About
Our Story
In the Spring of 2021, Cougar Pride Center’s founders started “Ally Night”, a weekly gathering of their neighbors and friends that provided a safe space for discussions and activities centered around LGBTQ+ issues. As pride approached, the group wanted to do something to celebrate their first pride. They eventually settled on organizing a Pride March, which was the first of its kind for the BYU community. The response was overwhelming, with thousands turning up for the historic event.
In the months that followed, the momentum gained from the march inspired the group to do more for the community. Committees were formed and the organization as we know it today began taking shape.
Our organization has since expanded its efforts by offering ever more numerous resources and organizing large-scale events like our Pattirini Pageant — a drag show which celebrates queer history during October’s Queer History Month — and Pride in Progress, our end-of-year Pride festival in April.
Over the years, we have matched hundreds of people with safe housing, given away hundreds of pounds of clothing through the Open Closet initiative, and addressed other diverse needs within the community. We put on the first-ever on-campus Career Fair for LGBTQ+ and other minority students and even marked a historic moment by hosting the first-ever on-campus BYU-approved pride event. We are very proud of the work we have done, and look forward to more hard work in the future!
Our inbox is open to anyone that needs help.
info@cougarpridecenter.org
Directory
Board of Directors
David Shill, Executive Director · david@cougarpridecenter.org
Kendra Cutler
Andy Rodriguez
Macey Gwynn, President Emeritus
Resources
Andy Vandenbark, Resources VP · andy@cougarpridecenter.org
Kate Wickham, Safe Housing Project · housing@cougarpridecenter.org
Lemon DuBravac · lemon@cougarpridecenter.org
Quinn Oveson, Open Closet
David Shill, Rainbow Chorus · david@cougarpridecenter.org
Outreach
Abby Howell, Fundraising · abby@cougarpridecenter.org
Dallin Grimm, BYU Outreach · dallin@cougarpridecenter.org
Evelyn Gaskin, Recruiting · evelyn@cougarpridecenter.org
Katie Howe, Community Outreach · katie@cougarpridecenter.org
ISO: Research Coordinator
Public Relations
Aaron Rodriguez, Social Media · pr@cougarpridecenter.org
Atlas Stanger, Website Manager
ISO: Graphic Designer
Internal Operations · operations@cougarpridecenter.org
for general questions please reach out to info@cougarpridecenter.org
Andy Vadenbark
Resources Vice President
Andy (they / he) is originally from Olathe, Kansas and finds themselves in Utah after never thinking they would end up there. Halfway through their degree at BYU, Andy began to question their sexuality and gender, which opened a whole new world for them to discover. Even as they are new in their queer journey, they are motivated to help BYU students and other LGBTQ+ individuals in Utah feel safe and empowered. Andy recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and currently works as an analytical chemist. In their free time, they enjoy painting, spending time with their cat Tortilla, and reading romance novels (queer ones of course).
Lemon DuBravac
Snack Time Coordinator
Lemon (it / its) was raised in Kentucky, and when they moved to Utah they were pleasantly surprised by the amount of support there is for the LGBT community in Utah. They have been interested in activism since they were in high school, and began to look for opportunities to get involved as soon as they started college. They study Greek and Roman literature at BYU and can often be found at Shakespeare club or discussing theater with their closest friends.
Kate Wickham
Safe Housing Project Coordinator
Kate (she / they) was born and raised in the vibrant city of San Diego, California. She navigated struggles with their gender identity and sexuality, but found solace and support within the accepting community San Diego provided. After graduating high school she ventured to Provo, Utah, to pursue a degree in advertising at BYU. Motivated by a desire to support queer individuals within the conservative campus, Kate actively works to foster inclusivity and belonging. Whether through organizing events or offering a listening ear, Kate is dedicated to creating a space where everyone can feel seen and valued. Kate enjoys baking, art, and music. Kate wants to use their creativity to make impactful advertising campaigns that make the world a better place.
Dallin Grimm
BYU Outreach Coordinator
Originally from a suburb of Seattle, Dallin (they / he) first came to wrestle with and understand their queer identity at school in Provo. Dallin embarked on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after fully embracing his bisexuality and while working through new questions about gender. After two years of hard work, Dallin returned to Utah to study and to advocate for his community, fighting for a more free tomorrow for all. Dallin can typically be found plugged into the nearest bass amp, on a couch with several of their closest friends, or studying for sociology and music classes at BYU.
Abby Howelll
Fundraising Coordinator
Abby (she/her/they) comes from Vancouver Washington, where she struggled with her gender identity and sexuality. She came to Provo Utah after graduating high school to work on their dream of pursuing a degree in animation at BYU. Although Abby still trying to figure out what she’s comfortable with in their own journey, she is trying to help others as much as she can with theirs. When’s she not hanging out with friends, Abby is usually watching movies, reading, playing video games, or making art. She’s a huge nerd, and loves to talk about her special interests.
David Shill
Executive Director, Co-Founder
David (he /they) grew up in a conservative ranching community in Mesa, AZ, where he was unable to be his true self. It was not until he lived on his own that he was able to come to terms with being queer. Once he began accepting his own identity, he felt inspired to step into the world of advocacy and helped found the Cougar Pride Center. David graduated from BYU with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and a minor in International Development and currently works as an associate engineer for Infinity Consultants. His plan is to one day have his own company that provides sustainable engineering solutions and become an advocate for more livable, walkable, green infrastructure.
Andy Rodriguez
Board Member, Co-Founder
Originally from Bakersfield, California, Andy (he/him) moved to Utah to study at BYU and is majoring in civil engineering. Having grown up in a mixed-race family, he learned early on how to navigate dual identities, which came in handy being gay at BYU. Andy joined Cougar Pride Center shortly after the first BYU pride march as a social media manager, doing graphic design and organizing several online initiatives. In his free time, Andy enjoys laughing with friends, crocheting on his couch, and watching Julia Child’s cooking videos.
Macey Gwynn
Board Member, President Emeritis
Macey (they / she) grew up in the bubble itself, Provo, where she struggled with accepting her queer identity. She remembers actively avoiding the question of her sexuality as a religious freshman at BYU, certain that it wasn’t an option. She started working at Encircle and slowly began her queer journey. She gathered her queer community and became president of Cougar Pride Center before graduating BYU with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She currently works at the Boys & Girls Club where she supports teens in becoming whoever they are or want to be. She loves to crochet and watch anime, especially at the same time… which means she often has to rewind when she’s missed the subtitles.