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Kathy Najimy
Featured Speaker
Kathy Najimy was seen last season as a cast member on the CBS one-hour drama Numb3rs, portraying the brilliant head of the university, Millie Finch. Najimy currently provides the voice of “Peggy Hill,” (13 seasons) on the Emmy Award-winning Fox hit King of the Hill, for which she received an Annie and 2 WIN Awards. She can also be heard in Pixar’s animated feature Wall-E. In her most important role of activist, she was named Ms. Magazine's Woman of the Year 2005.
Najimy is internationally known for her portrayal of Sister Mary Patrick in the blockbuster hits Sister Act I and II, which won her an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress and a nomination by the Hollywood Women's Press club for female Discovery of the Year. She also starred for three seasons on Veronica’s Closet, for which she received an American Comedy Award nomination
In the theater, she starred as legendary Mae West on Broadway in the hit play, “Dirty Blonde,” to great reviews and later reprised the role in the West coast premiere at The Old Globe Theater, (Outer Critic's Circle Best Actress). With Mo Gaffney, Najimy starred in and wrote the “Kathy and Mo Show,” her long-running off Broadway play that won an Obie Award and became two HBO specials: Parallel Lives (two Ace Awards and an American Comedy Award Nomination) and Kathy and Mo: The Darkside, (Cable Ace Awards for actor and Executive Producer and ACA nomination.) Recently, “The Kathy and Mo Show” enjoyed a sold out reunion in New York. The Kathy and Mo Show complete DVD, with both HBO specials and more, is now available on Amazon.com. Najimy has performed on Broadway and at Madison Square Garden to benefit V-Day, in the “Vagina Monologues” with Susan Sarandon, Queen Latifah, Gloria Steinem, and Alanis Morrisette.
Najimy's work includes over 20 films including starring roles in Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler, RatRace, and Say Uncle (Philadelphia Film Festival Best Actress). Other films include: Hope Floats, Nevada, Cats Don’t Dance, Zack and Reba, This is My Life, The Fisher King, Soapdish, The Hard Way, and Margaret Cho’s two films Bam Bam and Celeste and Two Sisters. She appeared in It’s Pat, The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez, Jeffrey, and The Big K and HBO’s If These Walls Could Talk 2 with Ellen DeGeneres.
Najimy sang and danced as Elmo’s stepmother on Fox’s special Cinderelmo, and also sang and danced her way through the opening number of the 1995 Academy Awards with Tim Curry. In 1993, she starred in the Emmy Award-winning TNT musical special In Search of Dr. Seuss.
On television, Najimy was featured in a three-part arc on Chicago Hope and in Disney’s The Scream Team with Eric Idle and appeared in the television series She TV, Fool for Love, That’s So Raven, Early Edition, and was featured in three episodes of the hit sitcom Ellen. Najimy has voiced characters for Tinkerbell, Brother Bear 2, and Jungle Book as well as the animated Sissy Ducking, Hey Arnold! Pepper Ann, Smart Animals, Hercules, American Dad, and Little Bill.
Besides “Kathy and Mo,” other stage credits include over a dozen musicals, including “Godspell” and “Grease.” She was a five-year member of the feminist theater Sisters on Stage and soloed in “Its My Party,” her one woman show. Najimy directed the off-Broadway production of the critical hit, “Back to Bacharach and David,” soon to enjoy a revised national tour, and directed several one-woman plays.
For her over 18 years of AIDS activism, Najimy has been honored with the L.A. Shanti’s Founder award as well as the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Distinguished Achievement award. She is an enthusiastic supporter of AIDS, Choice, Arabic pride, women's and animal rights and frequently travels around the country to speak on these issues. Najimy has lent her support to a variety of worthy organizations that include: Project Angel Food, APLA, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign Fund, Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS, The Ms Foundation, AMFAR, Planned Parenthood, Voters for Choice, and NARAL. As a proud Lebanese American, Najimy has received awards from the ACC and The ADC, and been honored with the Arabic Comedy Lifetime Achievement Award. She posed twice for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals popular campaign, “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur,” and in 2000, she received PETA’s Humanitarian of the Year Award from Paul McCartney.
Najimy has been published in The New York Times, as well as several national magazines. She contributed a chapter to the book The Choices We Made, released on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade and Five Minutes with the President, and will soon be featured in the upcoming book Starpower, which will showcase politically active celebrities. On tape, she voiced Wally Lamb's best-selling novel She’s Come Undone.
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Dana Goldberg
Emcee
Raised by a wild pack of Jews, otherwise known as her mother and siblings, Dana Goldberg is a
force of nature on stage. Recently staring in her comedy special "One Night Stand Up; Episode
4" on the LOGO Network, Dana is taking the national scene by storm. From Last Comic Standing
at the Tempe Improv to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dana is spreading her
quick wit and playful stage presence across the world. CURVE Magazine raves, “She’s smart,
cute, and seriously funny.” Girl4Girl in Seattle calls Dana our “triple threat.”
