As our Executive Director, Erika Castellanos spearheads trans and gender diverse advocacy worldwide, partnering with global organizations to address social justice, inequality, decriminalization, and access to healthcare.
Erika joined GATE in 2017 as Director of Programs and, after serving as Interim for one year, was appointed GATE’s Executive Director in 2023. At GATE, Erika secures vital resources to support our trans and gender diverse communities worldwide, with her strategic leadership and fundraising efforts securing sustainable funding. Her commitment to driving innovation to advance the global trans movement enables GATE to achieve tangible progress toward equality and justice for all.
She began her career in the early 1990s, volunteering at a hospice in southern Mexico, providing dignified care to palliative clients at a time when treatment options were limited. After discovering that she was HIV-positive in 1995, she became active in advocating for treatment access and countering stigma in healthcare, founding Belize’s first HIV network and co-establishing its national trans organization.
Specifically advocating for trans rights with an intersectional perspective, she has contributed to regional networks including REDCA+, REDLA+, CRN+, and REDLACTRANS. She became Vice Chair of GNP+ in 2015, and in 2018 became the first openly trans member of the Global Fund Board as the Communities Delegation representative.
When she’s not busy changing the world, Erika finds solace in cooking, crocheting, and spending time with her husband, two children, and two furry dogs.