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WCS LGBTQ+ Awards 2025 | Policy & Advocacy Impact.

Updated: 2 hours ago

This year's WCS | Awards are celebrating Queer Leaders around the world - LGBTQ+ change-makers who are using their platforms, profile and roles to drive change, making the world a more inclusive place for all LGBTQ+ people. This award for Policy & Advocacy Impact is for individuals or entities that have driven significant legislative or policy changes that benefit the LGBTQ+ community.


Policy & Advocacy Impact | Our 2025 Awardees:


2025 Award Categories:



Claudia Fauzia.

(she/her)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Claudia is a gender expert, social entrepreneur, and the founder of Zagara – Learn to Lead Together. Through Zagara, she works to create a global platform for feminist and intersectional political education aimed at empowering women and LGBTQ+ individuals in marginalized communities. By fostering leadership, advocacy, and social justice, Claudia leads efforts to bridge activism, education, and technology. She is committed to building spaces that support collective action and storytelling for gender equality and inclusion. As a queer leader, Claudia’s work embodies resilience and the transformative power of community and self-empowerment, ensuring that voices from the South and the periphery are heard and amplified in the global dialogue.



Dee Whitnell.

(they/them)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Dee is a multi-award winning sex educator and content creator, the author of LGBTQIA+ inclusive sex ed book bestseller Beyond Bananas and Condoms, the founder of UK solidarity campaign Trans Kids Deserve To Grow Up, and a full-time freelancer working with the likes of QueerAF, Brook Sexual Health, and NHS England.



Eva Echo.

(she/they)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Eva is a highly respected activist, writer, and public speaker with a passionate focus on transgender rights and mental health. Eva is well-known for their courageous legal action against NHS England in the High Court, challenging the unlawful waiting times for trans patients. Eva was the worthy recipient of the DIVA Award for “Unsung Hero of the Year 2022”, and was honoured with Trans In The City's “Trans Community Champion” award for 2022. She was recently named as one of the Top 12 “Outstanding Contributors to LGBT+ Life” at The British Diversity Awards. In addition to their activism, Eva is an accomplished leader, serving as the Director of Innovation at Birmingham Pride and Events Manager at Trans In The City. They also play a vital role on the Crown Prosecution Service’s hate crime panel, and is an ambassador for two charities: Queer Britain and Diversity Role Models. Eva is passionate about workplace allyship, intersectionality, and mental health, and has a wealth of knowledge on language and terminology, identity, trans rights and healthcare. Their inspiring voice has helped to create change and build more inclusive communities.




Harish Iyer.

(he/she)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Harish's name carries weight in India's legal and legislative spheres, a testament to his relentless pursuit of equal rights. As an activist, he has propelled landmark cases before the Supreme Court, challenging injustices related to Section 377, marriage equality, and blood donation policies. His advocacy has reverberated beyond the courtroom, influencing parliamentary discussions and shaping national dialogue on human rights. His commitment to inclusion extends to financial accessibility, ensuring that marginalized communities are not left behind. As a member of Axis Bank, his efforts in banking reform contributed to consultations by the Ministry of Social Justice, setting a precedent for equitable financial policies. Harish stands at the intersection of law, policy, and social change, relentlessly pushing boundaries to secure dignity and rights for all.




Heather Paterson.

(she/her)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Heather is a passionate LGBTQ+ activist and community leader with over 20 years of experience championing equality and social justice. Elected LGB Officer at Hallam University in 1999, she went on to co-found Sheffield’s first Pride and lead SAYiT, supporting LGBTQ+ youth and those affected by HIV. Now Head of Partnerships and Development at Consortium, Heather works to fund and connect grassroots LGBT+ groups across the UK and serves as Chair of Proud Changemakers. Her activism includes writing the LGBTQ+ column for Exposed Magazine, public speaking, and co-authoring a guide on supporting neurodiverse LGBTQ+ students. As drag artist Anna Kissed, she also fundraises for LGBTQ+ causes, including through her current music project supporting GLAD Law. A bold, visible voice online and in community spaces, Heather is a relentless advocate for inclusion and remains deeply committed to driving real change for LGBTQ+ people.




Hugh O'Keeffe.

(he/him)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Hugh O’Keeffe (he/him) helps organisations dismantle barriers and cultivate genuinely inclusive cultures where everyone, particularly Queer and Disabled individuals, can thrive. As a Diversity and Inclusion Lead at enei, he uniquely blends his profound understanding of intersectionality—informed by lived experience—with practical expertise in policy, governance, and driving systemic change within LGBT+ non-profits and corporate settings.


