LGBA Board Candidates

David McBee

David E. McBee is running for a fifth term as Secretary of LGBA. He was first elected in 2003 at the LGBA Conference in Minneapolis and was elected to a second term in 2005. David declined to run for a third term then as he was serving as the President of DC’s Different Drummers. David was re-elected as Secretary in 2011 at the Seattle Conference and was re-elected to a fourth term in Atlanta.

David has participated in a number of LGBA events including conferences, Inaugurals in 2009 and 2013 and Gay Games in Sydney, Chicago, Cologne and Cleveland.

As a member and an officer in my home band I strove to give everyone a voice. I served during a time of change when our artistic director of ten years stepped down and we recruited and selected a new conductor. Through the efforts of a good team we had a smooth transition.

When I left the board of DCDD I volunteered to serve as Membership Chair. I wanted to encourage people to join our group, make new members feel welcome and be an additional resource for our members.

David records the minutes of both LGBA Board and Assembly meetings. For the past two year he has taken on a more active role in working with our member bands to keep them engaged. We have big events but we also need to support all of our bands. That means staying in communication with our members and finding out what help our member bands need. David also works with bands that are forming and seeking admission to LGBA.

If re-elected David looks forward to working with other board members on membership and administrative matters. David has a Masters in Library Science from the University of Maryland and works for federal government. He lives in Washington, DC with his husband, George Allica.

Candidate for Secretary

LGBA Board Candidates - 2015

Thank you for your consideration to return as President of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association. This past term has been too short and we still have much to do. I’ve had the privilege to serve on the Board of Directors since the New York conference in 2008. I’ve been involved in the planning for both inaugural parade performances and offered my board colleagues assistance whenever possible. As Chair of the Seattle conference in 2011 I had the opportunity to be involved in fundraising, planning, organizing, community outreach, public speaking and creating fun for many of you. When I’m not making music in Seattle or with the LGBA I’m a wife (Yeah Washington!), a mother, a grandmother and an attorney. I work for Travelers Insurance as a Senior Litigation Attorney. I also serve as Chairperson of the Seattle Diversity Council for Travelers.

I believe that LGBA serves a very important purpose in our world…improving visibility for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied individuals through local, national and international music performance. We offer the general public an alternative picture of the LGBT movement and people. One song, one performance, one band at a time we make a difference and it is my mission to continue offering LGBT&Allies opportunities to make differences in their communities through music. Over the last 22 months the LGBA board was focused on our 501(c)(3) status and Gay Games Cleveland. LGBA is once again a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing and Cleveland was a successful LGBA planned and executed activity for the members of our member bands. I led the Delegate Assembly in South Florida in November 2014 and look forward to continued participation with LGBA as President. Please allow me the privilege of returning to the board.

Betsy Smith

Candidate for President

Bruce Wall is the Executive Director as well as one of the founding members of the Pride of San Antonio Showband. After setting his trumpet aside for almost 30 years, he joined the Alamo City Community Marching Band in 2005, where he remains an active member. Shortly after joining ACCMB he added baritone/euphonium to his musical resume, and in 2006 served a term on ACCMB the Board of Directors.

In 2013, along with at least a dozen members of ACCMB, discussions began around the fact that San Antonio was undoubtedly the largest city in the US without Pride Band representation. This group of musicians and friends decided to do something about that. Within a few short (whirlwind) weeks the Pride of San Antonio Showband was born, and was welcomed by the home crowd in their first Pride Parade. Shortly after that they were noticed in the Austin Pride Parade and contacted by the LGBA, and voted in as a Band in Formation at the 2013 Atlanta Conference.

Bruce is a true San Antonio native, with some ancestry actually tracing back to the Battle of the Alamo. He and the POSA Board are still learning and growing and extremely appreciative of the guidance and knowledge of LGBA members as well as their sister Texas bands, Oak Lawn Band & Houston Pride Band.

“As Executive Director I am so excited about our band’s continued growth, and the bonds we share are growing even stronger within the LGBA. I am extremely appreciative of this nomination, and am confident that my contributions to the LGBA will make a difference.”

