LGTBQ Legacy Leadership Awards

2025 Legacy Leader Awards

Over the years, Central Iowa’s LGBTQ community has had a positive influence on our state. Representing a wide range of vocations and avocations, they have led with creativity, vigor, and compassion, solving problems and helping build a state that we all can be proud to call home.

To honor Iowa’s LGBTQ leaders, dsm magazine collaborated with Capital City Pride for our seventh annual LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awards. We also will recognize both an emerging LGBTQ leader as well as an ally of the LGBTQ community, someone whose contributions to equality and justice have helped ensure that gender and sexual orientation must not be stigmatized or marginalized in the culture of Iowa.

Honorees will be recognized for lifetime achievement at a special event on September 9 at The River Center. Event details will be announced in the summer.

We welcome your help in nominating leaders and allies who deserve recognition. Nominees for LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awards should meet these criteria:

Demonstrate a record of public leadership in professional, civic or political roles, in addition to their dedication to LGBTQ causes.
Serve as role models and mentors to others over the years.
Contribute to the appreciation and recognition of cultural diversity in Iowa.

Past honorees include: George Belitsos, Shea Daniels, Pamela Duffy, Eileen Gebbie, Alexandra Gray, John Harper, Rich Hendricks, Tim Hickman, MD Isley, Dan Jansen, Jan Jensen, Mark Kassis and Terry Lowman, Eugenia Kutsch-Stanton, Tracy Lewis, Karen Mackey, Sharon Malheiro, Randy Mayer, Rick Miller, Natali Justiniano Pahl, Laurie Phelan, Sonia Reyes-Snyder, Jeorgia Robison, John Schmacker, Jordan Selha, Erin Sheriff, Bruce Teague, Scott Valbert, Aiden Vasquez, Aime Wichtendahl, Jonathan Wilson and Elle Wyant, along with allies Kyle Christiason, John Forsyth, Rebecca Gruber, Terri Hale, Rich Salas, and Daniel Zinnel

To nominate an individual, please fill out the form below.

**note: Individuals who have been previously honored are NOT eligible to be honored again.

Nominations are due April 4, 2025.

Nominee's Name*

First NameLast Name

Company

Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number

E-mail*

Please consider this individual for the following award:

LGBTQ Legacy LeaderLGBTQ Emerging LeaderLGBTQ Ally

Briefly explain why this person deserves to be considered for an LGBTQ Legacy Leader, Emerging Leader or Ally Award.

Describe how the nominee has been a leader professionally, in civic or political roles in addition to supporting LGBTQ causes.

Describe the nominee’s legacy of service as a role model or mentor to others over the years.

Describe how the nominee has contributed to the recognition or acceptance of cultural diversity in Iowa.

Upload a resume or bio, plus at least two letters of recommendation.

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Nominated by

First NameLast Name

Phone Number

Area CodePhone Number

E-mail

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