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.

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. 

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. 

Jacob (Jay) Tompkins is proud to serve GSM this year as a new Delegate for Colorado and Housing Chair for the 2024 Superheroes Conference . Jay attended his 1st GSM conference “Freedom is…” last year, Jay dove in headfirst with service helping wherever he could, this also allowed him to conquer his shyness in meeting new people in big groups. GSM has given new heights to his sobriety and having just celebrated 6 years he feels that the journey has just begun with added friends, exciting opportunities, and fresh challenges to help him become his best yet to be ! He says, “It is such an honor and blessing to have the opportunity to share my story and life with those in search of the same life changing events that I have been receiving since starting this spiritual journey to freedom.  

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!"

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."

Steven hails from Vancouver, Canada. After an affirming and transformative experience at GSM 2023, he decided to return in a service role and share his passion for personal development (which he developed on his spiritual path to recovery).   Steven’s hope is that Superheroes 2024 comforts, uplifts, and inspires everyone to not just survive, but thrive in sobriety.

Thomas has just hit 5 years sober in February, resides in Philadelphia and is a private yacht chef with almost 25 years in the hospitality industry. He attended GSM for the first time in 2023, not knowing a single person. The decision to attend and the impact the conference had is one of the best things to happen during his recovery. Being the President of a Community Service club in college helped pave the way for him to first be a delegate for the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. Loving to be of service for those in need he then to moved up to the Registration Chair position. Sometimes we need to stop being Superheroes for others and become the Superhero for ourselves, as I began doing when I started my recovery journey.

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!