Bruce Wall

Candidates for At-Large

Derek Hassell is a percussionist with the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, formerly of Desert Overture, where he was a founding member. In two years on Desert Overture's board of directors, he served as treasurer and vice president. In Derek's time with LGBA, he has attended five national conferences, and served on the artistic team for the 2013 Inaugural Parade.

In his first term with the LGBA Board of Directors, Derek has been in charge of LGBA's digital assets, and was a part of the team that made Team Band so successful in Cleveland. He also helps plan the LGBA Board's travel logistics, and is on the logo redesign committee.

In his professional life, Derek currently works as a technical systems consultant with multiple Silicon Valley companies. He studied Computer Science at Brigham Young University, and is gearing up for a run at an Aerospace Engineering degree. Non-band hobbies include making a mess in the kitchen and becoming far too familiar with the inside of airports.

Derek Hassell

Born and raised in northeast Ohio, Gary Hoffman attended Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio where he majored in Music at the Dana School of Music receiving a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Education. He also completed post-graduate course work in Education Administration at Youngstown State. Gary completed additional leadership training from the Ohio Career and Technical Leadership Institute (OCTELI) and Leadership Mahoning Valley.

His teaching career spanned 30 years including stints as Director of Bands in Southeast Local High School, Ravenna, Ohio; H. Grady Spruce High School, Dallas, Texas; Warren Western Reserve High School and Warren G Harding High Schools, Warren, Ohio and Newton Falls High School, Newton Falls, Ohio. His career later transitioned to education administration eventually leading to the Trumbull Career and Technical Center, Warren, Ohio where he served as Director of Secondary Education until his retirement in 2006.

As a member of the Ohio Music Education Association, he was quite active throughout the state as an adjudicator for Concert Bands and Solo and Ensemble competitions. He is also a past president of OMEA District V and chaired many District and State level competitions and conferences. As an honorary member of the American School Band Directors Association, Gary also served as Chairman for the state convention.

His high school bands consistently achieved Superior and Excellent ratings at the district, state and national levels with notable performances at the Ohio Music Education Association State Convention; the Ohio State University Marching Band Invitational; Orange Bowl Parade, Miami, Florida; Cincinnati Bengals halftime, Cincinnati, Ohio; Cotton Bowl Parade, Dallas, Texas; Apple Blossom Festival Parade, Winchester, Virginia and music festivals in Toronto, Virginia Beach and Nashville.

As Director of Secondary Education at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center, Gary was the building administrator for a student population of over 1200 students from 19 school districts in Trumbull County, Ohio and a staff of 184 teachers and support personnel. There he also served as the grants writer and administrator and as the site coordinator for school reform. During his tenure, the Trumbull Career and Technical Center was recognized nationally on three occasions for outstanding achievement in school reform by High Schools That Work.

Upon his retirement, Gary moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he was active in music as a member of the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida and the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble. He was the Assistant Artistic Director of the Pride Wind Ensemble and was also a woodwind and band clinician in many area schools. A founding member of the GMCSF, he was instrumental in its early development by serving as Chairman of both the By-laws and Handbook Committees, writing most of the Chorus’ policies and procedures and chaired the development of the GMCSF’s Strategic Plan. He also served the Chorus as Vice President, a member of the Board of Directors and a financial contributor until his recent move to Denver, Colorado in March of 2015.

Gary and his husband of 29 years, Ron, now reside in Denver, Colorado where Gary is active as a member of the Mile High Freedom Band and is taking coursework towards a certificate in Nonprofit Administration.

Gary Hoffman

My name is John Napier. I have been a member of the Blazing River Freedom Band in Cleveland Ohio for nearly 2 years now. In my time here, I have been the Parade and Event Coordinators. I also now have a seat on BRFB's Board as a Member at Large.

I am a very forward thinking person who tends to put myself in a leadership role in any aspect of my life... I love the LGBA and all it stands for.

I feel serving on the board of directors would give me a sense of fulfillment that I cant get anywhere else. Not to mention, lending a helping hand to the LGBA would be great! Love through music

John Napier

Lawrence Miskel is employed by Doorways Housing as the Human Resources & Volunteer Manager. He was employed as the Human Resources Manager with the City of Ferguson, Missouri until April 2015, and Lawrence Miskel currently serves as President-Elect of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources Central Region Board, and was elected President of Greater St. Louis IPMA-HR Chapter in November 2013. Prior to working for the City of Ferguson, Lawrence worked for the City of St. Louis Department of Personnel for six years performing various assignment ranging from employee relations, classification and compensation, and recruitment and examination projects.

