Erin Wilson, President
I am the proud President of the Board of Directors for TAJAs Coalition. I come to TAJAs Coalition with a passion for serving trans communities. I have been working with trans communities since 2001, when I was part of a team that conducted one of the first HIV behavioral studies with young trans women in California. We observed a large impact of HIV on the young trans women we worked with and saw how HIV was a symptom of intersectional anti-trans discrimination and racism. I believe that violence against trans women is one of the most important human rights issues facing our global society, with far-reaching impacts on the health and wellness of many communities. Societal misogyny embedded in our laws, policies, and social norms are at the heart of this disgrace. But I believe major shifts are possible when grassroots movements lead. The strategic intersectional grassroots approach to violence that TAJAs Coalition brings to the fore is exactly what we need to make radical changes to liberate all people in society.
I bring to the TAJAs Coalition my experience working on non-profit organization boards for the last decade and 20 years in HIV research and intervention work with trans communities. Previously I started a non-profit fundraising organization to support my children’s public elementary school, Escuela Marshall, and served as President of the Board for the San Francisco Community Health Center. I am also a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Public Health Research, where I run a research group called the Trans Research Unit for Equity (TRUE) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. I am also an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco, in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
David Annis, Secretary
David is an attorney at Square, Inc. David grew up in North Carolina and has practiced law in various legal areas since 2006. In 2012, David and his wife moved to the Bay Area. He is passionate about LGBTQ rights and appreciates the opportunity to help TAJA’s Coalition.
Sabeena Shah, Treasurer
My name is Sabeena Shah, and I am a high school teacher and advocate for trans rights living in San Francisco, California. Before becoming a classroom teacher, I worked in reproductive health, HIV prevention and testing, transgender health, and domestic violence, and I brought my movement work into the classroom. I have earned a Master's in Special Education from San Francisco State and credentials in English and Special Education. I have achieved National Board Certification, a level of excellence that less than 5% of teachers attain. I teach English and Ethnic Studies at John O'Connell Technical High School on the Entrepreneurship and Culinary Arts pathway and am honored to serve her students and their communities. I have been selected as a 2022 Surge Fellow to continue my work in promoting equitable outcomes for students of color.
Danielle Castro, Emeritus Board Chair
Dani Castro, MA, MFT. Dani Castro, former Project Director for the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health’s Community-Based Research at UCSF, is a nationally recognized and leading expert for health-related issues affecting trans and non-binary people. Dani has worked alongside her community to increase access to health and social services for trans and non-binary people on a national and international level throughout most of her life. She earned her graduate degree in counseling psychology from John F. Kennedy University in 2013. Ms. Castro utilizes her clinical training to develop community-driven social justice coalitions and provide mental health services at multiple organizations for LGBTQQI people and their families. She is a founding board member of the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at UCSF, TAJA’s Coalition, and the Santa Clara County Transpowerment Program. She’s currently disabled and available for consultation on a case-by-case basis.