LISA NAVA, PRIDE DIRECTOR

Lisa was raised in Michigan by working class parents and moved to California in 1983, finally planting her roots in Encinitas where she married her husband, Antonio Nava, and are raising a family of four children. 

 

Lisa comes to PRIDE by the Beach with prior experience on the Encinitas Educational Foundation Board as a Community Partner Director, a history of grassroots organizing specializing in fundraising, events and mobilizing people around important local issues of social justice. Lisa serves on the Encinitas Parks and Recreation Commission, helped coordinate the AIDS quilt display for PRIDE, served on the 2018 North County Women's  March Committee and is working her last year as the NC LGBTQ Resource Center Gala chairperson.

 

Pronouns - she, her, hers

LORNA RENEE, COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR

My name is Marty Bell, I have been volunteering at the North County LGBTQ Resource Center for a little over a year now. I worked on the education walk for Pride by the beach 2019, and I'm excited to be coordinating the education walk again this year. Working with the Center and on the Pride By The Beach committee has shown me what it means to be a contributer and builder in my community. The experience I've gained, and the friends I've made here make me proud to be a queer San Diegan. My goal for the educatiom walk is to create an experience that is both interactive and memorable.

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Pronouns - he/him/his

MARTY BELL, EDUCATION WALK COORDINATOR

My name is Marty Bell, I have been volunteering at the North County LGBTQ Resource Center for a little over a year now. I worked on the education walk for Pride by the beach 2019, and I'm excited to be coordinating the education walk again this year. Working with the Center and on the Pride By The Beach committee has shown me what it means to be a contributer and builder in my community. The experience I've gained, and the friends I've made here make me proud to be a queer San Diegan. My goal for the educatiom walk is to create an experience that is both interactive and memorable.

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Pronouns - he/him/his

WIL FISHER, DRAG SHOW CHAIR

Wil Fisher is an entrepreneur, life coach, facilitator, producer, performer, writer, and nonprofit professional. After graduating with a BFA in theatre from the Hartt School, Wil moved to New York City and quickly found his energy pulled towards social rights issues- predominantly those affecting LGBTQ youth. He served as the Northeastern Regional Director of Scouting for All, a national organization working to change the Boy Scout’s discrimination policy against gays and atheists. Later, he became the director of communications and special events for the Ali Forney Center (AFC), the nation’s largest organization dedicated to housing homeless LGBTQ youth. While at AFC, Wil earned his MA in applied theatre from CUNY, and discovered the ways theatre can be used for community building, education, and for addressing social rights issues.

 

He has brought this work to NYC classrooms in workshops focused on ways students can change their school's culture around the perceptions and agreements of LGBTQ people. Wil also served as the Executive Director of Easton Mountain, an LGBT retreat center in upstate New York where he initiated multiple programs including the Easton Mountain Leadership Academy for young adults. He is the founder of Willfully Living, his life coach practice that focuses on supporting people in career development and life transitions. He is also the co-founder of Man Question, a company that works to end toxic masculinity.

RELLE GOAN, PRIDE YOUTH COORDINATOR

Relle is a native to Southern California and has lived in North County for their entire life. They recently graduated from Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista. Relle has interned with an event coordinating company as an assistant, gaining experience in planning events. In 2015, they became an active member of their Gender Sexuality Alliance at their high school, soon becoming president of their GSA. Through their GSA, they became active in the LGBTQ+ Community through planning events and collaborating with other GSAs from other schools. They began speaking in classrooms on their school’s campus which sparked their activism. Relle works with PRIDE and Center Director to coordinate, recruit and train youth to be part of a street team and work at PRIDE by the Beach event, and promote Pride during months prior to October. Helps coordinate GSA activities, aides in design, set up and activities in youth area. Youth Coordinator maintains volunteer lists, attends meetings, manages some social media.

 

Pronouns - they, them, theirs

LONDON HU, PRIDE MEDIA RELATIONS

London was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In the beginning, he privately pursued the exploration of queer identity through writing, fine arts, and music. Then, at the University of Michigan, he discovered his passion for hands-on community building, having the unique opportunity to work with the student LGBTQ+ organization, SPECTRUM Center. He mainly aids in PR management & eventing for Pride By The Beach. London currently resides in Oceanside, California, drinks two caffeinated beverages a day, and studies for grad school with his very friendly service dog, Toboe.

 

Pronouns - he/him/his

LINDA P.T. PINA, HOSPITALITY CHAIR

Linda is a local business owner in Oceanside, Ca. Linda has had her own mobile notary business known as "Roadrunner Notary Service" for 20 years.  More recently Linda started a culinary tour business in Oceanside known as "Carla and Linda's Walking food Tours".

 

Linda is a proud member of Oceanside's gay community.  She and her wife, Carla have celebrated 23 years together.  Linda is passionate about the North County community and strives to see comfort, compassion and equality for all.  

 

Linda happily volunteers in various positions with the North County LGBTQ Center.  She is a go getter and strives to be available to lend what skills she can offer.  It gives Linda great pride to see the diverse atmosphere we have here in North County.

STEVE BURRELL, BUSINESS OUTREACH CHAIR

I moved  to Oceanside fall of 2016.I did union representation for School Employees the last twenty years of my career. I currently own and operate a organic farm in Morro Hills.

 

I have  a passion for fighting for social justice. I chose Oceanside because I believed was safe and LGBTQ friendly place to be  . I was aware,  that with the work of the North County LGBTQ Center  Oceanside has become a better community for all! That is why I volunteer and support the center.

CASSANDRA CHAVEZ, BUILD DAY COORDINATOR

Cassandra Chavez is a San Diego Native, she grew up in East County San Diego then relocated to North County for college. She graduated from California State University, San Marcos with a BA in Human Development with a consideration in counseling. She is now a College Admission Counselor for high school students and working on her Masters in Educational Counseling. She has a passion to assist others discover their own self worth and their pathway of life. 

 

From some amazing friends, she was introduced to the North County LGBTQ Resource Center. She quickly released how much this organization values alined with hers and wanted to help in any way possible. This year she assisted in Build Days and volunteering for Pride by the Beach. From this great experience Cassandra is now Pride Build Coordinator.

BIANCA RODRIGUEZ, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Bianca was born in Palm Springs, Ca and after 19 years decided it was time for a change and moved to Oceanside, Ca. Bianca is currently going to school to become a special education teacher and working as an RBT with children with autism. After moving to San Diego Bianca realized she wanted to be more involved and be part of the LGBTQ community in San Diego. She found North County LGBTQ Resource Center online and shortly after started volunteering at the front desk, the rest is history. 

 

Bianca joined as a volunteer in 2018, volunteered for the Gala 2019, and joined the Pride by the Beach Committee 2019. Apart from being in the Committee Bianca is the volunteer coordinator. During the volunteer sign up process Bianca enjoyed reaching out to present and past volunteers and hearing from new people who would be experiencing their first event  in the LGBTQ community. Bringing people together and having a sense of comfort in the space is why this festival is important to Bianca. Hearing new volunteers between the ages of teenagers to adults express joy and satisfaction in attending the event as a volunteer is a goal Bianca aims to continue for the upcoming years.