First presented in 2000, the USC Lambda Alumni Association Recognition Awards (LAARAs) honor members or advocates of the LGBTQ+ community for their service in advancing USC Lambda’s mission, serving as role models, and heightening the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community at large.
LAARA FOR MERIT
Presented to a member or ally of the LGBTQ+ community who serves as a role model; whose personal and/or professional achievements have advanced the causes of the LGBTQ+ community; and who has heightened the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community at large.
LAARA FOR SERVICE
Presented to an LGBTQ+ or ally USC alum who serves as a role model and has given their time to advance USC Lambda’s mission in support of USC LGBTQ+ students, alumni and the LGBTQ+ community at large.
LAARA FOR OUTSTANDING LAMBDA SCHOLAR
Presented to a current USC Lambda Scholar who has gone above and beyond to advance USC Lambda’s mission in support of USC LGBTQ+ students, alumni and the LGBTQ+ community at large.
USC LAMBDA
2021 SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT
April 9, 2021
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. (PDT)
PROGRAM
Welcome
Tom Henkenius ’00, MA ’19
President, USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association Board of Directors
University Greeting
Carol L. Folt
President, University of Southern California
USC Alumni Association Remarks
Patrick E. Auerbach EdD ’08
Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations
Awards Program
McKinley Belcher III MFA ’10
Master of Ceremonies
Presentation of Service Award
Presentation of Merit Award
Student Performance
Sophia Dion
Junior, USC Thornton School of Music
Presentation of Outstanding Scholar Award
Closing Remarks
Tom Henkenius
Student Performance
USC Trojan Marching Band
After-Party
DJ BreezyEZ
LAARA FOR SERVICE
Tom Becktold ’87
Tom Becktold is an entrepreneur, marketer and longtime advocate of LGBTQ+ causes. For nearly five years, he has served on the USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association Board of Directors. In addition, Becktold has also volunteered his time and expertise as a USC Lambda mentor to undergraduate and graduate students. Becktold currently serves as the secretary/ treasurer of the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert’s board of directors in Palm Springs, California.
Over the last five years, Becktold has launched a series of successful start-ups. His first, NewsDriver, helped disrupt the public relations content distribution space. Becktold now operates NewsDriver as part of his second start-up, Insight Media Labs (IML). IML provides white-label advertising technology services for marketing and media ad teams. And Becktold’s most recent start-up—launched in 2020— is NIMBL, where he serves on the board and as chief marketing officer. NIMBL is innovating the fitness/wellness space with new approaches on products, sales channels and education.
Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Becktold was the chief marketing officer for Business Wire. He helped transform the company, which was acquired by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2005, from a regional player to a global leader in public relations.
A 1987 USC graduate, Becktold double-majored in journalism & public relations and political science.
LAARA FOR SERVICE
Stephen Soucy MPW ’90
Stephen Soucy is a theatrical producer, film director, educator and consultant. A dedicated supporter of USC Lambda, he has participated in many events and programs over the years, most notably the annual Don Thompson LGBT Film Festival.
On the professional front, Soucy is currently the co-lead producer on the Broadway-bound Romy and Michele
The Musical. He is also the producer/director of the documentary feature film Merchant Ivory, which chronicles the storied filmmaking partnership of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant. Soucy’s other credits include the Ovation Award-winning Celebration Theatre production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and the Tony Award-winning revival of The Boys in the Band.
In the education field, Soucy teaches business at Santa Monica College and serves as an academic publishing consultant through his company, Modernist Content. Soucy earned an MFA in professional writing from USC in 2000.
LAARA FOR MERIT
Tina Mabry MFA ’05
Tina Mabry is an award-winning writer, director and producer for television and film. A native of Tupelo, Mississippi, she began her career co-writing the screenplay for Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007), which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Best Feature Narrative award at the South by Southwest Film and Music Festival. Mabry then wrote and directed her first feature film, Mississippi Damned (2009), which garnered an impressive 13 awards at 15 film festivals, including the Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay awards at the Chicago International Film Festival. In addition, she has directed a number of short films, including her first, the award-winning Brooklyn’s Bridge to Jordan, which screened at more than 50 film festivals worldwide and aired on Showtime Networks, LOGO and Centric.
In television, Mabry served as a writer, director and producer on the OWN television series Queen Sugar, created by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. She also served as co-producer, writer and director for the second season of USA’s hit crime drama, Queen of the South. In 2016, Mabry produced and directed An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win for Amazon. This critically acclaimed film earned Mabry two awards: the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs and an NAACP Image Award.
Her other television directing credits include episodes of Pose (FX), Insecure (HBO), Dear White People (Netflix) and Power (STARZ). She recently worked as writer and producer on the Fox legal drama Proven Innocent.
Over the course of her career, Mabry has been recognized for telling LGBTQ+ stories with depth and sensitivity. In 2009, Out magazine named her one of the most inspirational and outstanding people of the year. She was also featured in The Advocate’s “Top 40 Under 40” issue. In 2017, Mabry received the Fusion Achievement Award at the Outfest Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival.
