Meet our Team!

Matilda D. Mann-Morales grew up in the greater Los Angeles metroplex. Mattie was initially elected as OIWT's vice president, but was later elected as the organization's president. Their first experience in nonprofit work began at the age of 18. At 27, she moved to the West Texas area and started volunteering for Pride Center West Texas and its sponsored organizations. As president, she has been speaking with local government in efforts to have Out In West Texas reach the most endangered part of the queer community: the gender-diverse and gender-nonconforming community. She has partnered with other organizations such as HRC of Texas, the American Library Association, PFLAG Midland-Odessa, Basin Pride, and OIWT's fiscal agent: Pride Center West Texas.

Grace Kerestly is the treasurer of Out in West Texas! They grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan but has been living in West Texas for the past 13 years. Grace got her BA in Psychology from Angelo State University before moving to Odessa. They enjoy playing ukulele and guitar, roller-skating, and spending time with her husband and two dogs (named Muffin and Pancake). Grace is also the vice chair of Basin Pride!

Gale Norris was born in Odessa, and has always wanted to make it a better place. She came out as transgender in 2020 and joined Out In West Texas in 2023. She likes to help others, and is happy and honored to be serving the local LGBTQ community.

Phoenix was born and raised in the Midland/Odessa area. She realized she was under the trans umbrella in the mid 2010s and joined the board in order to help make Texas a better place for other transgender and gender nonconforming people.

Rainbow is an artist and shopkeeper born in Alpine, Tx. They own a local metaphysical shop and make art in various mediums. They love watching horror movies, cooking, and hanging out with their family.

Jessa was born and raised in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA and began her medical transition at age 37 after working for over a decade as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. She first moved to the Permian Basin in 2013 and lived in Odessa from 2019 to 2023. Jessa now works as a cybersecurity consultant in the Pacific Northwest but has devoted many years of her life to humanitarian causes, volunteering in Ukraine, Haiti, India, and most recently working as a project manager and software developer with the United Nations Office for Project Services in Nepal. Jessa serves as the IT administrator and emeritus board member of OIWT, and is committed to helping build a resilient community of transgender and gender non-conforming humans in West Texas.