OUR BOARD
Ken is honored to hold a position at the North County LGBTQ Resource Center. As a lifelong promoter of human rights, parent of a trans individual, and member of the LGBTQIA community, he hopes to offer his unique experiences, and perspectives to an already diverse and talented board. Having previously served as secretary and vice-chair, Ken is excited to continue supporting the board’s mission as chair.
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Ken’s passion is the impact he can make -whether to one person or to hundreds- with the hope that he might inspire others to take create positive change. Whether as an individual or as part of a larger group, he finds purpose in helping others when and where he can. Ken has a strong, progressive philosophy constantly pushing him to address social injustice and make a stand in whatever way seems both helpful locally and globally.
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Professionally, Ken is an award-winning communicator with over 30 years in the
communications/marketing/advertising industry, including radio, broadcast and cable television, theater, print, online and social media. He is a national lead for his company’s PRIDE employee resource group as well as a leader on several diversity councils.
Away from the office, Ken divides his time between activities with friends and family like golf pickleball, hiking, traveling, enjoying good food, wine and companionship, and singing loudly when driving. Ken also officiates weddings for same sex and opposite sex couples throughout San Diego County.
Maria is a School Social Worker and social justice activist in North County. As the parent of a trans child, she is passionate about standing up for queer youth so they are safe, welcomed, affirmed, celebrated and loved.
During her time volunteering with the NC Center Maria has served as Board Chair, Director of Project Youth and Gala Chair. She provides LGBTQI Competency Trainings in the community and helped start the Unicorn Homes Program. S
he is a District Social Worker in Oceanside Unified School District and works to ensure equity for all LGBTQ students, families and staff. Maria is a Welcoming Schools Certified Trainer and is excited to provide this professional development to elementary school educators at schools and conferences.
Yu-Wen is a Taiwanese-American working as an engineer in the aerospace industry. As a first generation immigrant and queer woman, she saw the importance of community and its impact on providing a safe space for marginalized people. She proudly grew up witnessing her parents being vocal participants of Taiwanese independence movements and learned the importance of speaking up for injustices at an early age.
She has had the opportunity to volunteer with her university’s queer student assembly in various events and groups, and more recently has had the chance to get involved with her local ACLU chapter. She looks forward to serving her community in a new capacity as a member of the board.
In her spare time, you’ll find her traveling with her fiancée, chasing around their dogs, buried under a pile of books, playing piano to an imaginary audience or surfing somewhere along San Diego’s beautiful coast.
Paul is a results-driven leader with over 30 years of progressively increasing responsibility in the biopharmaceutical industry. Paul prides himself on being a leader with an ability to remain calm amidst a chaotic environment, and can therefore be the calming presence in the "room".
Paul has an engrained passion to give back to the community and help whenever he can. He brings over 9 years of non-profit board experience (Lifeline Community Services) to support the center's growth. Paul truly believes that everyone deserves to live their most fulfilling life possible, regardless of their identity. Paul has a drive to support the North County LGBTQ Resource Center by being an advocate for the community and always striving to be an Ally in the best ways possible.
In his spare time, Paul enjoys cooking for family and friends, binging a new series, attending SD Wave soccer games, and traveling, all while spending time with his two wonderful daughters and amazing wife.
Aaron is a local immigration attorney who has lived and worked in San Diego County for most of his life. Aaron is a proud graduate of UC Santa Cruz and California Western School of Law. As a student of the world, Aaron has had a wide range of experiences that have helped him develop a keen understanding of the interactions between race, gender, class, and sexual orientation, and how these multi-faceted identities inform views of society and the world at large.
As the son of Filipino immigrants and a gay man, Aaron believes he is uniquely situated to serve as a bridge between the Center and the Asian-American community. Aaron hopes to use his education and experience by helping the Board move forward with its mission statement and ensure that the Center continues its role as a safe space for LGBTQ+ people throughout North County.
In his spare time, Aaron enjoys: making new friends, stand up paddle boarding, riding his bike up and down the 101, traveling, eSports, and playing video games.
Corinna Contreras is a life-long resident of Vista and a current City Councilmember representing District 1. In 2018, she became the first queer Latina elected to City Council and serves a four-year term ending November 2022.
Her passions include regenerative design, civic engagement, policy, singing and playing guitar. Corinna holds a B.A. in Sociology/Film & Media Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her Permaculture Design Certification from the San Diego Sustainable Living Institute.
