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Comings & Goings
Rebranding for LUNA+EISENLA
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Congratulations to Brad Luna and Kristofer Eisenla on the rebranding of their firm as LUNA+EISENLA. Founded in 2012, the firm has been the agency of record providing strategic communications and media counsel on several historic advancements in both the public and private sectors, including: change in the U.S. Tax Code creating the standard home office deduction; repeal of the military’s transgender service member ban; announcement of a cure for “bubble boy disease,” and the personal identity of the first person ever cured of HIV/AIDS; representation of three plaintiffs in the Supreme Court’s historic Obergefell v. Hodges marriage equality ruling; and thought leadership development of world-renowned doctors and researchers, including a member of the World Health Organization’s vaccine composition team for COVID, influenza, and other infectious diseases.
With the rebranding they have added three individuals to round out LUNA+EISENLA’s full suite of strategic communications and media services. Elizabeth Curwen as director of content will work on strategic content development across platforms to better engage targeted audiences, research, and analytics to inform audience targeting strategies, digital analytics to optimize client’s communications campaigns for greater impact and real-time feedback reports on media outreach engagements. Sean Todd as creative director will be responsible for creative visual content solutions including branding, digital marketing, print design and audio/video production. Riah Gonzales King as director of digital strategies will provide services designed to harness the power of technology to develop digital advertising, e-commerce platforms, SEO optimization, and website and app creation.
The two founders of the firm have extensive backgrounds in policy, communications, and public relations. They both have extensive experience providing communications and media relations counsel to a wide range of government, campaign, non-profit and corporate institutions. They have worked on presidential and senatorial campaigns, and for members of Congress and America’s top CEOs.
Prior to founding LUNA+EISENLA, Eisenla was a vice president at Widmeyer Communications and before that was Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director, Representative Diana DeGette (D-Colo.). He graduated from California State University, Stanislaus, with a degree in politics and economics, and has advanced degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science; and The George Washington University. He has been awarded the Bronze Anvil by the Public Relations Society of America.
Prior to joining with Eisenla to found LUNA+EISENLA, Luna was director of Communications for the Human Rights Campaign. Before that he was press secretary to Rep. Brad Carson (D-Okla.). He has guest lectured on political communications, message development and public policy at George Washington University and American University. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa and attended The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.
Rehoboth Beach
BLUF leather social set for April 10 in Rehoboth
Attendees encouraged to wear appropriate gear
Diego’s in Rehoboth Beach hosts a monthly leather happy hour. April’s edition is scheduled for Friday, April 10, 5-7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear appropriate gear. The event is billed as an official event of BLUF, the free community group for men interested in leather. After happy hour, the attendees are encouraged to reconvene at Local Bootlegging Company for dinner, which allows cigar smoking. There’s no cover charge for either event.
District of Columbia
Celebrations of life planned for Sean Bartel
Two memorial events scheduled in D.C.
Two celebrations of life are planned for Sean Christopher Bartel, 48, who was found deceased on a hiking trail in Argentina on or around March 15. Bartel began his career as a television news reporter and news anchor at stations in Louisville, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., before serving as Senior Video Producer for the D.C.-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union from 2013 to 2024.
A memorial gathering is planned for Friday, April 10, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the IBEW International Office (900 7th St., N.W.), according to a statement by the DC Gay Flag Football League, where Bartel was a longtime member. A celebration of life is planned that same evening, 6-8 p.m. at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.).
District of Columbia
D.C. Council member honored by LGBTQ homeless youth group
Doni Crawford receives inaugural Wanda Alston Legacy Award
About 100 people turned out Tuesday evening, April 7, for a presentation by D.C.’s Wanda Alston Foundation of its inaugural Wanda Alston Legacy Award to D.C. Council member Doni Crawford (I-At-Large) for her support for the foundation’s mission to support homeless LGBTQ youth.
Among those who attended the event was Japer Bowles, director of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, who delivered an official proclamation issued by Bowser declaring April 7, 2026 “A Day of Remembrance for Wanda Alston.”
Alston, a beloved women’s and LGBTQ rights activist, served as the city’s first director of the then newly created Office of LGBTQ Affairs under then-Mayor Anthony Williams from 2004 until her death by murder on March 16, 2005.
To the shock and dismay of fellow LGBTQ rights advocates, police and court records reported Alston, 45, was stabbed to death inside her Northeast D.C. house by a man high on crack cocaine who lived nearby and who stole her credit cards and car. The perpetrator, William Martin Parrott, 38, was arrested by D.C. police the next day and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced in July 2005 to 24 years in prison.
Crawford was among those attending the award event who reflected on Alston’s legacy and outspoken advocacy for LGBTQ and feminist causes.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to receive this inaugural award,” Crawford told the Washington Blade at the conclusion of the event. “I think the world of Wanda Alston. She has set such a great foundation for me and other Council members to build on,” she said.
“Her focus on inclusivity and intersectionality is really important as we approach this work,” Crawford added. “And it’s going to guide my work at the Council every day.”
Crawford was appointed to the D.C. Council in January of this year to replace then Council member Kenyan McDuffie (I-At-Large), who resigned to run for D.C. mayor as a Democrat. She is being challenged by four other independent candidates in a June 16 special election for the Council seat.
Under the city’s Home Rule Charter written and approved by Congress, the seat is one of two D.C. Council at-large seats that cannot be held by a “majority party” candidate, meaning a Democrat.
A statement released by the Alston Foundation last month announcing Crawford’s selection for the Wanda Alston Legacy Award praised Crawford’s record of support for its work on behalf of LGBTQ youth.
“From behind the scenes to now serving as an At-Large Council member, she has fought fearlessly for affordable housing, LGBTQ+ funding priorities, and racial justice,” the statement says. “Council member Crawford’s leadership reflects the same courage and conviction that defined Wanda’s legacy.”
Organizers of the event noted that it was held on what would have been Wanda Alston’s 67th birthday.
“Today’s legacy reception was a smashing success,” said Cesar Toledo, the Alston Foundation’s executive director. “Not only did we come together to celebrate Wanda Alston on her birthday, but we also were able to raise over $10,000 for our homeless LGBTQ youth here in D.C.,” Toledo told the Blade.
“In addition to that, we celebrated and we acknowledged a rising star in our community,” he said. “And that is At-Large Council member Doni Crawford, who we named the inaugural Wanda Alston Legacy Award recipient.”
At the request of D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large) the Council voted unanimously on Jan. 20, 2026, to appoint Crawford to the Council seat being vacated by McDuffie.
Council records show she joined McDuffie’s Council staff in 2022 as a policy adviser and later became his legislative director before McDuffie appointed her as staff director for the Council’s Committee on Business and Economic Development for which McDuffie served as chair.
Calendar: April 10-16
BLUF leather social set for April 10 in Rehoboth
Celebrations of life planned for Sean Bartel
The ‘X’ returns to court
LGBTQ community explores arming up during heated political times
Risking it all for love during World War II
D.C. is the place for the Democratic Socialists of America
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