LGBTQIA+ Faculty and Staff Alliance

Events and Membership

To become a member of the LGBTQIA+ Faculty and Staff Alliance, please submit a membership form so you can be informed of upcoming meetings and events. There is no cost associated with membership and no time commitments. Members can attend as many meetings and events as they would like. Individual membership in ERGs is strictly voluntary and open to all employees who are interested in joining, regardless of identity. Refer to the ERG benefits and guidelines for more information.

Leadership

Lina Crowe, Co-Lead

Angelina (Lina) R. Crowe is the metadata specialist for Hunt Library. They originally started working for Carnegie Mellon University as a student worker in 2007, and then returned in 2013 to work as a full time employee. They are also an active member of several DEI Initiatives at Hunt Library.

Lina has a BA in film theory and a master's of library and information sciences. They have been heavily involved in organizations to aid questioning and queer youth and fundraising for NY AIDS Walk and the ASPCA accompanying the youth groups. Lina also organized a fundraiser for RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) at a club in NYC and performed with one of the bands that headlined. While in graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh, they created the Famous Living Dead Brigade, a performance art troupe dedicated to encouraging artful expression among youth dealing with mental health and gender/sexuality issues.

Lina enjoys working with others to support and educate on many issues, but puts queer issues and mental health issues at the forefront of their goals. They hope to be able to continue this through the CMU LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group and to be able to help the CMU community become a safe, strong and supportive place for everyone.

Ashley Werlinich, Co-Lead

Ashley Werlinich is the faculty liaison to English and Drama at Carnegie Mellon University Libraries. She also serves as the co-liaison to the Entertainment Technology Center and constantly seeks new ways to partner with both the CMU community and the Pittsburgh community more broadly. Ashley also fosters library connections with students and faculty through her commitment to outreach; she hosts many outreach events on campus, including zine-making events, workshops on arts entrepreneurship, and is a co-lead on several outreach and DEIA related groups within the University Libraries. She is passionate about creating community spaces that help people feel welcomed, valued, heard and joyful, and will continue to pursue this commitment to inclusion and belonging in her work for the LGBTQIA+ Faculty and Staff Alliance.

Cara Giannandrea, Member Liaison

Cara Giannandrea has been with Carnegie Mellon University since 2016, working in Transition Services at the Software Engineering Institute. In 2022, she joined the Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation. At CTTEC, in collaboration with the senior licensing manager, she works with faculty, staff and students on technology originating from the Robotics Institute. Cara is deeply committed to LGBTQIA+ issues. She previously worked on ideation for the creation of a peer support network for LGBTQIA+ individuals, and currently is working on building connections and resources related to LGBTQIA+ family planning. Cara is a native Pittsburgher. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her partner and dog, mountain biking, snowboarding and making music.