Hugh’s approach moves beyond theory, focusing on actionable strategies that embed belonging and psychological safety into an organisation's DNA. He empowers leaders and teams to navigate complexity and transform their workplaces through impactful initiatives. Chairing Studio Lutalica, a Queer and feminist design agency, and his previous leadership at the Muscle Help Foundation underscore his commitment to fostering environments that unlock human potential and champion diverse voices.




Jade Fraser.

(they/them)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Jade is an accomplished executive leader, trusted advisor, and operational strategist, with a wealth of specialist experience in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). They have an impressive track record of designing and delivering group DEI strategies for leading global organizations, including Natura & Co, Aesop, The Body Shop, and Avon, across 73 countries. Jade is a passionate binary-disrupting changemaker who uses personal courage to ensure each act is a form of resistance. Leveraging their privilege, they aim to create meaningful change and fight against systems of oppression. They are a powerful advocate for anti-racism, workplace allyship, intersectionality, mental health, and wellbeing.




Pius Kennedy.

(he/she/they)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Pius is a bold and passionate queer leader from Uganda, currently serving as Programs Manager at Africa Queer Network (AQNET). With over five years of experience in LGBTQ+ advocacy, research, and community organizing, Pius has led transformative initiatives focused on health equity, crisis response, and leadership development for LGBTQ+ individuals across Uganda. Pius is known for supporting shelters, coordinating acts of kindness campaigns, and fostering regional collaborations that center community voices. As someone who has lived through systemic violence and discrimination, Pius uses both personal resilience and professional strategy to push for inclusive systems. His work represents resistance, restoration, and the hope that queer Ugandans can live freely and with pride.




Rico Jacob Chace.

(he/him)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Rico Jacob Chace is a human rights consultant tackling modern-day slavery in global supply chains. With a background in finance and a diploma in Sustainable Investing from Harvard, he blends strategic insight with social impact. As Trustee and Treasurer at the LGBT+ Consortium, he supports grassroots LGBTQIA+ organisations through funding and advocacy. Rico is a multi-award-winning creative consultant behind two major billboard campaigns — one earning a Cannes Lions shortlisting — and a Drum Award winner for bold, intersectional storytelling. A semi-finalist on Channel 4’s Make Me Prime Minister, he was also honoured as a Hero of the Year finalist at the 2025 British Diversity Awards. He has chaired panels at the London Assembly, submitted evidence to Parliament, and advises the Trans Solidarity Alliance on engaging MPs. Through every role, Rico is driven by a commitment to justice, visibility, and creating lasting systems change across industries.




Saskhia Menendez.

(she/her)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Saskhia is a multi-racial trans woman, international speaker, Night Time Economy Ambassador, and host of Music Industry Insights Worldwide. With over a decade of experience, she is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the music industry. A Keychange Innovator and Brit Awards voter, Saskhia is committed to elevating underrepresented voices and creating inclusive spaces for trans and non-binary artists. In May 2025, she successfully completed the release of the Trans Charter, a groundbreaking initiative providing clear, inclusive guidelines for the music industry to support trans and non-binary individuals. Saskhia’s work has earned her a Global Recognition Award, and she continues to challenge systemic barriers, ensuring that future generations of queer leaders have the support and visibility they deserve. As a queer leader, Saskhia leads with authenticity and strives to create safe, empowering environments in the entertainment industry.



Tatiana Buelvas Baldins.

(she/her)

Policy & Advocacy Impact


Tatiana is a DEIB strategist, researcher, and advisor with over a decade of experience across Europe, LATAM, and the US. With a Ph.D. Cum Laude in Gender Studies, she crafts and implements data-driven strategies that drive inclusive transformation through consultancy, HRBP advisory, and leadership development. Her work spans corporate, public, academic, and non-profit sectors, supporting C-level teams and organisational ecosystems through training, research, and policy design. She has been an active and committed advocate for structural equity and dignity towards LGBTIQ+ collective, racialized communities, migrant professionals, and women in STEAM, like herself. Her leadership is rooted in active and vocal allyship, intersectional analysis, and a deep belief in transforming workplace cultures to centre justice, resilience, and belonging. She works to ensure that organisations not only speak about inclusion and diversity, but to actually experience it.





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