In addition to his field experience, Miskel also taught a class at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) in the Master of Public Policy Administration (MPPA) program entitled Public Personnel Management. He graduated with his MPPA and Nonprofit Management & Leadership certificate in 2006, and completed his certification in Local Government Management in 2009. He has also served as President of Gateway Men's Chorus, Vice President of Pride St. Louis, and a board member-at-large with BandTogether.

He plays saxophone, flute, and piccolo. Has performed in both Presidential Inaugural Parades, at the conferences in New Orleans and St. Louis, as well as the Halloween Parade in NYC.

Lawrence Miskel

Mike McKee is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Music Education and teaches Middle School Chorus and Guitar in Orlando, FL. In August 2015, he will be moving to the High School level to teach a class for Color guard and 5 piano classes.

Mike has been involved in color guard since 1985. In 2008 and 2009, he marched with Fahrenheit Independent World at the WGI Championships.

This past summer, he marched with the Sun Devils, a Drum Corps Associates (DCA) organization.

He is currently the Colorguard Director and Vice President of the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Band and Colorguard.

Mike also served as Colorguard co-captain and technician for the LGBA performance at the 2013 Inaugural Parade and the 2013 Atlanta LGBA conference.

Mike was involved with the Orlando Gay Chorus from 1997 to 2007 and is looking forward to continuing his involvement with the LGBA organization.

Mike McKee

Moira Wilmes has been with the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band since March 1998.

She was a member of the leadership team starting in 1999 as equipment coordinator and in a couple of years became the policy coordinator for the band. As the band split from Jon Sims Center, Moira was involved with the split, working to clearly get control of assets owed the band. After the band became its own 501c3, she was involved in the board, acting as general board member and Vice-President. Moira was the Producer of the annual Dance-Along Nutcracker 3 times. Recently, Moira was the board treasurer from Jan 2012-Jan 2014 and President 2014 till present.

Moira has attended several LGBA conferences (Palm Springs, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale), and two Gay Games (Chicago, Cleveland). Moira is also a member of the Castro Lions club and was on the board of that non-profit as well. Outside of band, Moira is Senior Director of Quality Assurance & Customer Support at Aravo Solutions in San Francisco.

Moira would love to offer her experience, time and energy to the LGBA to help out where needed.

Moira Wilmes

By day, I am an administrator in higher education and a writer manqué. I have been an errant musician since the fourth grade and cannot imagine a life without music. In the years since, I have been in school concert bands, jazz bands, drum and bugle corps, and college marching band. I joined Philadelphia Freedom Band in 2010 and was first elected to the Board for 2011. I served as Treasurer in 2011, Vice President in 2012, and President (2013, 2014, and currently). It is an honor to serve in a leadership role in this organization and to have had occasion to represent our band in a number of national events. I currently serve on the advisory board for the annual Philadelphia Soul Arena Football LGBT Theme Game. In 2014, I helped plan the first televised, national-league sporting event with an LGBT theme.

It is not all sunshine and roses, but every day I encounter an opportunity to learn and grow – as a musician, as a leader, as a friend. One of my strengths is the capacity to recognize the strengths of others, and then to call upon them to use those strengths for the greater good. I appreciate the many chances I have had, and continue to have, to mentor fellow band mates in leadership skills as I pay forward the lessons I have been given by those who came before. I look forward to the next level of service to the greater LGBA organization.

Patti Calandra

I was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but grew up in South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale area) and graduated from Ely High School in Pompano Beach. After graduating High School, I moved to Tallahassee where I attended Florida A&M University. I was active in marching band in both high school and college and was a member of the famous Marching "100" band at FAMU. I graduated with a bachelors degree in healthcare management in 2000 and began working in my career. I put my euphonium away in the attic for almost 13 years, until I was convinced to join the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom band by Lee Sellers and Juan Canasi. I've been active with LGBA since 2011 and have throughly enjoyed performing with my new band family.

