Executive Director

Matthew Danielson Grew up in Othello Washington and moved to Spokane the day after graduating high school in 2006. He started working at a couple of the local gay bars and quickly became a fixture of the gay community of Spokane. His work in the bars led him to volunteering with several of the local nonprofits, including Outspokane, and in 2016 was asked to emcee and stage manage his first pride. He was hooked on Pride from then on and has served in almost every capacity on the board of Outspokane/Spokane Pride and is now the organization's first ever Executive Director.

President

Drew Parker was born in Spokane Valley, as the baby with he was drug around to social events, conferences and other such items he learned early on how to walk into a room of strangers and take the reins and steer things in a direction to improve things and meet goals that have been set.
Speaking about reins, Drew owns two amazing horses. The youngest is Arial and the older mare is named Gracie Lou Freebush.
He has been the driving force for several organizations in Spokane. When he was in high school he was one of the leaders in his 4-H group and help guide them to victory in several competitions at the Spokane interstate fair. After high school he was brought in buy the Fair to start a new event from scratch in the horse department. He ran that for 12 years. After that he started to get active in his community. The BEARS! He help run the Inland Northwest Bears group for a couple years. He was also the driving force to get them to have a booth at the fair. They receive many compliments about how good their booth was. Was even said that it was gooder than the Portland bear group that year. After the bear group Drew started working with PFLAG Spokane. When the president at that time stepped down Drew was elected as president. Spending those years first couple years getting to know Helen Bonser was invaluable to Drew. To see what the love of one mother can do for the Queer community reminded Drew that each person matters and can change things for the better. With that in mind Drew accepted the nomination for president of Spokane Pride and has begun this amazing years of running this great event called PRIDE.
And remember, one person can affect change if they are involved.

Vice President

Bio: Julia is a military brat who's family finally stopped base hopping in 1990. Julia graduated from Medical Lake High and attended the Community Colleges through the Running Start program. She's been happily married since 2004, and while she has one biological child she has many who call her Mom or Auntie, and one special little girl who calls her Tata. Being a disabled person herself Julia spends a good south amount of her energy trying to help abled people understand how they can help the disabled in their lives. Julia spends her 'free' time crocheting, baking, and trying to connect with at risk youth in an effort to help them navigate resources. Julia can frequently be seen accompanied by her service dog Candy, who usually hides in a basket under Julia's wheelchair.

Why are you on the board: Julia attended her first Pride in 2012 with her son, and after watching him light up with the realization that Mom really did love him as he was she decided to get more involved in the community to make sure she had safe connections for him. It turned into a community for her as well, and over the years she worked as a volunteer at Pride, a director for the Murder Mystery Fundraiser and when she saw a new way to be involved she became a board member and was elected VP. Julia is mobility challenged and is always searching for new ways to make Pride accessible to anyone and everyone who wants to attend and enjoy.

Treasurer

Chris Drohan has been on the edges of the Pride world for a long time through his relationship with Matthew and has been forced to volunteer since 2017 because of that. He also became a 911 operator at the age of 19 and has now moved up to be a fire dispatcher and has served our community in that capacity for over a decade. Recently he made his relationship with Spokane Pride official and became it's treasurer, along with his relationship with Matthew as they got engaged around the same time.

Secretary

Conrad came to a board meeting and saw the amazing cookies that were offered as a treat after eating what he expected to be a chocolate chip cookie, he was digusted with the otmeal raisn cookie that he was now chewing on. Demanding justice he joined the board to make sure we continues to only have the most delicious Chocolate chip cookies .Came for the cookies and stayed for the cookie justice.

technomancer

Dave was born and raised in Spokane. During his mid 20’s he wandered into a small bar called Irv’s where he enjoyed the karaoke hosted by Matthew Danielson, Dave had no idea this encounter would change his life. After building a friendship with Matthew, he would find himself helping run sound for random events with Matthew. He would end up helping run sound for pride, After many years Dave decided that he wanted to do move and work towards a change in the world and knowing the best was to do that is help within your neighborhood first. Thus Dave joined the board for pride.

