Deana Spencer, our current President, has served on the board of BC Pride since 2012, first as Vice President and as President since 2014. She works at PNC Bank as a personal banker since 2015 and is a lifelong Battle Creek resident. She loves spending time with her partner Kim, her three adult children and their partners, and her family.
Deana has served as a Celebrity Server for S.A.F.E. Place’s annual fundraiser, on the Rainbow Community Grant Fund steering committee with the Battle Creek Community Foundation, a guest columnist for the Battle Creek Enquirer and the Battle Creek Shopper News, and on the International Summerfest planning committee. Deana is proud to have developed many of the BC Pride programs still in effect today.
Deana is committed and continues to work toward full equity for the LGBTQ+ Community. She is dedicated to making Battle Creek a more diverse and accepting city and embraces its rich history and all it has to offer. Deana will continue to revisit and push the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners to develop an all inclusive EEO Policy that will include LGBTQ+ language.
Deana uses she/her/hers pronouns
Charlie Fulbright, our current Vice President, works for the Department of
Defense at the Hart, Dole, Inouye Federal Center. Charlie grew up in, and
is a lifelong promoter of Battle Creek. He and his husband Chris
Fulbright have made Battle Creek their home and are loving foster
parents and are in the process of adopting their first son.
Charlie loves volunteering and working towards making sure that everyone in Battle Creek has the same rights. He loves promoting equality and diversity in the city in which he lives. Charlie was a leader in getting the non-discrimination ordinance passed in the City of Battle Creek in 2013.
Charlie also volunteers his time by sitting on the Historic District Commission of Battle Creek and serving as a Board Trustee for the Battle Creek Public School District.
Charlie uses he/him/his pronouns
Rebecca Mae, our current secretary, has lived in Battle Creek for 12 years and has served on the board since July 2018. She is the grandmother of five amazing grandchildren, and believes her work on the Pride Board will help ensure a better future for them because she believes that love is love is love is love is love.
Rebecca uses she/her/hers pronouns
Elaine Hadley, our current Treasurer, is a lifelong resident of Battle Creek, retired from Hart, Dole, Inouye Federal Center, and an Army Veteran.
She is currently serving her second term as Treasurer of Battle Creek Pride and volunteers and participates at many Pride events. She serves on the Board of Directors because “It is imperative that LGBTQ+ members of our community have a welcoming, safe place to gather, for resources.”
“I love that we are always striving to be more inclusive, and that we support other local marginalized members of our community. I want Battle Creek Pride to be a beacon, an organization and a place where all are as welcomed as I was when I first reached out. We need your voice, so come join us.”
Elaine uses she/her/hers pronouns
Abi Fukuyama, is a current 3rd year board member. They’re very passionate about local government along with trying to get youth more involved. They served 3 years on the Battle Creek Youth Advisory Board (YAB). As well as having served on The Battle Creek Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee. Abi’s passion for getting involved began in high school where they served on Lakeview High School’s SHIFT (Sexual Health Initiative For Transformation) team and the Reproductive Health Advisory Board.
During their last two years at Lakeview High School, they were the president of the GSA and participated in several teacher trainings on LGBTQ+ issues. They won the Spartan Leader of Students Award their senior year for their LGBTQ+ equity work.
Abi uses they/them pronouns
Ashley Feagin, is a white, queer, pansexual, cisgender, southern femme. She is an Assistant Professor at Albion College and teaches computer and lens based art forms. Currently she is serving as the Chair of the Faculty Committee for Diversity for the college where she has gained transferable skills for increasing awareness, diversity and inclusion in organizations.
Ashley joined BC Pride’s board in 2018, bringing with her a commitment to the work of diversity and inclusion, as well as, occasionally offering her design skills to visual marketing!
Ashley is also a working artist and has been exhibited internationally. Her work explores the complexity of queer identity and can be viewed on her website (www.ashleyfeagin.com) Ashley lives in Battle Creek with her first child Richard (cat), her only daughter Roxy (dog), her son, Isaac and her spouse Jaimie.
Ashley uses she/her pronouns.
Ian Gallagher, has a background in Criminal Justice and is a former business owner of Homer Entertainment, a video and video game rental store, in Homer, MI. Ian now enjoys his job at Systex in Battle Creek. He moved to Battle Creek in 2009 and has been an active board member since 2013.
Ian is a very strong advocate for HIV/AIDS education and resources and continually strives to promote equality for all LGBTQ+ people in the Battle Creek area.
Ian uses he/him/his pronouns
Jim Haadsma, is the Michigan Democratic State Representative, District 62. Jim also continues to serve as a Worker’s Compensation and Social Security SSI attorney with McCroskey Law, P.L.C. since 1987 and is a former District 3 Calhoun County Commissioner.
Jim serves on many non-profit boards and organizations always fighting for justice for the under represented and under served in our community. Jim believes that every person is entitled to the same rights as the next person.
When Jim’s four children were young, he would read them the illustrated story, “The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark”, about how the King of Denmark stood up to his country’s occupiers by declaring that every Dane was entitled to the same rights as the next Dane.
Jim uses he/him/his pronouns
Nancy Kenny, is in her second year as a Battle Creek Pride Board Member and has been an avid BC Pride supporter and volunteer for many years.
“It has been amazing for me to witness, and to be a part of the LGBTQ+ Community here. When I moved to Battle Creek in early 2006, there was no PRIDE DAY or Pride Month. We have, come a long way!” Nancy’s favorite event is our Pride Parade and Festival.
Nancy enjoys being active outdoors and spending time with her family when she is not working at Denso Manufacturing in Battle Creek.
Nancy uses she/her/hers pronouns
Tina Germinder-Metzger, an educator and activist is an active member of the Koinonia Membership at First Congregational Church of Battle Creek. Tina is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and the leader of her daughter’s local Troop 80721.
Tina is called to help others find their voice and seeks opportunity to express her true self. She is continuously learning ways to improve her ability to be a social justice advocate.
She and her wife are parents to two amazing children. Their entire family enjoys being active in several local community organizations.
Tina uses she/her/hers pronouns