Montrose Center CEO honored on Out100 list of impactful LGBTQ people

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Montrose Center's CEO is making history. Avery Belyeu is the first openly transgender person to be the leader of a large LGBTQ center in the country.

"It feels like a bit of a glass ceiling moment," she said. "I certainly feel that myself, that this is the first time for someone like me to be in a seat like this. I think this is meaningful personally to me, and I think its also meaningful for the community at large."

Belyeu has been working in the non-profit sector for the past 15 years, in spaces related to LGBTQ issues, suicide prevention, behavioral health and public health.

"When I heard about this job, I will say it is the perfect mirror to all of those things that I've done across the last 14, 15 years," she said. "Caring for folks' wellness, their behavioral health, their mental health, is really at the core of who we are as an organization, and so this place is a perfect marriage of all those things."

Belyeu is also being honored by Out Magazine on its 2024 Out100 list, celebrating this year's most impactful and influential LGBTQ people.

"I have been watching Out100 for most of my queer life, and it's such an amazing way that people in our community, leaders, innovators, groundbreakers are featured, and folks all across the country get to know who they are," said Belyeu. "It's really amazing for me this year that I've been selected. It's a little bit surreal and it's such an honor."

ABC13 caught up with Belyeu in the video above to hear about what she's looking forward to the most as she leads the fourth-largest LGBTQ center in the country!