Amanda Keller
SHE/HER/HERS
DIRECTOR
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Amanda moved to Alabama in 2006 and received her BA in Philosophy from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Amanda is the Founding Director of the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) and manages Family Matters: LGBTQ Youth Perspectives, a photography exhibition by Carolyn Sherer. Family Matters premiered at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in April 2014, and was selected as the Outwin Boochever Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery finalist in 2016.
Her advocacy work began in Columbus, Ohio volunteering with a local AIDS service organization. That work continued at Birmingham AIDS Outreach in 2009. Amanda is proud to be in her 11th year of working with BAO and affiliated programs.
Amanda is a graduate of the 2019 American Express Leadership Academy, serves on the Board of the Children’s Policy Council, and Mayor Woodfin’s LGBTQ Advisory Board. Additional awards include: 2015 Simpkins/Talley Spirit of Pride Award, 2015 B-Metro Fusion Award, 2017 Ben Rowell Community Service Award, AL.com’s 2017 “Women Who Shape the State” honoree, 2018 Sylvia Rivera Game Changer Award, one of 2018 Birmingham Business Journal’s “Women to Watch,” a member of the Leadership Birmingham Class of 2020, and the UAB College of Arts and Sciences 2020 Distinguished Young Alumni.
Lauren Jacobs
SHE/HER/HERS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Lauren Jacobs, Assistant Director at the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) in Birmingham, Alabama. At MCAC, Lauren provides community building, sexual wellness/healthy relationship education, and STI testing and for LGBTQ youth ages 13-24.
Lauren is a Birmingham native whose advocacy around LGBTQ issues began as a student in high school. She became heavily involved in organizing at The University of Alabama where her work involved coalition building with a network of LGBTQ college student groups around the Southeastern U.S., and developing programs and events around gender, sexuality, racial and reproductive justice. Lauren was a principal organizer for the Southeastern LGBTQ Student Leadership Conference, offering space for hundreds of students to build a diverse community of LGBTQ southerners.
Lauren has contributed writing to Autostraddle.com, the world's biggest queer women's website, and served as associate producer to Alabama Bound, an award-winning documentary that has brought stories of lesbian families in Alabama to screens around the country.
Meet The Team!
Amanda Keller
SHE/HER
FOUNDING DIRECTOR
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Amanda moved to Alabama in 2006 and received her BA in Philosophy from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Amanda is the Founding Director of the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) and manages Family Matters: LGBTQ Youth Perspectives, a photography exhibition by Carolyn Sherer. Family Matters premiered at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in April 2014, and was selected as the Outwin Boochever Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery finalist in 2016.
Her advocacy work began in Columbus, Ohio volunteering with a local AIDS service organization. That work continued at Birmingham AIDS Outreach in 2009. Amanda is proud to be in her 14th year of working with BAO and affiliated programs.
Amanda is a graduate of the 2019 American Express Leadership Academy, serves on the Board of the Children’s Policy Council, and Mayor Woodfin’s LGBTQ Advisory Board. Additional awards include: 2015 Simpkins/Talley Spirit of Pride Award, 2015 B-Metro Fusion Award, 2017 Ben Rowell Community Service Award, AL.com’s 2017 “Women Who Shape the State” honoree, 2018 Sylvia Rivera Game Changer Award, one of 2018 Birmingham Business Journal’s “Women to Watch,” a member of the Leadership Birmingham Class of 2020, and the UAB College of Arts and Sciences 2020 Distinguished Young Alumni.
Lauren Jacobs
SHE/HER
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Lauren Jacobs, Assistant Director at the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) in Birmingham, Alabama. At MCAC, Lauren provides community building, sexual wellness/healthy relationship education, and STI testing and for LGBTQ youth ages 13-24.
Lauren is a Birmingham native whose advocacy around LGBTQ issues began as a student in high school. She became heavily involved in organizing at The University of Alabama where her work involved coalition building with a network of LGBTQ college student groups around the Southeastern U.S., and developing programs and events around gender, sexuality, racial and reproductive justice. Lauren was a principal organizer for the Southeastern LGBTQ Student Leadership Conference, offering space for hundreds of students to build a diverse community of LGBTQ southerners.
Lauren has contributed writing to Autostraddle.com, the world's biggest queer women's website, and served as associate producer to Alabama Bound, an award-winning documentary that has brought stories of lesbian families in Alabama to screens around the country.
Laura Leffel,LMSW
SHE/HER
SOCIAL WORKER
Laura Leffel is from Huntsville, Alabama, but has called Birmingham home since 2016. She graduated with her Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama in 2021, and her Bachelors in Social Work from UAB in 2019. In July 2022, she became a Licensed Master Social Worker in the state of Alabama.
She enjoys working with youth and their families and has completed clinical placements at the UAB Center for Psychiatric Medicine and the Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) fellowship.
Laura loves to read and spend time with her friends and family. She is very excited to join the MCAC team!
Isaiah Caldwell
HE/HIM
COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORKER
Isaiah is the Community Outreach Worker at MCAC. He is originally from Huntsville, Alabama. He is obtaining a BS in Communication Studies at the University of Montevallo.
One thing that Isaiah is passionate about is human connection. With that he has always been an advocate for justice and fairness. He advocates by using communication ethically in the hope that groups have shared meaning. At his university he is Vice President of the Black Student Union as well as part of the M.A.D.E. (Minorities Achieving Dreams of Excellence) Program. He uses his skills in deliberative communication and public speaking in order to help create dialogue that’s productive and creates conversation about human rights.
Isaiah has not been in Birmingham long, but he’s already had his foot in multiple doors. Interning at Birmingham’s own Big Communications as well as the Birmingham Business Alliance’s program Onboard BHM. Isaiah is very excited to be part of this team and is very eager to bring his skills as well as learn more about working with a nonprofit organization. Like the amazing educators and mentors in his life he wants to invest in the youth in hope that they continue to be the force that betters this world more and more every day.