Meet our Board of Directors!
Stephan Lawrence Theodore Clifford
Board Chair
Hello Solano Pride community! I am Stephan Clifford. I live and work primarily in Solano County as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I am a native born (Berkeley) Bay Area human. I was raised in Richmond before moving to Benicia where I graduated from Benicia High in 1998. I came out as Transgender in 2008 and began the lengthy transition to become the man I am today. I am a therapist, clinical supervisor, educator, public speaker, husband, father, and when I have extra time I am an avid nerd for many fandoms. I look forward to serving our community!
Jeanie White
Treasurer/Secretary
more to come…
Charlotte Richardson
Fundraising Chair
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Charlotte resides in Vacaville. She is employed at Kaiser Permanente as a Clinical Practice Consultant. She is a Doctorate of Social Work candidate at USC. Her capstone project is focusing on building strong relationships within Black families with youth who identify as LGBTQ+. She serves Solano County community as a member of the local chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Don’t miss out on hearing her Podcast!
Black Embrace: A Podcast Supporting Black Families Navigating LGBTQIA+ Challenges
This podcast is dedicated to discussing the hard issues at the intersection of Black Family and LGBTQIA+ Youth. Historically the Black Community and LGBTQIA+ issues have been a point of disagreement and Black Family relationship breakdown. This podcast seeks to heal the wounds of family breakdown, create positive communication within Black Families with LGBTQIA+ Youth, and overall improve relationships and connection with Black Families and Community.
Our Clinical Director, Colin Amato, was one of Charlotte’s first interviews! Don’t miss it!
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/charlotte-richardson4
Audra Orr
Elected to the Vacaville School Board
Although she grew up in Kentucky, Audra fell in love with and has called California home since the Air Force brought her here in 1994. Audra has always been devoted to public service whether it be by serving her country for 26 years in the Air Force Reserve or by serving her community for over 20 years in a law enforcement capacity. Audra understands what its like to live completely in the closet as she served in the military before, during, and after Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). She and her wife were legally married in 2008, and on September 20, 2011, the date DADT was repealed, Audra outed herself to her group commander and became the first out squadron commander at Travis AFB.
Trish Abbatiello
I’m a proud transplant from L.I., N.Y., moving here after receiving my Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychology from Montclair State University in N.J.
Here since 1976, I feel the move to California was one of my best decisions. It gave me the opportunity to live my life as a proud open lesbian.
Retired now, much of my professional work has been in community mental health, working for non-profit organizations in Solano and Napa. In 1999 I opened and operated Sunset Bay Kayaks, offering rentals and tours of the Suisun Estuary. The business was a rewarding and healthy way to add balance to my life and work in mental health.
Three years ago I became involved with the Solano Pride Center, attending the Senior Luncheons. I enjoy the great lunches, the info and resources and making great new friendships.
Now as a board member, I look forward to the growth of our Pride Center and getting to know all of you.
Macksyn Peterson
History Student at UC Davis and LGBTQ advocate.
At the young age of 18, Macksyn brings a youth-centered approach to activism to the Solano Pride Center’s Board of Directors.
Most of Macksyn’s experience with the Queer community comes from their experience as the president of Benicia High Schools Gender and Sexualities club. Alongside the Solano Pride Center volunteers and club members, Macksyn organized and began the first whole pride week at a public high school in Solano County.
In addition to being the president of the GSA, he also participated in the Safe School Bathrooms Ad Hoc committee to pass SB 760 into law from May 2023 to September 2023. Insuring gender-neutral bathrooms in schools across the state. He graduated from Benicia High School in June 2024 and has since attended UC Davis. They hope to become a public high teacher after their master’s in history is completed after 6 years.
As a trans man, he has focused on creating inclusive environments for LGBTQ students at every opportunity. He hopes to use the experience and platform of Solano Pride to spread this agenda of open inclusion across the county.
Dear friends,
It’s been an honor and my absolute pleasure to serve the Solano County LGBTQIA+ community through the Solano Pride Center! I’ve been fortunate to have been able to work with an amazing team of individuals who care and give their time and expertise willingly, and a dedicated staff that does deep healing work in the community through the grants, contracts, and donations that the center receives. I’m very proud of the collective impact we’ve been able to make through the many events that the pride center facilitates weekly, especially our annual pride festival, that was the biggest ever held in this county! I am grateful for all the support of those individuals and organizations. My heart is full of love and gratitude for my time with this community! I look forward to seeing much growth and being together for it!
I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to Donna Harris our longtime secretary whose wife Sandy Stelter was our longtime treasurer, who basically built this organization from the ground up those two together were the backbone. They used to have garage sales just to be able to keep the lights on. We’ve had many volunteers over the years for whom without we would never have been able to do the things that the pride center is now able to do every day. Thank you all! I’d like to say goodbye to Donna as she retires off the board and celebrate her many years of service at one of the upcoming SPC gatherings.
Lovingly, Brigid
We thank all of those who have served and volunteered on our Board over the years! Help us complete the list of all of those who have served!
Brigid Reilly, Board Chair
Donna J. Harris, Secretary
Sandy Stetler, Executive Director and Board
Lawrence Shine, Bayard Rustin Coalition, Vallejo
Vincent Tanciongco, Co-Chair
Tom Bilbo, Vallejo Gay Network, Board
Bernardo Ortega, Board member
Maria Isip-Bautista, Board President
Rebecca Nord, Executive Director and Board
We know this list is not yet exhaustive, so please send any other names and roles of those who have served on our board to spc@solanopride.org.