I now reside with my boyfriend David in New Bedford, MA and have been an active member with the Boston Freedom Trail Band since 2013. I currently work as a Freelance American Sign Language interpreter and also work for JetBlue airlines (for the travel benefits of course!) I now have the means to travel to other band/LGBA events to support our sister band organizations by marching in pride parades...which I LOVE!

My first LGBA conference was in Atlanta in 2013 and I've been hooked ever since. I've had the opportunity to play with other LGBA bands and look forward to making music with my brothers and sisters.

Ricoh Smith

It is with both great pride, and much humility that I accept this nomination for the Lesbian and Gay Band Association Board of Directors.

Through working with Music for All and Bands of America, I have been afforded the opportunity to have a great impact on our local Indianapolis Public Schools Band programs. Getting to put the resources of MFA behind helping these under funded programs to ensure that every child, no matter of socio-economic status, has the opportunity to have positively life changing experiences through music for all is incredibly rewarding work.

Should I be elected to the LGBA Board of Directors, I plan to use that passion to put resources into another area that means so very much to me. I would focus on the visibility part of the LGBA mission. Too many LGBT youths across the country have no idea that a safe place like the LGBA exists. It is a passion of mine not only to educate people in communities that we have bands in already, but to help bring bands to every city across the United States, so that no LGBT person ever has to feel like they don’t have a place to make music. At the end of the day, every person needs to know that ‘It gets better’ and the way to make it better is through Music, Visibility, and Pride!

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity

Sam Cantor

Santos Guzman is a professional cosmetologist, and entrepreneur, owning and operating the “Hair On the Go” salon for more than 20 years in San Antonio, Texas. He trained at Vogue Beauty College for a diploma in Cosmetology and graduated in 1985, and has been a licensed hair-stylist for 30 years. Although he is a businessman, he takes a special interest in the arts and his philanthropic efforts have assisted in the foundation of the Pride of San Antonio Showband, the first Lesbian and Gay Band Association delegate organization in San Antonio, TX. He is both the founding and currently sitting president of the POSA Executive Board, and focuses special effort in fundraising development, membership recruitment, and instrument procurement. He served as San Antonio’s first voting delegate to the LGBA Annual Delegates Conference.

As the Owner-Operator of “Hair On the Go” salon, Mr. Guzman serves with efficiency a large clientele of diverse individuals with dignity, compassion, and care. To this end, Hair on the Go voluntarily discounts various services to clients who require special consideration such as the elderly, children, and those with disabilities. A significant portion of sales of services and products, as well as Mr. Guzman’s personal salary, have continued to provide a significant portion of proceeds to the Pride of San Antonio Showband to facilitate its activities as its official sponsor. Mr. Guzman maintains and shares a small, but personally curated inventory of instruments, for perusal at no cost by the musicians of the membership of POSA.

Mr. Guzman is a life-long musician, and shows great appreciation of the arts and is familiar with a wide variety of band music literature. He began his artistic adventures starting on alto sax in the 6th grade with great desire to achieve. He continued his musical pursuits in high school, learning to play the bassoon and xylophone like a duck to water. He is currently the principle bassoonist of the San Antonio Symphonic Band, the Pride of San Antonio Showband, and additionally has performed by invitation as a guest of the San Antonio Symphony. He has also performed as the principle bassoonist of the Beethoven Band, as well as the Alamo City Marching Band. The Pride of San Antonio Showband also has marching activities, in addition to concert music, in which he plays bells and xylophone.

Mr. Guzman is a native of San Antonio, TX and moved with his family to Ohio where he spent his early years growing up in a small town near Toledo, Ohio- returning to his native San Antonio in 1970. He is a multi-instrumentalist and is able to perform music of a variety of sorts for saxophone, bassoon, marimba, xylophone, bells, and auxiliary percussion. Mr. Guzman’s devotion to POSA is a priority inspired by a desire to provide musical and artistic opportunities for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered individuals, as well as anyone with a strong desire or need for an outlet for musical artistry. With its commitment to empowering diverse individuals to have safe places for self-expression, POSA gladly accepts the membership of people of all orientations and genders as a commitment to transforming tolerance of individual differences to appreciation of diversity.

Santos Guzman

Suzie von Bernuth

By day: a (not so) mild mannered engineer for the Commonwealth of Massachussetts. By night: a hopeless band geek, though she prefers the term action nerd.

