Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet

Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet is a passionate advocate, dedicated community leader, and proven problem solver. Raised in Brazil by his remarkable single mother, a domestic worker, Felipe learned early on the values of resilience, determination, and compassion. At 14, Felipe moved to Florida, where he was raised by his older sister. As an LGBTQ+ immigrant, he has firsthand experience of the challenges many Floridians face. In 2010, Felipe embarked on a 1,500-mile journey, walking from Miami to Washington, DC, to raise awareness about the struggles of young immigrants and to advocate for a more just and equitable future. Felipe is dedicated to the local community, serving under Mayor Buddy Dyer for 5 years. He was the point of contact for those Orlandoans impacted by the Pulse tragedy and later advised the Mayor on outreach and policy impacting multicultural communities. Now, as the Executive Director of a nonprofit with a $3.8 million budget and over 30 staff members, Felipe brings valuable leadership experience and a proven track record of impact. Today, Felipe is proud to call Central Florida his home. He is happily married to his husband, Luis Sousa-Lazaballet, and together they share their life with two wonderful puppies.