“The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. […] And the more comprehensively we work with them as service partners, the more we increase our public value to the entire community.”

Carmen Martinez (1950-) United States diplomat

Our board of directors and staff are dedicated and compassionate people who celebrate each others’ accomplishments and support each other in times of challenge. Our commitment includes Diversity and Intergenerational Cooperation.

Diversity

• includes board and staff who identify as both queer and ally
• includes multi-ethnic members on the board and staff

Young and Old

• work together to combine creativity and experience to implement projects, programs, and organizational operations
• one third of our board members are youth and young adults between ages 14 and 25

Staff

• 

  Kathy Bates, PhD.

  Executive Director, Development Director

  • Kathy holds a Masters in Psychology and a PhD in Organizational Development from William Lyon University. After a successful career in the corporate world, she made a shift to fulfill her heart’s desire and began working as an education assistant in sports programs in the poorest parts of Los Angeles. Since that time, she has served extensively in the non-profit sector as program director, executive director, development director, financial director and as the member of several Board of Directors. She is currently self-employed as a consultant and maintains her connection to the YMCA in Los Angeles.
• 

  Kyndra Laughery

  SOGSASN and Youth Empowerment Theater Coordinator

  • Kyndra Laughery graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She has performed and taught improv theater for 10 years, and is part of the all women improv group, The Hamazons: Warrior Princesses of Comedy. She became the director of the Teen Theatre in 2008. The Teen Theatre uses the medium of theater to educate youth and adult audiences about issues that affect teens, such as bullying, healthy sexuality and relationships, as well as, youth/adult communication. Kyndra’s greatest accomplishment to date is being a mom to her three wonderful children.
• 

  Delaine Due, M.A., ATR

  Co-Founder, Board Adviser

  • Delaine co-founded and facilitated NSNS for 10 years with youth in the Rogue Valley, before co-founding LRP with NSNS in 2008. Delaine has a Master’s in Art Therapy, and her therapeutic specialty is with at-risk youth in the prison system, and those with diverse sexualities and gender identities. In addition to the position she holds as an adjunct psychology faculty at SOU and maintaining a private practice, she also owns and operates a home-based, family Shaklee nutrition and business development business, since 2006. Delaine is an active member of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce since 2011.
• 

  Morag Elizabeth, M.A.

  Not Straight Not Sure Coordinator

  • Morag obtained her Master of Arts degree in Women’s Studies from Antioch University in 2004, later becoming a professor of Women’s studies at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California. Simultaneously, she specialized in reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension; instructing multi-culturally diverse populations, including non-native English speakers and students with various learning differences, such as dyslexia, AD/HD, and Asperger Syndrome. Over the course of nine years, of working with this population, she also trained staff, administered and evaluated pre/post assessments, created individualized lesson plans, and worked one-on-one, in small groups and classroom settings. Skilled in group process and with understanding of the challenges of people with differences, prepared her for her work for her present position.
• 

  Lacey Renae, M.A.

  Not Straight Not Sure Facilitator and Therapist

  • Lacey Renae worked as an advocate and mentor for the youth group, Not Straight Not Sure (NSNS), 2006-2007. She also held an Administrative Assistant position for the youth group, in which she aided in the development of a larger vision to create the nonprofit, Lotus Rising Project. After working with NSNS for a year, Lacey moved to Boulder, CO to pursue a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Art Therapy. During this time, she mentored at-risk youth, developed an Art Activities Program for seniors, and interned as a Grief Counselor and Art Therapist. Lacey relocated to Ashland, OR after graduation. In addition to the positions she holds for Lotus Rising Project, she is a Program Manager and provides mental health counseling and art therapy to at-risk youth and their families at Maslow Project, 2011-present.

Board of Directors

• 

  Julian Spalding

  Board President since 2010

  • Julian has served on the boards of several non-profits, including Very Special Arts, serving the developmentally challenged population in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Albuquerque Lesbian and Gay Chamber of Commerce (president); and SEED Graduate Institute in Albuquerque (president). He has been the District Manager of United States Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, and originated and conducted workshops for gay men with his partner, Terry, in Albuquerque, San Diego and San Francisco, California. He published and sold ABQarts, a magazine of the arts in Albuquerque. Julian holds a B.A. from UCLA, and has 30 years experience in advertising and journalism.
• 

  Frankie Rarick

  Board Vice President, Youth Board Member since 2009, Shaklee Representative

  • Frankie is a graduate of Medford North High school where she was the leader in her Gay-Straight Alliance. During that time, she contacted LRP because she wanted to create her senior project by developing a GSA Manual. After graduation, she was recruited for LRP’s board and has been a member since that time. She is currently a student at Southern Oregon University and helps with our SOGSASN program and events committee.
• 

  Kristen Mosley

  Board Secretary, Youth Board Member since 2013

  • After graduation rolls around in June 2013 Kristen will have a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, with a double minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Womens’ Studies, and Sociology. She is serving the 2012-13 school year as the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University’s (ASSOU) Executive Director of Gender and Sexual Diversity, working as a liaison between the resource centers at SOU and the student government. Kristen serves as a member of the Oregon Students’ Equal Rights Alliance (OSERA) Board, and sits on the Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee at SOU. In addition to her involvement with the school, she works in an office on campus, does a great amount of babysitting, and has started her own Scentsy business.

