Transformed people transform people.

Dominic Longo

Flourishing Gays is Dominic’s passion and purpose at this stage of his life. Still on his own journey as a gay man into greater wholeness and thriving, he is now devoted to catalyzing and cultivating the transformational journeys of other LGBTQ+ leaders.

An executive coach, facilitator of transformation, and leadership development expert based in New York City, Dominic’s special expertise is cross-cultural leadership. He helps clients create greater meaning and purpose in their work and unlock their full potential for flourishing.

A former Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company in both the Middle East and the United States, Dominic focused on organizational transformations where developing new leadership capability was mission-critical. He served clients in tech, financial services, agriculture, education, non-profits, and national governments. Earlier, Dominic was Middle East business development manager for Valmont Irrigation.

As a faculty member in the Women’s Studies and Theology departments at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, Dominic directed the Muslim-Christian Dialogue Center, teaching courses on sex and gender, and leadership and diversity & inclusion in undergraduate and MBA programs. He completed a Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic Studies  (Harvard University), B.A. in French and German and M.A. in theology (Boston College).

He holds a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential with the International Coach Federation, having trained at the Coaches Training Institute. A citizen of the United States and Italy, Dominic grew up in Nebraska and is fluent in Arabic, French, and German, with some proficiency in Italian and Spanish.

Elena Khomenko

Elena Khomenko is on her path to (re)discover the infinitely fascinating facets of humanity in herself, her clients, teams, and organizations she works with. Her quest took her from Kazakhstan, to Ukraine, to Latin America and the Caribbean, and now to Toronto, Canada, where she lives with her husband and daughter.

In her collaboration with gay men, Elena finds endless inspiration for expanding the range of expressions of humanity, and for supporting her clients to pursue their life and work purpose with panache, courage, and class.   

Elena holds a Professional Certified Coach credential, and is trained in both Co-active (CTI) and Organizational & Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC). She completed an MBA at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and an MA in Philology from Kiev State University in Ukraine. Elena is a native speaker of Ukrainian and Russian, with full fluency in English.

Leonid Frolov

Leonid Frolov is a professional certified co-active coach, trainer, and leadership facilitator. He is an active member of International Coaches Federation (ICF). Leonid currently fulfills several roles as a faculty member at the Co-active Training Institute. He is an engaging public speaker who brings his own rich life experience to his audience.

Leonid is particularly passionate about supporting his clients in aligning their personal values with the meaningful impact they strive to create in their personal lives, their organizations, and the world. He works with executives from large corporations, medium-size companies, and US Federal government agencies. He has been training and coaching executives within these organizations to be effective leaders and how to lead their organizations to maximize their potential in the context of challenges humanity is facing globally, such as exclusion, discrimination, and separation. As one of the most vulnerable groups of society, the LGBTQ+ community feels the pain of these challenges. Leonid, being a gay man himself, is committed to empowering LGBTQ+ people in all aspect of life and especially those who are in leadership position in organizations.

Prior to his coaching career, Leonid worked as a full-time interpreter and translator for the aerospace division of Lockheed Martin. He received his bachelor’s degree in science from St Petersburg Mining Academy and a master’s degree in linguistics from St. Petersburg State University. Leonid went through the Coactive Training Institute Co-active Leadership program in Spain where he recently settled. 

Craig Howe

Craig is committed to increasing leadership diversity and inclusion. He believes that leaders have maximum impact when they are fully, unashamedly and courageously themselves. Craig has worked with over 400 leaders in 40 countries around the world and specialises in leaders early in their leadership journeys, seeking to grow their skills and confidence to succeed in new or expanded roles. 

Craig has over 20 years of experience working at 4 large international banks, reaching the level of director.

Craig graduated from the Arts University Bournemouth with a first class honours degree in Commercial Photography. He also holds a Masters degree in Finance Business Administration from the University of Brighton. Craig has completed coaching certification through the Coaches Training Institute. He has been designated by the International Coaching Federation as a PCC (Professional Certified Coach). 

Craig has founded and worked on a number of LGBTQ+ community initiatives in London, including Happy Gay Man, Loving Men, and Remarkable Men. He lives with his partner Graham in beautiful West Sussex, between fields and the sea. In his free time, Craig loves to get outdoors with his camera, explore the UK in his VW camper van ‘Helios’ and gets inspired by visual arts exhibitions and performances.

Dennis Strik

After getting his degree in English Literature & Linguistics at VU University in Amsterdam, Dennis mysteriously ended up as a Lecturer in Dutch at University College London, lecturing in language acquisition & cultural awareness, whilst also tutoring students in their academic and personal lives. At the same time, he (co-)authored seven pedagogic language books, focusing on language acquisition and intercultural communication.

