Stonewall Staff
Genny Beemyn, Director (they/them)
@email, www.gennyb.com
Genny Beemyn, Ph.D., was one of the country’s first out nonbinary college administrators and has been the director of the Stonewall Center since 2006. Beginning in 2004, Genny has tracked college trans-inclusive policies and worked with colleges to help them become more trans-supportive. Genny has published and spoken extensively on the experiences and needs of trans college students, including writing some of the first articles on the topic. Among the more than dozen books and journal issues that they have written/edited are The Lives of Transgender People (with Sue Rankin, 2011); A Queer Capital: A History of Gay Life in Washington, D.C. (2014); and the anthology Trans People in Higher Education (2019). With Abbie Goldberg, they edited The SAGE Encyclopedia of Trans Studies (2021) and were an associate editor of the 2nd edition of The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ+ Studies (2024). They are currently conducting a national study of college students who are both ace and trans/nonbinary. Genny is also the associate editor of the International Journal of LGBTQ+ Youth Studies and an editorial board member of the Journal of Bisexuality and the Journal of Homosexuality. They have a Ph.D. in African American Studies and master’s degrees in African American Studies, American Studies, and Higher Education Administration.
In their not so spare time, Genny hikes and trail runs, maintains a huge garden, rants about the political and environmental climate, road trips to Dar Williams concerts across New England, follows women's basketball, and obsesses about old Star Trek.
Zeke Shenk, Assistant Director (he/him)
Zeke Shenk joined the Stonewall Center as Assistant Director in February 2025. He is passionate about cultivating welcoming and inclusive community spaces on campus and supporting all students in achieving their goals for success using an equity-centered approach. Zeke is especially interested in developing intersectional initiatives and programming to meet the needs of multiply marginalized LGBTQIA+ students. As a first-generation college student and UMass Amherst alumnus, he enjoys collaborating with students to find the right supports to help navigate the university and transform overwhelming obstacles into manageable, “figure-out-able” challenges.
In his free time, Zeke enjoys watching questionable reality dating shows, spoiling his cat, and listening to albums by the Mountain Goats and Carly Rae Jepson on repeat. He loves spreadsheets, professional wrestling, old episodes of the Muppet Show, and literally every dog he has had the honor of meeting.
Contact Us
403 Goodell Hall, 140 Hicks Way
UMass Amherst
Phone: 413-545-4824
stonewall@umass.edu
Hours: Monday– Friday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Directions and Parking