Who We Are

Our Mission

The LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center is an inclusive and safe environment for all members of the community. With a deep commitment to recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by queer and trans students, the center will offer accessible resources, sustain inclusive community groups, introduce intersectional programming, and empower individuals in their pursuit of authentic self-expression within the university setting.

Our Team

Katy Collins, Director

Katy Collins serves as the inaugural Director of the LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center. They began working at Boston University in June of 2019. Prior to working at Boston University, Katy worked in Academic Advising and Residence Life. Katy has a Master of Arts in Gender & Cultural Studies and a Master of Science in Communications Management.

As the Director of the LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center, Katy works to foster a gentle and affirming space at the center where students can explore their identities. Through programming, resource management, and advocacy initiatives, Katy collaborates with constituents across the University to ensure that students feel celebrated and supported at every step of their BU journey.

Outside of work, Katy spends their time telling their kid to stop growing up, reading YA fantasy and sci-fi novels, and yelling at referees to do better.

Dakota Pérez, Assistant Director

Dakota Pérez (he/him/él) serves as the inaugural Assistant Director of the LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center. At Boston University, Dakota organized culturally relevant Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) focused student engagement opportunities within the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) as the DEI Student Engagement Coordinator.

He holds a master’s in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership from Tufts University where he researched biases within the queer and trans community on dating apps. His advocacy skills were refined through his work as the Social Media and Professional Development Coordinator at the University of Northern Colorado’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Center and as the Graduate Assistant for Tufts University’s LGBT Center. At Tufts, he created and led the LGBT Center Mentoring Program, a space dedicated to pairing queer and trans faculty and staff mentors with undergraduate student mentees.

Taire Chevalier, Program Administrator

Taire Chevalier (he/him/his) serves as the inaugural Program Administrator. Taire is a graduate of Boston University, holding a BFA in Theatre Arts (with a concentration in scenic painting) and a minor in Archaeology.

He comes from the College of Fine Arts Dean’s Office, where he has been developing student events and programming since 2020. An artist and activist, he is ecstatic to join the Center’s inaugural team, to help shape its identity, and to be a resource for our students.

As an alumni and trans man himself, the Center’s creation is an advocacy project he has had a personal interest in for years. Outside of work, you’ll find him drawing, gaming, working through his endless reading list of liberation-minded literature, or listening to the works of politically active musicians.