Shane Ortega is a human rights equity advocate, diversity educator, fitness model, DJ, and mixed-media artist. They are a retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and Marine Corps Veteran. Ortega describes his race, gender, and sexual identity as transmasculine, non-binary, queer, and mixed-ethnicity. He was featured in the recent Emmy-eligible and GLAAD award-nominated documentary Trans in Trumpland. He can also be seen in HBO's “The Trans List” and the History Channel's "History Now" Series. Ortega is featured in the photo series book "American Boys" by Soraya Zaman and has modeled campaigns for Belvedere Vodka and 2xist underwater company.

Ortega is a recipient of numerous military awards over his career and also the Harper's Bazaar Icon award 2019, as one of the most influential POC in America working in human rights advocacy. Ortega is a co-author in the peer-reviewed journal Gay and Lesbian mental health. "Trans in the United States Military - Fighting for change.” The article is the proceedings of a symposium on the experience of trans people in the United States military and the advocacy to end the trans military ban. This symposium was co-sponsored by AGLP: The Association of LGBTQ Psychiatrists and took place at the American Psychiatric Association’s 2017 Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.

As a DEI consultant and keynote speaker, they train organizations and companies to empower the client with measurable skills of knowledge, compassion, and equity. Thus broadening opportunities for marginalized communities and voices. This leads to an increased dynamic workplace of creativity, cohesion, and productivity. They use their own lived intersectional experience of generational trauma, womanhood/ness, disability, military service, multiple minority status, and public health education to support and expand the lens of the client.

Best known for co-founding the 503(c) non-profit organization Spart*a, Ortega directly supported military members through the years of the repeal of DADT and the transgender military ban. He concurrently worked as an intrinsic member of the Military Freedom Coalition which lobbied for 8 years in the same effort of equity.

LGBTQ, Transgender, Military, Army, LGBT Awareness Month, LGBTQ Voices, LGBTQ Rights, Gay Activism, Gay Marriage, Social Justice, Social Issues, Activists, Native American Heritage, Diversity, Diversity Topics, Veteran, Veteran Affairs, North Carolina, DEI, Culture, Black Heritage, Civil Rights, Virtual Speakers, Inspirational, Workshop, Non-Binary