Deana Spencer

Co-President

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Deana Spencer returns this year as Co-President of the Board of Directors. She is a lifelong resident of Battle Creek and works as a Branch Banker at PNC Bank. She has three adult children – son Spencer, daughter Taylor and her partner Shayne, and son Connor and his partner, Lacey. She loves spending time with her family and her partner, Kim Haist. Deana embraces the rich history of her hometown and is committed to making Battle Creek and the surrounding areas a more diverse and accepting city. She is dedicated to promoting equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community and all marginalized people through education, training, and understanding. Deana is an active and resourceful volunteer for several local and regional causes. She is a member of the City of Battle Creek Human Relations Board, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Calhoun County, and the Population Health Alliance Advisory Cabinet. She is also proud of her ongoing work with the Calhoun County Board of Commissions to adopt an all-inclusive EEO Policy that will include language protecting gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.

Kim Langridge

Co-President

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Kim Langridge begins her third year as a Board member and her second as Co-President. For the past 20 years, she has been a senior copywriter for a Detroit-based ad agency, and has written several award-winning radio spots for clients that include ESPN's "College GameDay", the TBS TV series "Sex and the City", and the CBS TV series "The Big Bang Theory". She is also a former comedy writer, and co-wrote three episodes of the ABC TV series "Home Improvement". As a trans woman, Kim is proud to be a co-facilitator of Constellations and is active in several other BC Pride support groups. "Since I came out as transgender, Pride has been a huge influence in my life,” Kim said. “I’ve had more fun and made more friends in the past two years than I have in the previous 20 years. Happily, being on the Board of Directors gives me the chance to help others do the same.” Kim is a lifelong resident of Marshall, and considers herself "tragically single".

Elaine Hadley

Treasurer

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Elaine Hadley is a lifelong resident of Battle Creek. She is a U.S. Army veteran and retired in 2015 from her position as Financial Operations Liaison at the Hart, Dole Inouye Federal Center. She has one son, Aaron, and five beautiful grandchildren whom she adores. Elaine serves as a Mentor for an LGTBQ+ Subgroup in an all-women's online group – NoBS Weight Loss Program – founded by Corinne Crabtree of Nashville, Tennessee. She offers support, accountability, and encouragement for others in their weight loss and life journeys. Elaine has served on the B.C. Pride Board of Directors and has held the position of Treasurer since 2017. As a Board member, she believes it is imperative that everyone in our LGBTQ+ community has a welcoming and safe place to gather for resources and support. “I love that we are always striving to be more inclusive,” she said, “and that we support other marginalized members of our community. As an organization, I want Battle Creek Pride to be a beacon where all are welcomed – just as I was when I first reached out. We need your voice, so come join us.”

Tabatha Cain

Administrative Assistant

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Tabatha begins her first term on the Board of Directors and will serve in the position of Administrative Assistant. She is a Personal Lines Account Manager at Insurance Network in Battle Creek and has worked in the insurance industry for the past six years. She loves her job, and especially enjoys helping people with their finances. Tabby is the proud mother of a son and a daughter who are both members of the LGBTQ+ community, and she continues to be a forceful advocate for each of them. She has been an elementary school substitute teacher, an active member of the Post Elementary School PTA, and is very passionate about being a voice for those who are too afraid to stand up for themselves. Tabatha’s favorite hobby is photography, and in her spare time enjoys taking nature and portrait photos with her son.

James Silva

Director

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James Silva begins his second year as a member of the Board of Directors. James was born in Sacramento, California, and lived there until he was nine years old. He later moved to Minnesota where he finished high school, and eventually made his home in Michigan. He served in the Michigan Army National Guard from 2015 to 2018 as an E4 Military Police Specialist. James enjoys graphic designing, Japanese manga and anime art, and playing video games. “Some could even call me a GAYmer,” he jokes. The father of two teenagers, James proudly identifies as a pansexual cis-gender male. In his youth, he could never truly identify with being bisexual or gay and always felt very different from everyone else. "Having a group that you can identify with – like others who are pansexual – gives you a sense that you are not alone,” James explained. “I don't want anyone in our community to ever feel alone like I once did." James and his partner, Jordan, have been happily together for the past six years.

Khyrinn Herring

Director

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Khyrinn Herring is a 2019 graduate of Lakeview High School, but she's no rookie when it comes to community service and local activism. She has been volunteering since the age of five and is currently a racial healing facilitator and catalyst coordinator for the Battle Creek Coalition for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the SHARE Center. Khyrinn is a student at Kellogg Community College and is working toward a degree in Human Services.

Ian Gallagher

Director

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Ian Gallagher was born in New Jersey, but grew up in the Homer area and moved to the Urbandale area in 2009. Since then, he has been a constant promoter of equality for all LGBTQ+ people in the Battle Creek area and is a strong advocate for HIV/AIDS education and prevention.

Ian is an avid animal lover. He has an orange tabby named “Pumpkin”, a German Shepard named “Piper”, and every month he makes a recurring donation to the Humane Society of South Central Michigan. Ian is currently employed at Systex as a material handler.

Lori Smith

Director

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Lori Smith is a second-year Board member and a native of Battle Creek. As a woman born with a physical disability, Lori has been a forceful advocate for herself and for the disability community. She has served as a chairperson for the Regional Interagency Consumer Committee – a local grassroots group that is funded and supported by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. She has also worked as an Outreach Advocate for Disability Network Southwest Michigan – a center for independent living in Kalamazoo. Lori received an Associate of Arts degree in Communication from Kellogg Community College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. She enjoys singing and listening to rock music, and laughing with close friends.

Lucy Blair

Director

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In her job as Communications Manager at Calhoun County Government, Lucy Blair brings a wealth of experience in technology, writing, and marketing. As a Board member, she hopes to advocate for equity and access for our LGBTQ community. Lucy lives in Marshall and is a proud mom to two English bulldogs.

Michelle Salazar

Director

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Michelle Salazar comes to Battle Creek Pride with an impressive background in helping other marginalized communities. She is employed at City Hall in the Community Development Department, she continues to work with local non-profits such as SHARE Center and Voces as a housing liaison, she is a Spanish Interpreter, and she has just started her own Property Management Company. Her primary goal is to help provide fair and affordable housing and other necessary resources to those in need. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, and playing cards and board games with friends.

Jim Haadsma

Director

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Jim Haadsma is our Michigan State Representative in the 62nd District, following his successful re-election campaign in November of 2020. He is a native of Muskegon and has lived in Battle Creek since 1994. As the child of foreign missionaries, Jim spent most of his early years in Africa. When he returned to Michigan, he graduated from college and law school, and eventually opened a satellite office of McCroskey Law, where he is a partner. With 36 years of legal experience, Jim specializes in labor relations and workers’ compensation. He is a fighter for hard-working people and their families and has always been a passionate advocate for equal opportunity. Jim is deeply engaged in his community and his District. He has served as a member of the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners for four terms, and he continues to serve on several other boards and committees, including the Haven of Rest, local chapters of the NAACP, and the Rotary Club of Battle Creek.