What is a GSA?
A Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA), Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA), Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA), Queer Intersectional Alliance (QIA), Rainbow, or Pride Club is a student-run club, typically in a high school or middle school, which provides a safe place for students to meet, support each other, talk about issues related to sexual orientation, and work to end homophobia and transphobia. Many GSAs function as a support group and provide safety and confidentiality to students who are struggling with their identity as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning.
In addition to support, some GSAs work on educating themselves and the broader school community about sexual orientation and gender identity issues. Other GSAs are activist clubs and have worked to get LGBTQ issues represented in the curriculum, LGBTQ related books in the library, and progressive non-discrimination policies implemented at a district level. All of these different types of GSAs also provide a social outlet for LGBTQ students and their straight allies.
For more information and resources about GSAs, please visit the GSA Network, a nonprofit organization that supports students in starting and maintaining active GSAs. To learn more about how to start a GSA or how to make your GSA virtual, visit their websites:
We See You!
You’re going to get through this. Stay strong, stay safe, take care of yourself and one another, and reach out when you need help. — Safe Schools Project
2024-2025 GSA’s, QSA’s, SAGA’s, Rainbow, and Pride Clubs
Santa Cruz County
Alianza Charter School QSA
Aptos High School “Rainbow Alliance” GSA
Advisor: Erika Cobain / Pronouns: she/her / erika_cobain@pvusd.net
Aptos Junior High School “Pride Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Kerry Gil / Pronouns: she/her / kerry_gil@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Stefanie Bishop / Pronouns: she/her / stefanie_bishop@pvusd.net
Branciforte Middle School “The Muskequeers” GSA
Co-Advisor: Rhiannon Soto / Pronouns: she/her / rhiannonsoto@sccs.net
Ceiba College Preparatory Academy “Ceiba Gender and Sexuality Alliance” GSA
Advisor: Matt Grist / Pronouns: he/him / matt.grist@ceibaprep.org
Cesar Chavez Middle School “The Wonder Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Angelica Flores / Pronouns: She/her / angelica_fores@pvusd.net
Co-Advisors: Veronica Fernandez / Pronouns: She/her / veronica_fernandez@pvusd.net
C.T. English Middle School “Minority Support Group” GSA
Co-Advisor: Helen O’dea / Pronouns: she/her / h.odea@lpjusd.us
Cypress High School “Gender and Sexuality Alliance” GSA
Advisor: Nick Falco Elias / Pronouns: he/him / nelias@santacruzcoe.org
Delta Charter High School at Cabrillo College Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA)
Advisor: Jamie Cutter, M.Ed / Pronouns: she/her / jcutter@deltaschool.org
Edward A. Hall Middle School Rainbow Club
Co-Advisor: Akiko Minami / Pronouns: she/her / akiko_minami@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Neil Cannon / Pronouns: he/him / Neil_Cannon@pvusd.net
Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
Co-Advisor: Evelyn Brown / Pronouns: she/her / ebrown@kirby.org
Co-Advisor: Tony Gray / Pronouns: he/him / tgray@kirby.org
Harbor High School “Queer Straight Alliance” QSA
Advisor: Rene Ohana / reneohana@sccs.net
Lakeview Middle School QSA
Co-Advisor: Jen Salinas-Holz / Pronouns: she/her/ella / jen_salinas-holz@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Anne Faustina / Pronouns: she/her / anne_faustina@pvusd.net
Mission Hill Middle School “The Pride Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Christy Fairbairn / Pronouns: she/her / christinafairbairn@sccs.net
Co-Advisor: Steve Perez / Pronouns: he/him / steveperez@sccs.net
Mount Modonna School “Trail Mix“ GSA
Co-Advisor: Lisa Catterall / Pronouns: she/her / lisa.catterall@mountmadonnaschool.org
Co-Advisor: Manjula Stokes / Pronouns: she/hers / manjula.stokes@mountmadonnaschool.org
New Brighton Middle School “New Brighton QSA”
Co-Advisor: Erica Stack / Pronouns: she/her / estack@suesd.org
Co-Advisor: Em Whitwell / Pronouns: they/them / ewhitwell@suesd.org
Pacific Collegiate School (PCS) QIA: Queer Intersectional Alliance
Advisor: Andrea Roth / Pronouns: she/her / andrea.roth@pcscharter.org
Pacific Collegiate School (PCS) “Trans Non-Binary Student Union (TNBSU)”
Advisor: Devon Lincoln / Pronouns: she/her / devon.lincoln@pcscharter.org
Pájaro Middle School “Rainbow Alliance Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Jordan Rice / Pronouns: he/him / jordan_rice@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Arnoldo Figueroa / Pronouns: he/him / arnoldo_figueroa@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Karina Alvarez / Pronouns: She/her / Karina_Alvarez@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Ebelin Mata / Pronouns: She/her / Ebelin_mata@pvusd.net