It took ten years, a complicated escape plan, emigrating back to The Netherlands and marrying his future ex-husband for Dennis to finally break free from the academic world and find his true life purpose as a Leadership Coach, helping others to open the door to their effortless self. Certified in Co-Active Coaching, it's Dennis' goal to not only help individual clients create the life they want, but to make organisations and the world at large more imaginative, co-operative, resourceful and fun.

Rooting his work as a coach and facilitator in his deeply held personal values of Justice, Equality and Curiosity, Dennis is passionate about supporting leaders in the LGBTQI+ community in who are in pursuit of their goals and their own life purpose. He ardently believes that "identity" does not distinguish and separate us from each other, but unites and binds us all in our infinite diversity.

When not working - in English, Dutch and occasionally French and German - Dennis indulges his love of coffee, literature, art and travel (frequently at the same time) and can be found lurking in and around concert halls and opera houses.

Vernice Jones

Vernice believes that leaders can learn to expand their impact through presence, connection, and awareness across contexts. Vernice often works with leaders in transition to new roles, expanded roles, and with leaders in transition from one stage of development to another.

Vernice has over 20 years of experience working with C-Suite executives in Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. She is currently a director at Georgetown University’s acclaimed Leadership Coaching Program. She recently designed and delivered Duke University’s prestigious Global Leadership Program for prospective students in North Carolina and China.

Vernice graduated from the University of Maryland with an undergraduate degree in Economics. She also holds a Masters degree in Finance and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Vernice has completed coaching certification through the Coaches Training Institute, and ORSC (Organizational and Relationship Systems Coaching). She has been designated by the International Coaching Federation as an MCC (Master Certified Coach).

Vernice has also worked on a number of community development projects including an Origami camp for girls, an English language program for Chinese seniors, and a program for church elders at a church with locations in South Africa and Zambia.  She lives in Washington DC with her husband and two children.

DDS (Daniel Dobson-Smith)

DDS’s career started as a college professor teaching hotel and business management. DDS has since held a range of senior, executive, and C-Suite level roles across a host of sectors and companies including Marks & Spencer Plc, Eurostar International, Crossrail Ltd, Sony Music Entertainment, and Essence Global. These roles have provided DDS the opportunity to work across all continents and to develop the awareness and empathy required to work successfully with people from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds.

DDS is certified as an Executive Coach by both the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring. Credentialed with the International Coach Federation and a coach-supervisor through the Coaching Supervision Academy, they are also an accredited practitioner of Transformational NLP and has been working in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming since 2001. DDS is a double-certified INLPTA Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP, and a Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapist under the NLPtCA. They are also licensed to administer MBTI [Step I and Step II] and FIRO-B psychometric tools.

DDS is a native Brit and has lived in Northern California with their husband, David, since 2014. Daniel loves the Californian sunshine, geeking out about psychology, and likes to lose themself by watching repeats of The Voice and X-Factor on YouTube.

LA Reding

L.A. Reding’s career has spanned 40 years of service in the field of human relations. Currently L.A. is working with leaders who want to own their own power and unique style.

Her objective is to serve leaders to develop an internal compass that never fails them. She creates contextually based, transformative learning. It's critical to her that the people she works with leave with learning that is locked into their being and they don't have to rely on a manual.

L.A. earned a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Florida. She is a Master Coach, holding the MCC credential from the International Coach Federation.

Fun. Powerful. Fresh. L.A. is an unconventional woman with a fresh take on the challenges of leadership. She admits to being an intuitive introvert who works from the inside out.

She is a champion for you to be your best and to go where you haven’t gone before, and takes risks while being light, caring – and pushing you where you have stated you want to go.

Shawn Carpenter

Shawn Carpenter is a Family Systems Trauma Coach, whose focus is working with LGBTQIA+ adults, parents, and youth.

He has more than a decade of experience in the fields of mental health, organizational training, and human development, with particular expertise in adult learning, substance abuse, family systems therapy and trauma recovery. Shawn has worked in these fields for the the State of Colorado, the University of Colorado, for Adams County (Denver), and Children’s Hospital Colorado as well as the Kempe Center, a national child abuse prevention and treatment organization 

Shawn did his coach training at the Co-Active Training Institute, and is a mental health professional (MHP), holding an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the City University of Seattle and a B.A. in Psychology from Central Washington University.

Shawn draws on positive intelligence to help clients identify their reactive habits and self-limiting beliefs, understand how these patterns are rooted in childhood traumas, and more fully access their inner resources, to step into greater consciousness, freedom, and fulfillment. In his spare time, he can be found climbing walls in a climbing gym and working on his archery skills.