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Comings & Goings
Uceda takes role at StartOut; Cardon lands at Facebook
The ‘Comings & Goings’ column chronicles important life changes of Blade readers.
The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].
The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ+ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, landed an internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.
Tony Uceda (Photo courtesy of Uceda)
Congratulations to Tony Uceda who began his job with StartOut as the new development director. StartOut is a national nonprofit organization fostering and developing entrepreneurship in the LGBTQ community. They help members of the community who are trying to start new companies and support LGBTQ entrepreneurs as they grow and expand their existing businesses.
Prior to this, Uceda was the major gifts officer with the National LGBTQ Task Force. He previously served as director of mission and program integration with the St. Labre Indian Mission where he oversaw development of education programs and outreach initiatives. He received his bachelor’s in philosophy from St. Joseph Seminary College, Benedict, La., and a fundraising management certificate from Indiana University.
Congratulations also to Nathan A. Cardon who is the new associate general counsel, customer support & quality operations for Facebook. Cardon said his role is to “support the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) team, which includes both the Oculus VR unit and the Building 8 unit. I’ll be helping the company work on physical product issues to ensure fun, safe end user experiences and to help ensure product safety and compliance with U.S. and other legal and regulatory regimes.”
Prior to joining Facebook, Cardon was senior regulatory associate with Keller and Heckman LLP in D.C. He represented clients in communications with the government, suppliers, customers and others. He assisted companies in protecting consumer (especially children’s) privacy under Federal Trade Commission Act and other laws, regulations and policies. Before that he served as senior counsel to Commissioner Nancy A. Nord at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. He has also worked with Investigations and White-Collar Defense Attorney Wiley Rein LLP.
Cardon is a member of the D.C. Bar and the Virginia Bar and a Certified Information Privacy Professional—U.S. Private Sector and Certified Information Privacy Professional—Europe. He is a member of the Federalist Society. He has co-authored a number of publications, including “A Year of Transition at the CPSC” (Dec. 19, 2017); “Lessons from a Challenge to CPSC Civil Penalty Authority” (Oct. 27, 2017), “Shielded—EU Approves Privacy Pact with U.S., Fee Schedule Proposed” (July 26, 2016).
He received his bachelor’s in political science from Brigham Young University and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He and his husband Flavio have been active members of the D.C. LGBTQ community until their recent move to California.
Nathan A. Cardon (Photo courtesy of Cardon)
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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