2010 LGBT Advocate Award
Kristi Nelms
The 2010 LGBT Advocate Award goes to Kristi Nelms, assistant director of university housing. Since she began at the university in 1994, Nelms has been an advocate for diversity, but in the past year she worked tirelessly to create the Safe Zone program, a voluntary network of faculty, staff, and students who believe that every member of the UT community should have an equal opportunity to grow and learn in safe and open environments. She has worked closely with the Commission for LGBT People, the Division of Student Affairs, and other key offices to create the program. Nelms developed recruitment tools, an application process, and went out of her way to be sure a quality and dedicated team of staff and faculty were involved.
The LGBT Advocate Award is awarded to faculty, staff, or students who demonstrate leadership, integrity, and outstanding contributions to advancing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues on campus.