Serving on the board is a significant responsibility and a commitment that is not taken lightly. Many members of the trans community count on the workshops, peer support, First Event, and the social events. It’s the board’s responsibility to ensure these services continue and strengthen each year.
Board member typically serve a two year term and we encourage folks to serve no more that two consecutive terms (total of 4 years). This enables continuity but guards against stagnation. The board is voted on by the community, and the various committee and leadership roles like president or treasurer are elected from the newly elected board.
This year we have four board members who are in the middle of their term and therefore not up for re-election:
- Bree Sullivan
- Annalise Boisvert
- Juliana Wall
- Raman Solanki
Up for election this year is a great new slate of 8 board members. The nominating committee has met with each of them to discuss the responsibilities, and importance of the role, as well as learn about their commitment and talents. Each candidate brings a unique skill set and perspective to TCNE. The nominees have a wide range of tenure regarding TCNE, several with over decades of experience with TCNE, along some fresh faces and exciting new ideas. They represent several gender identities and generations.
It is with great pleasure that nominating committee endorse the full slate of candidates for the next fiscal year starting July 1, 2022:
| Kris King | Kris King (they/them) is a student at Harvard College studying History of Science and Global Health Policy and identifies as a trans masc nonbinary person. Kris is the Harvard College Student Accessibility Representative and they are the President of the Harvard Curling team and serve on the USA College Curling Board. Kris was a co-facilitator for Autism: Education & Equity – A Public Health Discussion and is an autistic trans queer advocate. They worked for the Pima County Health Department COVID Schools team and were a co-founder of the Pima County Autism Project. Kris is the former founder of PLT Inc, a nonprofit working with students disadvantaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kris will be working for the division of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control at the Los Angeles County Department of Health this summer to work on accessibility policy for those experiencing addiction. |
| Arti Pacheco | Arti has enjoyed very positive experiences throughout her transition, and she is eager to share her experiences and leadership with the trans community. After a successful career, she is training to be a Life Coach specializing in people that are having gender issues. She shares her leadership with several DEI Committees and the MA LGBT Chamber of Commerce. |
| DeeDee Gardner | Dee Dee is an empathetic friend to all in our community. She is motivated to create a better understanding about the trans experience for cis people. She is skilled with computers, photography, mechanical and a strong knowledge of social media communications. |
| Veronica Jay | Veronica started OnSite Studios in 2003 and provided portraits and group shots of attendees at First Event in the early days of her business. Doing this really contributed to her growth as a portrait photographer and helped grow the business. As her two sons age she finds herself with more time and opportunity to give back to the trans community. She participates in Project Empathy. It’s a stage production where pairs of people tell each other’s story to the audience as if it were their own. So, someone told her story and she told theirs. Veronica’s story was my how she built her closet over the past six decades and how it collapsed in a week. The story goes into her first time at the Tiffany Club and how Veronica came to be and how she doesn’t need to be around 100% of the time, she needs to participate in 100% of my life. Veronica is excited to lend her leadership, photography and dedication to the board at TCNE. |
| Carman/Alvaro Jarrin | Carmen/Alvaro Jarrin (she/they) is an anthropologist and a professor specializing on trans and non-binary identities in Brazil and the United States. She’s the author of The Biopolitics of Beauty, she has published in Transgender Studies Quarterly and she is working on a new book called Our They/Them Future. She’s been a member of TCNE for a couple of years now, attending several events, and she wishes to be part of the TCNE board in order to help the group expand its focus and better integrate both people of color and non-binary folks, thus serving the needs of younger generations of gender nonconforming people. Carmen can serve as a liaison with those communities, and she is also savvy with social media and other forms of communication. |
| Jamie Peebles | Jamie started the Lilac House Farm as a social outreach program, her beautiful location serves as the host facility for many of the TCNE social events over the past few years. She documented her transition which began in 2015 and produced an award-winning feature film. She has tremendous work experience in many capacities as a teacher and as an engineer. She is also well versed in management and leadership techniques. |
| Irene Brank | Irene is a storyteller, consultant, and advocate for the transgender community. She specializes in transgender education, transition at work consultation, and leading gender transitions in the workplace. Irene is a frequent speaker for corporations and non-profit events, often partnering with her transgender daughter who is promoting change as a social media influencer and content creator. Irene brings her unique experience in Human Resources and Diversity and Inclusion together to create a memorable impact for the transgender community. |
| Pepper Fee | Pepper Fee hails originally from the greater New York City area, but has called Boston home for over 30 years. He has worked for over 23 of those years as Senior Graphic Designer and Marketing Specialist at Nuance Communications, a speech recognition and AI company, which recently became a subsidiary of Microsoft. Prior to Nuance, Pepper worked as a graphic designer in the print industry, and also has several years’ experience in radio broadcasting. Throughout his career, Pepper has worked on everything from print to digital projects, and over the past 10 years, has made large tradeshow and events graphics his particular area of specialty. Pepper joined the First Event team as graphic designer in 2019 and has assisted with the program guide and signage over the past 2 events. Pepper has been involved with LGBTQ+ rights organizations for over 35 years. He realized he was trans at the age of 11, but only finally made the decision to transition five years ago at the age of 53. He identifies as transmasculine and uses he/him pronouns. Pepper lives with his wife April and their 5 cats in Chelsea, MA, where they are both very active in the local Pride organization as well as many other community-building events. |
All members may vote. If you renewed a membership or just donated at least $20 to TCNE in the last year, you are a member. Not a member? Join today by donating $20 or more.