Two leaders of Penn State Abington’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Aneesah Smith and Boni Wozolek, were named among the most influential figures in Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ+ community.

The pair share the No. 66 ranking on the 2023 Pride Power 100 list by City & State Pennsylvania.

Wozolek is the founding director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusive Excellence, and Belonging. Wozolek retains her full-time faculty status as an associate professor of elementary and early childhood education.

Her scholarly work considers questions of social justice, qualitative research, and teaching practices that focus on the examination of race, sexual orientations and gender identities across educational contexts. 

Smith, the director of diversity, equity and inclusion within Student Affairs, plays a critical role supporting students of color and first-generation and LGBTQ+-identifying undergraduates.

She leads cultural celebrations, educational workshops and diversity trainings, and her office provides a haven for students experiencing challenges, as well as providing a joyful gathering space on a daily basis.   

As the instructor for the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in the Workplace certificate program offered by the campus office of Continuing Education, Smith provides a unique perspective to support the development of inclusive work environments considering race, gender, sexual orientation, class and more.  

Lori Schreiber, an instructor in sociology and in the rehabilitation and human services major, was named to the 2023 Pride Power 100 list.

In addition to Smith and Wozolek, Lori Schreiber, the Montgomery County clerk of courts and an adjunct instructor in the rehabilitation and human services major at Abington, was named to the Pride Power 100 list, coming in at No. 41.  

Upon her election as clerk of courts in 2019, Schreiber became the first lesbian elected to a countywide, non-judicial position in Pennsylvania. She has served as an Abington Township commissioner since 2005, when she was the first openly LGBTQ+ person to win an election in Montgomery County.