    Kristen considers herself incredibly blessed to have spent the last year and a half with her wonderful girlfriend. When she is not working or going to school she enjoys fishing at Lost Creek Lake, and going on adventures with her partner and their seven year old nephew.

• 

  Kirk Pederson

  Board Treasurer since 2010

  • Kirk has been the owner of Tekprinting Services, a printing and promotional products company, since 1986. He is a former Community Works Board member, Executive Committee, and Program Chair, 2003-2009. Kirk was the President of the Rogue Valley Gay Mens Chorus, 2006-2009, and is currently a member. He was also the President of the Rogue Valley Pear Blossom Festival, and past Board Member of the Abdill Ellis Community Center. Kirk is a Junior Achievement volunteer, 2008- present.
• 

  Terry Brown

  Board Member since 2010

  • Terry served as Director of Juvenile Drug Court in Albuquerque New Mexico and supervised probation officers with Children Youth and Families department for the State of New Mexico. During this time, he developed programs for youth and families, working in collaboration with other professionals. Terry is a student of Sacred Activism and works with the Fundraising Committee.
• 

  Lauren Champagne

  Board Member since 2014

  • Lauren moved to Ashland from Alaska in 2013 and has been looking for meaningful volunteer involvement since arriving. She found that in the work of Lotus Rising Project. Her previous volunteer work included National Association of Social Workers, Alaska Chapter Board Treasurer, Chairperson for the Committee ON Gay Lesbian Interests, and Volunteer Coordinator of Shambhala Meditation Center in Juneau, Alaska. Lauran began her Social Work career working with inner city youth who were court involved, which later led to her work with teens and families in drug treatment programs, out door education, various mental health settings and eventually establishing a private practice providing individual and family therapy including working with LGBT youth. She is concerned about the numbers of young people who are experiencing homelessness, violence, severe poverty and lack of support to pursue basic needs, education and dreams of the future. This concern is what led her to Lotus Rising Project and a position on the Board of Directors.
• 

  Danylle Daniken

  Board Member since 2014

  • Danylle is a student at Crater Renaissance Academy and the President of her high school’s Gender Sexuality Alliance. She has volunteered with Sparrow Club and Humane Society and participated in the Walk for Down Syndrome in 2012. Dany is the go-to person when her high school peers need advice and help with issues they are confronting. She says that she joined the LRP Board for her community. She is driven to create change and help people to feel safe and accepted. She is particularly interested in addressing bullying and making change in her school culture.
• 

  Matthew Reynolds, M.A.T.

  Board Member since 2009

  • Matthew is the director of the Drama and Dance Department at Crater Renaissance Academy in Central Point, Oregon, and serves on LBGTQA discussion panels in the community and at Southern Oregon University. Matthew is also working with his school district to implement a bullying prevention program. He helps with LRP’s Southern Oregon Gay Straight Alliance Support Network by serving as an advisor for Crater High School’s GSA.
• 

  Rich Rohde

  Board Member since 2010

  • Rich is the regional organizer for Oregon Action, a social justice organization working to empower low and moderate income people on basic social justice issues, such as: living wage jobs, health care access, and affordable housing. Rich has been an organizer in low income communities since 1966, when he was a VISTA volunteer with farm workers in Central Florida and North Carolina. In 1972, Rich completed his Master of Social Work from the University of Minnesota. He continued his organizing work in Idaho, California, Minnesota and various communities in Oregon. He is a member of several community non-profit boards, including McKenzie River Foundation and Oregon Health Action Campaign. Rich is part of LRP’s Social Justice Committee and serves as a budget advisor for the Board.
• 

  Carey Jean Sojka

  Board Member since 2014

  • While pursuing her doctorate in Sociology, Carey is an adjunct instructor of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s studies at SOU. She joined the board with an extensive background in community service and activism, including membership on the Community Advisory Board for AIDS Council of Northeastern New York Project HOPE, working for HIV/STD prevention among young gay men; Board member for NEICAC Family Planning and Health Services Clinic; and the Pride Center in Albany, New York Trans Partners Support Group Co-founder and Facilitator, LGBTQ Youth Group facilitator, and Governance Committee member. Additionally, she was the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center Coordinator at the University of Albany, and was an LGBTQ youth group facilitator. She received the Pride Center’s Paul Postiglione Youth Services Award for her work with queer youth.

    As an LRP Board member, Carey would like to be able to serve the local LGBTQ community and work with community leaders to make our community stronger. She says she has a commitment to queer youth, and is particularly interested in working with and advocating for marginalized queer youth and supporting trans folks and their families.