LGBT Center of Raleigh

Randy Lewis is a proud, passionate, liberal thinker, social-justice advocate, entrepreneur, and songwriter whose mission is to be the change that he wants to see in the world. Randy is also a community minister, a father, and the husband to his spouse D’mitri. He holds an undergraduate degree in Organizational Leadership, a Master of Business Administration degree, and a Master of Divinity degree. He serves as the Managing Director of Clergy 211, an organization of inclusive and progressive clergy that provides non-judgmental rite-of-passage ceremonies for people of all walks of life. “I am working hard to make the LGBT Center of Raleigh better because I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all individuals. The Center, through its services, activities, and educational opportunities, supports these values while also providing safe and rewarding spaces and a measure of wholeness, assurance, and hope to those in our community.”

Powell is a native North Carolinian who grew up in Winston Salem, studied in Greensboro, and currently lives Raleigh with his sweet precious four-legged spoiled rotten sweetheart, Maybelle. As an Interior Planner and Designer for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he takes pride in improving working, educational, and healing environments of faculty, staff, and students. Given the core design values to engage the mind, body, and soul, he hopes to build upon the same nurturing relationship in the Center. Growing up in a conservative Southern Baptist community in the South, he understood what it felt like to be on the outside. We’ve come a long way since then, but we can still face the same struggle of acceptance. The need to belong, to feel safe and welcomed is still part of what makes us human. Understanding we all come out in different ways and at different points in our life, he whole-heartedly appreciates the implicit need for the Center and wants to build the bridges to a supportive and engaging group who’s here to help, listen, and build up. Powell has been a volunteer with the center for three years and is currently the Co-Chair of the Center’s Development Committee.

Willis Ward, while Californian by birth, grew up primarily in the South due to being an Air Force Brat. After graduating from Texas A&M with a B.B.A. in Business Analysis & Research, he moved to Dallas and started working for IBM. He has called Raleigh home for over 20 years now and just recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with IBM. Between 2007 and 2015, Willis was a member of the Human Rights Campaign North Carolina – Triangle Steering Committee. He served a 4-year term on the National HRC Board of Governors. Additionally he was the Triangle Steering Committee Chair and the Membership Outreach Chair, growing the Pride program membership continuously for 4 years. Willis is looking forward to continuing his LGBT advocacy at a local level with the LGBT Center of Raleigh.

Terry West retired as President/CEO of VyStar Credit Union in 2017 after 26 years in the role. Born in North Carolina, Terry returned to Raleigh after retiring. He worked in the credit union industry for 36 years and taught in Wake County Public Schools as well as Wake Community College for five years. Terry has chaired annual fundraising events for North Florida for United Way, March of Dimes, American Heart Association, and the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. During his career he has been recognized for his leadership and commitment to the credit union industry and for community engagement. He has been with his husband Peter for over 40 years. Terry currently volunteers for SAGE Central North Carolina, the LGBT Center of Raleigh, the YMCA, and his home-owners association.

Jerry Algozer, MA, CFRE, has over 25 years’ experience as a chief executive and development/marketing administrator for several non-profits serving the HIV/AIDS community in New York, New England, and Florida. He was one of the first professionals hired by the AIDS Institute of NY and created the first HIV service agency for the New England seacoast. He has served as President of the Board for The Pride Center, Ft. Lauderdale’s LGBT Center, leading them to the purchase of their 5-acre Equality Park. He has been a member of the Raleigh SAGE Housing Initiative from the inception and presently serves on the SAGE Planning Team.

Taari Coleman is a writer, creator, teacher, truth seeker, conspiracy theory entertainer, problem solver, storyteller, rabbit-hole investigator, photographer, daughter, sister, lover, thinker, over achiever, daydreamer, glass-half-fuller, with a terrible habit of over analysis. Taari earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Fine Art degrees from North Carolina State University and is embarking on writing and directing film, specifically those that highlight underrepresented / marginalized groups. She says, “I’m a very community-oriented individual, and I believe that community is comprised of more than just where a person physically finds themselves. Community is something that is intentional and purposeful, and I intend to assist the Center in strengthening both the intentions and purpose of the LGBTQ+ community, especially in through its role as an actively anti-racist, safe space.” Taari is very close with her mother and sister, has an amazing dog, tries to consume as much art and food as humanly possible, and lives in Raleigh. Pronouns: she/her

Andrea Fowler is a New Jersey native turned full blooded North Carolina Tarheel since 2002. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2006 with a B.A. in Political Science. She received her Juris Doctorate from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2009 and has worked as an attorney for Hyland & Padilla, PLLC in their Raleigh office practicing civil litigation. She lived in Chapel Hill for over 10 years and moved to Durham in 2013. She recently married her partner of three years in May of 2018. Andrea looks forward to supporting the queer community through devoting her time and energy at the center. In her free time, you can find her working in the garden or the yard, hiking with her wife and dogs, or playing softball on Sundays.

Erica is excited to join the board for the LGBT Center of Raleigh, and she looks forward to bringing her fun personality, attention to detail, and desire to create equity for all to Raleigh. With her extensive background in creative marketing, event planning, and social justice activism, Erica builds communities of people who want to push the edges of creativity to influence authentic change. She enjoys food, boozy cocktails, trashy reality TV, volunteering in the Raleigh community, crafting (sewing & making wreaths specifically), art & design, and fashion. Erica also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for VAE Raleigh and is a member of the board for the Wake County Board of Elections. Pronouns: she/her

Katrina Tobin recently arrived in Wake County from the Asheville, NC area, where they served as Board Chair for Steady Collective, a harm reduction organization located in Asheville. Katrina also co-founded Callisto Collective to address community needs for models for sustainable accountability and conflict resolution processes; volunteered with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief to provide front-line relief during disasters; and assisted with training the houseless street medic team at Beloved House in Asheville. Katrina is a Registered Nurse and currently works in hospice. Pronouns: they/them

Kaye Vassey is a native of upstate South Carolina but has lived all over the USA. She is a veteran of the feature animation industry, working on such franchises as “Shrek,” “Madagascar,” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is currently a Senior Technical Animator at Epic Games, in Cary NC. Having worked on “Fortnite” most recently, Kaye has also been writing and drawing comic strips and graphic novels for over six years. As a transgender woman in the video game industry, Kaye has been involved in creating Epic Games’ first LGBT employee resource group and has acted as a mentor for individuals just beginning to “come out” in the workplace. “I believe in the LGBT Center of Raleigh and it’s legacy in our community. Being a transgender woman, I hope to bring my unique voice and experience to the Center and help continue its mission.” Pronouns: she/her

Gavin Vincent has a Master of Arts in Sociology and originally hails from northeast Pennsylvania. He’s called the Triangle home for the past several years and currently resides in Durham. When not working in academics, he enjoys video games and the occasional book (time permitting).