Dana has performed at numerous festivals including “We’re Funny That Way Comedy Festival” in
Toronto, Canada, “The Lesbian and Gay Comedy Festival” in Dearborn, Michigan, “The Comedy
Festival” in Las Vegas, Nevada (produced by HBO and sponsored by TBS), and “The Fringe
Festival” in Edinburgh, Scotland. Goldberg also performs for mainstream crowds across the
country in comedy clubs such as The Tempe Improv, Caroline’s on Broadway, Bonkerz Comedy
Club, The Comedy Cellar in NYC, and Catch a Rising Star. In addition to the comedy clubs
and festivals, Dana is also sharing the stage with powerhouse performers like David Brenner,
Judy Gold, Suzanne Whang and Kate Clinton.
Dana continues to combine her gift of humor with humanitarian efforts raising tens of
thousands of dollars to fight HIV/AIDS, and joins GLBT communities and organizations across
the country to raise national awareness in the fight for equality. As the host and producer
of the Southwest FunnyFest in Albuquerque, NM, Goldberg is enjoying a successful run
producing one of the best comedy events to ever hit the Southwest. She works with several
national organizations including the Ms. Foundation in NYC, We’re Funny That Way Foundation
in Toronto, Canada, Bas Bleu in Phoenix, AZ, and HRC organizations across the country.
Voted one of the top five "Funniest Lesbians in the Country" by CURVE Magazine readers,
Dana Goldberg is a crowd favorite where ever she steps onto a stage. From Olivia Cruises and
Resorts and Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, to Cocktails and Comedy in Los Angeles, fans
are lining up across the country to catch her routine. As the youngest child in a single
parent household run by a Jewish mother in which two out of three kids are gay, Dana helps
keep most of the comedy venues and half of the psychotherapists in the country in business.
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Amy Balliett
Equality Award Recipient
Born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, Amy Balliett entered the activist scene first in high
school after hearing Kevin Jennings (then Executive Director of GLSEN) speak about LGBT
rights at a local college. He spoke about education being the key weapon in the fight to
end discrimination and win equality. His words were life changing. She later attended
college at Wright State University for film school and soon transferred to Cleveland State
University to pursue the same degree while minoring in minority rights and marketing.
At CSU, Amy met Willow Witte, who at the time was the president of the Gay-Straight Alliance
on campus (GLASA) and would one day become the co-founder and Executive Director of Join the
Impact. Amy took over Willow's position as GLASA president during her senior year and
continued activism and outreach on campus. Amy was lucky enough to be in Cleveland during
the creation of Cleveland Heights Families for Equality, a group that is known for being the
first in the US to place a Domestic Partnership Registry on the ballot and win. Amy and many
GLASA members volunteered for this organization, joined by organizers from the NGLTF, and
celebrated with everyone on the historical voting day. From Cleveland, Amy moved to Seattle
WA where she pursued a career in online marketing. She now lives in Seattle with her Wife,
Jessica whom she married in front of friends and family in Seattle, and then legally 2 months
later in L.A. before Proposition 8 passed.
While living in Seattle, Amy had not been as active in the LGBTQ scene until the passage of
Proposition 8 awoke the energy she had in Cleveland. On November 7th, 2008, herself and
Willow Witte began a discussion about Proposition 8. This lead them to launch
JoinTheImpact.com, calling for a national protest in response to Proposition 8 for November
15th, 2008. Within a week, hundreds of cities and 11 countries joined the call and through
the hard work of many amazing volunteers, JoinTheImpact.com suddenly became an organization.
Amy now sits on the board of Join the Impact with Willow Witte at the helm as Executive
Director. Amy continues to help on the national level and is currently focusing much of
her time and energy on Referrendum 71, which is quickly becoming Washington's own Proposition
8.
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Upbeat
Entertainment
World-renowned tap dancer and choreographer Mark Mendonca is proud to present his group,
UpBeat, at the HRC Pacific Northwest 10th Anniversary Dinner. UpBeat is an exciting rhythmic
performance group that combines live drumming, cutting edge percussive dance, and pure energy
to create a truly unique and unforgettable experience. UpBeat’s cast of multi-talented
performers have entertained at events for Microsoft, Safeco, AT&T, Moss Adams, the US Post
Office, Pontiac and PONCHO among many others.
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Bret Law
After Party DJ
Whenever Bret Law steps up behind the decks, a good time is guaranteed to be on the way!
Known for mixing both songs you know and songs you wished you knew, his sets are full of
solid dance beats and unstoppable energy. He can make any stage come alive and any dance
floor go crazy. After playing Pridefest at Seattle Center, hosting Confession alongside
Seattle DJ legend, Colby B and opening for Moby, Bret Law is soon to be a name you be hearing
everywhere! He’s been featured on C89.5 and has played parties and venues from Vancouver to
Portland. His mixes are posted for download and his schedule updated at
http://www.myspace.com/djbretlaw. Once you’ve seen him play, you’ll know why he’s already a figure
in Seattle’s expanding dance music scene!
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