Ashley Feagin, one of our current Co-Presidents 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.
Charlie Fulbright, our other current Co-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.
Charlie loves volunteering and working towards making sure that everyone in Battle Creek has the same rights. He loves promoting equality, equity, 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 has also volunteered his time by sitting on the Historic District Commission of Battle Creek and currently is serving as a Board Trustee for the Battle Creek Public School District. He is also an active member of First Congregational Church of Battle Creek.
Charlie uses he/him/his pronouns
Ian Gallagher, one of our two Administrative Assistants, currently works as a Material Handler, a trainer and is part of the Safety Team at Systex in Battle Creek. He 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. 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
Davina Lynn Metzger, one of our two Administrative Assistants is currently work at Garden of Dreams pre-school and daycare as head cook and food program manager. She is a strong willed activist striving to push the window of expectation as far as she can in her pursuit for equal rights and protections for all people. She is the wife of Tina Germinder-Metzger and mother of 2. She is an out spoken unashamed trans woman.
Davina 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 third 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
Deana Spencer, our Immediate Past 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 for four years as a Celebrity Server for S.A.F.E. Place’s annual fundraiser, serves on the Battle Creek Community Foundation’s Rainbow Community Grant Fund steering committee, on the International Summerfest planning committee and as a guest columnist for the Battle Creek Enquirer and the Battle Creek Shopper News. She currently sits on the City of Battle Creek’s Human Relations Board and is part of the Calhoun County Suicide Prevention Coalition. 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
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, is a Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan Outreach Facilitator, and the leader of her daughter’s local Troop 80721. She is a photographer, event planner and wedding coordinator at First Congregational Church, part time Nanny and works for S.A.F.E. Place as a Resource Center Coordinator.
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
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 third 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
Kim Langridge is happy to be a first-year member of the Board of Directors, after serving as a volunteer on several Pride events during 2019. As a Trans* woman, she is proud to be a co-facilitator of BC Pride’s “Constellations” youth support group. During the upcoming year, she looks forward to working on several Pride projects that include the 2020 Community Needs Survey and various marketing and fundraising efforts.
For the past 20 years, Kim has worked from her home in Marshall as a senior copywriter for an ad agency in Detroit, creating radio and TV commercials for clients that include the Michigan Lottery, the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings.
During her advertising career, Kim has won several national awards for radio commercials she has written for ESPN’s “College GameDay”, the TBS TV series “Sex and the City”, and the CBS TV series “The Big Bang Theory”. A former comedy writer, Kim also co-wrote three episodes of the ABC series “Home Improvement”.
Kim uses she/her/hers pronouns.
William Otte, is a first year board member and currently works as a Material Handler at Systex Products in Battle Creek. Cooking is something he finds enjoyable and although he enjoys trying many cuisines, Italian is his favorite. William has done volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, and has volunteered his time in residential retirement and care facilities spending time with residents listening and talking, providing friendship and companionship. He enjoys doing handyman work and remodeling on a budget, he looks for ways to beautify a space with the details of finish work such as trim and crown molding. William also takes great pride in building waterfalls finding that perfect boulder to make the water fall a certain way, placing other rocks just right to get the perfect sound.
Serving on the BC Pride board gives him a chance to give back, help solve problems in our community, represent a diverse culture and change the world to a more accepting place for us all.
William uses he/him/his pronouns
Rebecca Ramon, is a current first year board member. They’re very passionate about storytelling as a filmmaker. They are also interested in local government along with trying to get youth more involved, both with politics and the arts. Rebecca’s passion for getting involved began in high school where they faced discrimination for the first time and fought for their own right to take college preparatory courses.
After Rebecca’s fight was won they went on to higher education at Western Michigan University and eventually to Chapman University where they earned their M.F.A in Film Production. Rebecca hopes to use their experience, talents, and skills to contribute to their community.
Rebecca uses they/them/theirs pronouns