Pajaro Valley High School Sexuality & Gender Alliance GSA
Advisor: Brigitte / Pronouns: she/her / brigitte_fantham@pvusd.net
Raíces y Cariño Family Center “PRISM” GSA
Co-Advisor: Jen Salinas-Holz / Pronouns: she/her/ella / jen95076@gmail.com
Co-Advisor: Nora Yerena / Pronouns: she/her/ella / nora@rcfam.com
Rolling Hills Middle School “Equality Club” QSA
Co-Advisor: Laura Reeve/ Pronouns: she/her / laura_reeve@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Zachary Latham / Pronouns: he/they / zachary_latham@pvusd.net
Co-Advisor: Kenda Landers / Pronouns: she/her / kenda_landers@pvusd.net
San Lorenzo Valley Middle School “SLVMS GSA”
Advisor: Rex Olivieri / Pronouns: he/him / rolivieri@slvusd.org
San Lorenzo Valley High School “Gender and Sexuality Alliance” GSA
Co-Advisor: Jen Ruby / Pronouns: she/her / jruby@slvusd.org
Co-Advisor: Sara Young / Pronouns: she/her / syoung@slvusd.org
Santa Cruz County Office of Education “Queer Student Union“
Co-Advisor: Zak Keith / Pronouns: they/them / zak.keith@diversitycenter.org
Co-Advisor: Meggie Pina / Pronouns: she/her / meggie.pina@diversitycenter.org
Santa Cruz High School “Rainbow Alliance” GSA
Co-Advisor: Conor O’Brien / Pronouns: he/him / conorobrien@sccs.net
Co-Advisor: Osvaldo Diaz / Pronouns: he/him / osvaldodiaz@sccs.net
Scotts Valley Middle School “Pride Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Abbie Stevens / Pronouns: she/her / astevens@scottsvalleyusd.org
Co-Advisor: Lila Harte / Pronouns: she/her / lharte@scottsvalleyusd.org
Scotts Valley High School Sexuality and Gender Alliance Club (SAGA) GSA
Advisor: Savannah Wohlstatter / Pronouns: She/her / swohlstattar@scottsvalleyusd.org
Shoreline Middle School Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA)
Co-Advisor: Rachel Dysart / Pronouns: she/her / rdysart@losd.ca
Co-Advisor: Jeremy Powell / Pronouns: he/him / jpowell@losd.ca
Soquel Elementary School “Rainbow Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Jessica Hassani / Pronouns: she/her / jhassani@suesd.org
Co-Advisor: Nancy Willard / Pronouns: she/they
Co-Advisor: Meggie Piña / Pronouns: she/her / meggie.pina@diversitycenter.org
Soquel High School QSA
Advisor: Carina Wandel / Pronouns: she/her / cwandel@sccs.net
Vine Hill Elementary “Rainbow Bears” GSA
Co-Advisor: Hannah Walsh / Pronouns: she/her / hwalsh@scottsvalleyusd.org
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts “Chameleon” GSA
Advisor: Jennifer Gill / Pronouns: she/her
Watsonville High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance GSA
Advisor: Bobby Pelz / Pronouns: he/him / robert_pelz@pvusd.net
Monterey County
Carmel High School “Be Yourself Club”
Co-Advisor: Phil Crawford / Pronouns: he/they / pcrawford@carmelunified.org
Co-Advisor: Bridget Randazzo / Pronouns: she/her / brandazzo@carmelunified.org
El Sausal Middle School “Be Yourself Club” GSA
Advisor: Mr. Beering / Pronouns: he/him / mark.beering@salinasuhsd.org
Harden Middle School “Be Yourself Club” GSA
Advisor: Jennifer Gilsdorf / Pronouns: she/her / jennifer.gilsdorf@salinasuhsd.org
Monterey High School “Queer And Allies Club” GSA
Advisor: Ryan Harber / Rharber@mpusd.net
North Salinas High School “LOVE Club” GSA
Advisor: Cathie Culver / Pronouns: she/her / cathie.culver@salinasuhsd.org
Rancho San Juan High School “Be Yourself Club” GSA
Co-Advisor: Adriana Reyes / Pronouns: she/her / adriana.reyesnunez@salinasuhsd.org
Co-Advisor: Dominic Uccelli / Pronouns: he/him / dominic.uccelli@salinasuhsd.org
Salinas High School “Be Yourself Club” GSA
Advisor: Jasmin Ramirez / Pronouns: she/her/they/them / jasmin.ramirez@salinasuhsd.org
Seaside High School “Seaside GSA”
Advisor: Thomas Hickey / Pronouns: he/him / thickey@mpusd.k12.ca.us
Stevenson High School “Gender & Sexuality Alliance” GSA
Co-Advisor: Ms. Allen Garner / Pronouns: she/her / agarner@stevensonschool.org
Co-Advisor: Isa Aguirre / Pronouns: she/her/hers/ella / iaguirre@stevensonschool.org
York School Sexuality and Gender Equality (SAGE)
Co-Advisor: Spencer Williams / Pronouns: he/him / swilliams@york.org
Co-Advisor: Christina Nielsen / Pronouns: she/her / cnielsen@york.org
Subject to change due to staffing changes within the school system. For more information, contact QYTF at email or (831) 427-4004.
Compiled by the Safe Schools Project, a program of the Queer Youth Task Force (QYTF). Special thank you to María Dolores Castillo, she/her/ella, Safe Schools Project Volunteer and Kresge College Programs Coordinator, University of California, and to Cathie Culver, North Salinas High School GSA Advisor for their research and work on the 2024-2025 GSA List.
Last updated January 8, 2025