As a vice president of the Freedom Trail Band of Boston she is the official ADD kitten herder. She is also a member of several community bands and often joins other LGBA member bands for parades and performances. She plays brass and woodwinds, though the only woodwinds she will admit to are all in the saxophone family. She plays saxes from sopranino to bass, and is a sucker for the opportunity to bring out the rare saxes. She is owned by her cat Tiche, and partially owned by a torpedo kitten named Nala. 2014 was her first LGBA conference, and she's hooked for life!

Suzie von Bernuth

Timothy V Norris, Jr. has been the artistic director/conductor of the Oak Lawn Band since 2013. He’s also currently the director of education, media, and technology for the Advising Center at Southern Methodist University. With master’s degrees in both instrumental conducting and orchestral/opera performance, he brings a varied background in conducting, teaching, and music management to create a collaborative spirit to our performances that engage all walks of life.

Tim’s vast conducting experience includes amateur and professional ensembles in Texas, Ohio, and Romania. He’s lead musicians of all ages, including, full orchestras, small brass ensembles, musical theater companies, and school groups from elementary productions to the Meadows Wind ensemble.

Tim’s professional teaching career in music begin in 2001 arranging, composing, and conducting high school marching bands. He’s been a private trombone instructor and taught music theory, wind band literature, and conducting at Ohio University and Southern Methodist University. In addition, Tim has served in management capacities for a variety of arts education groups and competitions at Ohio University, University of Wisconsin, and SMU.

While at SMU, he’s earned the President’s Award for Innovation and the Meadows Artistic Fellowship and Graduate Assistantship. At Ohio University he earned the Graduate Student Service Award, Orchestral Graduate Assistantship and Artistic Fellowship, the Evelyn Houck Trombone Performance Award and won the Ohio University Marching 110 Arrangement Competition.

Through Tim’s leadership, the Oak Lawn Band has grown in both size and maturity. We’re proud of the strides he’s helped us make musically and look forward to expanding our reach within the group and within our community to help create positive change and unity all around Dallas through our love of music.

Tim Norris

I believe I can be a positive addition to the LGBA Board. I have been a band director in Florida for 26 years. During this time I have handled budgets of $200,000 for a high school band program in Naples Florida of over 300 students. I coordinated fund-raising and all management activities of the organization. I have also served in the Florida Band Masters Association’s Executive Board as a district chairman and Middle School Representative for the entire state.

Within my South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble family I have assisted with the 2014 Fiesta Caliente and also served as clarinet section leader for the conference. I also solicited and started a semi-annual fund-raiser (Charity Bingo) at a local LGBT friendly establishment with all of the profits going towards scholarships for the SFPWE’s Youth Pride Band. I was also asked by the SFPWE Board to take over as the coordinator for the Marching Band. During the South Beach Pride Parade I made efforts to have representatives from all of the LGBA Bands in Florida to participate in the parade. I am proud to say we marched with brothers and sisters from the Orlando Band as well as the newly-forming Tampa Gay Band. Building these relationships I believe make us stronger across our great state!

I have served my professional organization throughout my entire career, now it is time to give back to my LGBA Family by serving to support the growth and continued success of LGBA and its members.

Bill Reaney

Zef Hernandez was welcomed into the Queen City Rainbow Band family in the spring of 2013. Later that same year, he attended his first LGBA national conference in Atlanta. He is the current President of the Board of Directors with QCRB. Zef has been actively involved with the Mo-Tones Big Band, the Marching Band, and the Pep Band with the QCRB organization, and has also performed with various color guards and bands from all over the country. As a child, Zef decided to play the trombone and to spin in the color guard, something he still feels very passionate about today!

The LGBA delegates committee appointed him as a Member at Large with the national Board of Directors. This life-changing event took place in Fort Lauderdale during last year’s national conference. Since joining the national BOD, he has volunteered to be a long term events coordinator and is also actively serving as one of the LGBA liaisons to the Federation of the Gay Games. Another committee that he is actively partaking in is the rebranding of LGBA. He has helped out with the campaign to find the new logo. In the future, Zef hopes to take part in some of the planning and theming involved with the opening ceremony production to the 10th Gay Games in Paris, France as well as help the LGBA organization prepare itself for the upcoming Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C.