began engaging in dialogue about grief, self-discovery, and transformation, which later resulted in a dizzying amount of original content. Best known for his award-winning father-son memoir Views from the Cockpit, his Pride Month club banger, Bisexual Daze, and his L.A.-based YA horror series, Grandpa's Cabin, Victory uses words to engage and entertain while illuminate communities in which he occupies. Ross's work promotes themes of intersectionality, family, and adventure. In 2020, Ross participated in a #StillBisexual video campaign and later became involved in the Bi+ Mental Health Justice Subcommittee to develop and vet a directory of Bi+ affirmative mental health therapists. He joined the LABTF board in the Fall of 2023 to champion voices of Bi+ Black Men, MSPEC young adults, and advocate for safer workplaces. Ross joined the board in Fall 2023, lives in Los Angeles, and works full-time in Higher Education.

Mike Szymanski (he/him), is a journalist, activist, film critic, author and educator who has written about bi+ issues since he came out on "The Phil Donahue Show" in 1991. An award-winning journalist with a mission to educate the world about bisexuality, he served as the National Media Liaison for BiNet USA in the 1990s and won the first-ever Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Books for co-authoring The Bisexual’s Guide to the Universe.  Mike has appeared on 50+ talk shows, taught journalism classes at UCLA Extension for nearly 30 years, and worked at the Atlanta Constitution, Entertainment Weekly, US Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and Daily News. He served as the National Bisexuality Examiner for Examiner.com and wrote for BiMagazine.org, The Advocate, The Washington Blade and other BLGT publications, and was honored with Sara Ramirez and other prominent bi+ activists during the Stonewall 50th Anniversary. He served on the early leadership of LABTF and rejoined in early 2022, and currently lives in Hollywood with his dachshunds in “The House that Bisexuality Built,” but that’s another story.

Denise Penn, LCSW (she/her), is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, currently providing support to clients at the LGBTQ Center Orange County in addition to providing mental health services at a south county high school. She also worked as a Hospice Social Worker providing support for terminal patients. In addition, Denise served as an a advocacy journalist and editor in LGBTQ print and television media for over 2 decades, including producing and hosting an award-winning LGBT community television program for twelve years. She became involved with BiNet USA and was President from 2003 to 2005 and at the invitation of Dr. Fritz Klein, moved on to join the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Bisexuality until 2015. During that time Denise collaborated with other organizations and had the honor of presenting the Mental Health portion of the White House Bisexual Community Roundtable in 2013 with Dr. Mimi. She is also an elected member of her County Central Committee and an Executive Committee member of the California Democratic Party and serves as a Vice Chair of the LGBTQ Caucus. Denise joined the LABTF board in Spring 2022 and lives in Orange County.

Zakia Warner (she/her) is an entrepreneur and volunteer. She has identified as bisexual for over 20 years and one of her life’s purposes is to help others. Volunteering is a way that Zakia has chosen to serve. She has volunteered for Big Sisters of Los Angeles, Up4Youth and LA Bi+ Task Force. Zakia believes that giving back is the best way to be thankful for abundance and prosperity. As a graduate from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in Sociology, she found the study of people in society to be fascinating. Zakia is thankful to have learned about social life, social change, and social causes. She has worked almost 30 years in a wide variety of fields, such as customer service, marketing, insurance, sales, and administration. Zakia began volunteering for LABTF in early 2024, and joined the board in Summer 2024. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her dog, and enjoys baking in her free time.

 Aaron Hammersley (any/all pronouns) is a filmmaker grateful for an ever-evolving career that includes film, television, animation, music videos and commercials. Over his 16 year in the industry, he has worked for every major studio, event produced 80+ Hollywood red carpet premieres and film festivals, and worked with a vast variety of big-name talent. Aaron grew up a lover of The Arts and continues to sing, perform and write whenever possible. In his spare time, he is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community including working for more inclusive representation in front and behind the camera. In 2024, he co-authored the first comprehensive guide to portraying bi+ characters in film and television. Aaron began volunteering for LABTF in 2023 and joined the board in Summer 2024. He currently resides in Los Angeles.