For Immediate Release

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (January 3, 2018) - CenterLink, the Community of LGBT Centers, is proud to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors. The new appointments are Modesto Tico Valle, CEO of Center on Halsted (Chicago, IL),  and Debra Pollock, Executive Director of The GLBT Center of Colorado (Denver, CO).

Founded in 1994 as a member-based coalition, CenterLink plays an important role in supporting the growth of LGBT centers and addressing the challenges they face, by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity and increase access to public resources.

The addition of Mr. Valle and Ms. Pollock expands the Board to 17 directors.

"CenterLink is honored and excited to have two new exceptional leaders joining our board of directors in 2018," said Lora L. Tucker, CEO of CenterLink.  "Debra Pollock and Modesto Tico Valle bring over 20 years of strong LGBTQ center leadership experience, passion, and dedication to the movement.  Powerful, value-based servant leadership makes a difference as CenterLink continues to develop strong, sustainable LGBTQ community centers and build a thriving center network that creates healthy, vibrant communities. CenterLink's 2018 Board of Directors are 17 exceptional leaders making a difference in our LGBTQ communities across the United States, Canada, and beyond. I could not be more proud and excited to have this incredible leadership team at the helm as we continue to grow strong centers."

In addition to serving as CEO of The GLBT Center of Colorado, Ms. Pollock has also served as Vice President of Development and Communications, and interim CEO before being permanently appointed to the position. Ms. Pollock joined the center in 2004.

Mr. Valle is a longtime community activist and organizer. He founded the Chicago NAMES Project in 1989 and was instrumental in bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the National Mall in 1996. Mr. Valle was named CEO of Center on Halsted in 2007.

"We are fortunate to have Debra and Tico join the CenterLink board," stated CenterLink Board Co-Chairs Cece Cox and Paul Moore. "It is an exciting time for CenterLink and our entire LGBTQ movement, and with their leadership, we will move it forward."

The 2018-2019 CenterLink National Board of Directors are:

Cece Cox - Board Co-Chair - CEO, Resource Center, Dallas, TX

Paul Moore - Board Co-Chair - Program Officer, David Bohnett Foundation, Los Angeles, CA

Marvin Webb - Treasurer - Director of Finance and Administration, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, New York, NY

Stacie Walls-Beegle - Secretary - CEO, LGBT Life Center, Norfolk, VA

Chris Bartlett - Executive Director, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA

Robert Boo - CEO, Pride Center at Equality Park, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Linda Elliott - Executive Director (Retired), one n ten, Phoenix, AZ

Lorri L. Jean - CEO, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Los Angeles, CA

David Kilmnick - CEO, The LGBT Network, Bay Shore, NY

Michelle Kristel - Partner, McCormack + Kristel, New York, NY

Lorraine Langlois - CEO, Metro Wellness & Community Centers, St. Petersburg, FL

Jay Maddock - Executive Director, Out Front Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI

Clarence Patton - Director & Developer, The Pipeline Project, Brooklyn, NY

Debra Pollock - CEO, The GLBT Community Center of Colorado, Denver, CO

Gautam Raghavan - Consultant, GR Strategic, LLC, Washington, DC

Glennda Testone - Executive Director, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, New York, NY

Modesto Tico Valle - CEO, Center on Halsted, Chicago, IL


Media Contact:
Denise Spivak
Senior Director - Programs & Outreach
Phone: 954-765-6024
Email address: denise@lgbtcenters.org

Founded in 1994 as a member-based coalition, CenterLink's mission is to support the development of strong, sustainable LGBT community centers and builds a thriving center network that creates healthy, vibrant communities. A fundamental goal of CenterLink's work is to help build the capacity of these centers to address the social, cultural, health and political advocacy needs of LGBT community members across the country. Now in its 24th year, CenterLink plays an important role in addressing the challenges centers face by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity, access public resources and engage their regional communities in the grassroots social justice movement. www.lgbtcenters.org.