Get to know the people who have dedicated their time and energy into                                  making the WhXYte  Wedding vision come true!

Hana
Owner of Hana Designs, founder of Hana’s Hope and of the WhXYte Wedding

Hana, the founder of the WhXYte Wedding concept initially was a law student.  In 1980, she switched careers and began to manage a wig salon. A few years later, she opened her own business distributing hair pieces throughout the mountain states.  Seeing a huge need for wigs and hairpieces for cancer patients, she added a mobile service assisting cancer patients in the surrounding area hospitals.  She spent most of her time with children, helping them to deal with alopecia (an autoimmune disorder resulting in hair loss) and hair loss resulting from cancer treatment. About 5 years later, Hana launched Hana Designs ( www.hanadesigns.com ) an Aveda hair salon and wig boutique specializing in chronic hair loss due to disease, disorders and other medical conditions. It was during this time that she began to work with trangender men and the Colorado Gender Identity Center.  Developing a real heart for the problems they faced, Hana worked to help and encourage transgender men in their journeys. 

In 1992, Hana was diagnosed with advanced cancer.  She fought hard to recover and is cancer free today.  During this ordeal, she continued working, while Hana Designs’ reputation for custom wig fitting and designing grew and grew.  She worked with more and more people from the trans community, and her salon became “the place to go”.   She shared the hopes, dreams, hurts and disappointments of hundreds of transgender people, and came to really understand the community.
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Hobbies include martial arts, theater, dogs, and creating new ventures. She is currently writing a book about her mom titled “Boon”.

Heather Dyamond
WhXYte Wedding Executive Director

Heather was a  chiropractor for more than 30 years, she discovered her feminine identity at about 10 years old. She now considers herself as Bigender. Heather served in the Peace Corps in Malaysia on the Island of Borneo as a math and physic teacher. Heather met Hana when she moved to Denver in the early 80's, and they have been fast friends ever since. Heather has degree in Psychology, Biology and a doctorate in Chiropractic.  She is married to her 2nd wife, Darcy, and has two grown daughters.

Randy Perietti
Chair of Website Development Committee

Randy’s motto is to “Try to better the world with one smile at a time”.  He is the owner of RJP Photography ( https://www.rjpphotography.com ) and Swartz Photography and has been a commercial photographer since 1987. He’s has worked Perth, Australia and Denver. Randy began his career  with film cameras but over time transitioned to digital technology. He focuses on people and products. He loves Fine Art photography and more recently, 360 photography projects. Traveling, playing hockey, and riding Harley’s are some of his favorite activities outside of the studio.

Darcy Truppo
Chair of Budget Committee

Darcy has been married to Heather Dyamond, Executive Director of the Whxyte Wedding, for over 20 years. Darcy met Heather as a man and a few years later, learned of her transgender feelings, and fully embraced them. Since then, they have lived, traveled and generally had fun together. During that time, Darcy has seen seen huge positive changes in the social acceptance of transgender people– and has also seen the tremendous real life challenges (physical, emotional, spiritual,family, professional and financial) faced by transgender men and women at every stage of the gender continuum.
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Darcy is a Realtor in the Metro Denver area ( http://sedenverhomes.com )and has served as the Executive Director of the Colorado Chiropractic Association, President and Chairman of the Board of the Colorado Society of Association Executives and in other business leadership and development capacities.

Becky McCall
Project Manager

Becky met Hana when she began her cancer journey 10 years ago. Hana’s loving and supportive attitude and experience cemented their relationship.  Becky feels called to give back to Hana and the community thru her support of the WhXYte Wedding.   She also gives her time and energy to support Dementia/Alzheimers and Mental Illness organizations.  Becky has  35+ years experience as a Supply Chain Professional, with a focus in Sourcing and Contracts, in multiple industries.  She brings her experience in project management and contracting to the board. In her spare time, her high energy mini Aussie takes her on walks and she likes to garden, golf, read, and hike.

Beki Adams
Chair of Silent Auction Committee

A long time client and friend of Hana, Beki witnessed many acts of kindness from Hana to others over the last few decades. This inspired her to be involved in making Hana's Whxyte Wedding event become a reality. She brings tremendous organizational and management experience, having spent the last 35 years in the Specialty Lines Insurance market. For the majority of those years, she managed national environmental insurance underwriting groups and worked in product development. Those 35 years were very interesting and every day she learned something new. Beki is now focusing on learning new skills related to textile arts and needlework crafts. These have always been passions of hers and she is very much enjoying this new journey.

Ilene Mondell
Chair of Marketing Committee

Ilene Mondell relocated to the Denver area 6 years ago.
 
​Ilene served as a career Naval Officer for 28 years.  She was a flyer and an Aerospace Physiologist during her 28 years performing life science research and human factors functions for aviation.  She is board certified in aviation physiology and served as President of the International Aerospace Physiology Society.
 
 She holds a BS in Biology from SE Missouri University and a Master in Public Health from East Carolina University, as well as certifications in aviation mishap investigation from The Naval Postgraduate School and systems engineering from Defense Acquisition University.

She umpires high school baseball locally and volunteers in support of wounded warriors and disabled athletes with World TEAM Sports.
 
Ilene came out late in life after years of denial and struggle with gender dysphoria and is early in her social transition.  She has been married for 41 years and enjoys full time retirement with 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

                                                                           Whisper Bissonette
                                                              Chair of Social Media Committee

Whisper Bissonette is a 23 year old American Indian Colorado native with a passion for beauty and the inclusion of all peoples. Raised by a single mother very involved in            activism and education, advocating for gender inclusion was no question.                          Professionally, Whisper has been a cosmetologist and assistant to Hana at Hana        Designs for the past 2 years with many more to come.  She graduated from the                                                                                        Aveda institute of Denver in 2016, and set out to find a salon where she could not only                                                                          transform  people, but help others as well. The Whxyte Wedding is her first professional                                                                      humanitarian endeavor, but it certainly won’t be her last.

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                                                                            Jennifer Lane
                                                           ​Chair of the Events Committee

Jennifer has been a leader in the event industry in Colorado for more than 28 years and the owner of Jennifer Lane Events  ( www.jenniferlanreevents.com ) and Event Décor Divas ( www.eventdecordivas.com ). Over the years she has watched several friends and family members in the LGBTQ+ community try to hide their true selves and not be ostracized. Some of which are no longer here to see this change in acceptance start to                                                                       come about. Before she started in the event industry, she had found it heart breaking                                                                           that her friends, family and acquaintances had nowhere to turn, be accepted and have                                                                       their vision realized at their corporate events, private events, and weddings. 

                                                                  She works hard when she is working with couples and clients in the LGBTQ+ community                                                                      to make sure the vendors and professionals she brings on board for their events are not                                                                      just accepting, may be in the community themselves, and she goes above and beyond                                                                        to ensure that her client’s big day is an astonishing day to remember. 

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