Mabry earned an MFA in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
LAARA FOR OUTSTANDING LAMBDA SCHOLAR
Boaz M. Gerstl ’20, MCG ’20
Boaz M. Gerstl is a double USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alumnus who simultaneously earned a BA in communication and a master’s in communication management. Active in several LGBTQ+ activities during his time at USC, Gerstl served as co-president of Nice Jewish Queers (NJQ); as a peer mentor for the Queer and Ally Student Assembly (QuASA); and as a communications volunteer for USC Lambda.
Prior to transferring to USC, Gerstl earned his associate’s degree at Santa Monica College, where he served as vice president of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club. In this role, he initiated, planned and oversaw the school's participation in the 2018 Los Angeles Pride Parade. Gerstl hopes to continue advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice for all. He’s also a diehard Trojan who plans to always Fight On!
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
McKinley Belcher III MFA ’10
McKinley Belcher III is an accomplished actor who recently made his Broadway debut in A Soldier’s Play at the Roundabout Theatre Company. He is slated to play a lead role in Eraser 2021, the upcoming Warner Bros./ HBO Max remake of the 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger film. Belcher was nominated for an Outer Critic’s Circle Award for Outstanding Actor and an AUDELCO for his leading role in The Light at the MCC Theater in New York. He won a Drama Desk Award for his role in Lincoln Center’s The Royale. Belcher also won both the Elliot Norton and IRNE awards for his starring role in the world premiere of A Guide for the Homesick at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston.
Currently, he has a recurring role on Netflix’s Ozark as agent Trevor Evans, for which he’s been nominated with the ensemble for a 2021 SAG Award. He also plays Broadnax in Showtime’s limited series The Good Lord Bird starring Ethan Hawke. He was a series regular on Fox’s The Passage, PBS’s Mercy Street and HBO’s limited series Show Me a Hero. He has guest-starred on CBS’s FBI, NBC’s Chicago PD and many other shows. His films include Netflix’s Marriage Story, Fox 2000’s The Art of Racing in the Rain, the indie Mapplethorpe and Ed Zwick’s Trial by Fire.
Belcher is a graduate of the USC School of Dramatic Arts.
AFTER-PARTY ENTERTAINMENT
DJ Breezy EZ
DJ Breezy EZ is a queer DJ from the DMV (Washington D.C. area) who has played LA Pride and the inaugural Venice Pride, and has been the resident DJ for Dyke Day LA for 3 years running. Slaying bars and clubs in the LA area since 2015, Breezy is known for mixing old and new music of every genre to create a warm and inviting musical experience. If DJ Breezy EZ is on the bill, make sure you bring your dancing shoes!
USC LAMBDA LGBT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Mission
The mission of the USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association, founded in 1992, is to create an enriching and supportive community that promotes education, networking and increased visibility for LGBTQ+ students and alumni; to keep members connected to the university and each other via events, activities, professional networking and forums; and to award scholarships to current students of any gender or sexual orientation who support LGBTQ+ issues
Officers
Tom Henkenius ’00, MA ’19
President
Verónica Obregón MSW ’01, EdD ’14
Secretary
Torey Carrick ’00
Immediate Past President
Board Members
Josh Allen ’05
Dominic Alpuche ’05
Thomas Becktold ’87
Patricia Brum MBA ’06
Jeffrey Knollmiller ’79
Brandon Kyle EdD ’19
Gloria Leung ’14
Marco Valadez ’15
USC Alumni Association Leadership
John Iino JD ’87
President, USC Alumni Association Board of Governors
Patrick E. Auerbach EdD ’08
Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations
Solomon Notrica Scholarship in Biological Sciences
Yvana Bustamante
Albert Brecht Scholarship in Law
Boaz Gerstl ’20, MCG ’20
Albert Brecht Scholarship in Leadership
Lambda Scholarship in Outstanding Achievement
Alexander Honey
Christine Marie Ofiesh Scholarship in Performing Arts
Jean Leasiolagi
Don Thompson Scholarship in Cinematic Arts
Kellie Miyashima
Amy Ross Scholarship in Health Studies
Kyle Scott
Tom Peterson Scholarship in Business Administration
USC LAMBDA SCHOLARSHIPS
Since 1994, USC Lambda has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to more than 150 students who, regardless of their gender or sexual identity, demonstrated academic achievement and a strong commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. These scholars have gone on to executive roles in Fortune 500 companies and LGBTQ+ nonprofits. They have spearheaded research in technology and sociology, produced award-winning films, and argued cases before the United States Supreme Court. They are doctors, educators, artists and activists who inspire our LGBTQ+ student body to see their sexual and gender identities as strengths, not obstacles.
Please consider making a gift in support of the next generations of Trojans who are making a positive impact in the LGBTQ+ community.
Text LAMBDA to 41444 or visit alumni.usc.edu/lambda for more information.