Board Member

Board Member

The Angel

Faye Wilson has been a part of Spokane Pride since 2014 when she was part of the group of three Peace Angels. She officially became a Board Member in 2016 and the Director and Organizer of the Spokane Pride Peace Angels that same year. We have done an amazing job to grow the Angels from three to over twenty every year since they first started.

She married her wonderful husband in 2021 and moved to California, but that doesn't stop her from being a part of Spokane Pride as it is very dear to her heart. She attends meetings via zoom and have never missed a Pride event because that's a promise her husband is sure to keep.

She always say Peace, Love, and Hugs are so important.

Mother of Merch

After spending a decade living on capital hill in Seattle, Shelby Dirks moved back to her home town of Spokane Washington in 2020. Shortly after moving home she opened a non profit thrift store in nine mile. She realized the there was a lot of work to do to make the area more accepting . Shelby then decided to volunteer with Spokane pride for the first time in 2023. Since joining the pride board she has been taking lead on merch to help raise money for pride. She has also been a big part of the assembly team. For Shelby pride is a family and community.

Board Member

Oregon Emissary

Finn grew up in Spokane and attended college in Portland, finally moving to Oregon in 2021. Having family in Spokane, Finn has wanted to give back to the community they know and love. Finn has been involved with the arts community and has been a member of Spectrum Singers. Finn started as a volunteer with Spokane Pride and moved into a position with the board. In their off time, they enjoy exploring the city where they live and exploring new cuisines. Finn is continuing education in business management.

He who summons volunteers

Pronouns: He/Him

Profession: Software Engineer

Why you're on the board:

Jacob joined the board of Spokane Pride at the end of 2023 because he wanted to help further outreach for LGBTQIA2S+ people, to show youth and adults that they aren't alone.

Jacob grew up in Spokane and has always loved being able to help out the communities he finds himself in. Growing up gay in a pretty conservative area and in a restrictive church, he always felt like he couldn't express himself. Since coming out publicly and joining the queer community in 2022, he's found hope and connection he never dreamed of; he's excited to use his time and skills to help reach out to folks and build up the community in Spokane and abroad that's welcomed him!

Board Mom

Val is an Associate HR Generalist and has worked in healthcare for 28 years, She joined the board to broaden her perspective and help out a great group.

Data Queen

Whitney, a lifelong resident of the Spokane area, has established deep roots in the community, having been raised, educated, and having started a family in this picturesque region of our state. Leveraging her expertise as a Senior Data Analyst at Grainger Industrial Supply, she is leading the data and analytics efforts for Spokane Pride. Throughout her professional journey, Whitney has honed her skills in data collection and analysis, enabling her to discern trends and facilitate crucial business decisions. Additionally, she excels in crafting impactful presentations tailored to inform key stakeholders, including executive leadership. Whitney holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Western Governors University.

Why I joined:
Motivated by a desire to support, represent, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, Whitney is deeply committed to her role on the board of Spokane Pride. Drawing from her personal journey and experiences, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the community served by the organization, identify areas for growth and opportunity, and furnish vital data to facilitate the procurement of additional funding in furtherance of the non-profit's mission.

Board Member

Anna, a lifelong advocate for the voices of younger generations, has dedicated 23 years to empowering youth in Spokane. From her early days on the Chase Youth Commission to her current role as a high school teacher, Anna has tirelessly championed student voices for positive change.
Her commitment was vividly demonstrated in June 2023 when she marched proudly in Spokane Pride alongside the Spokane Beard and Mustache group, standing in solidarity with students from Riverside High School. The overwhelming response from former graduates witnessing their alma mater's presence in the parade reinforced Anna's resolve to create safer spaces for queer youth.
Recognized for her dedication, Anna was awarded the prestigious NOYCE STEM Fellowship and the IT GETS BETTER Grant in August 2023. With these resources, she collaborated with organizations like Spokane Pride and Odyssey Youth Movement to organize events like the All City Ice Skate Night, providing a haven of love and support for her students.
As a member of the Spokane Pride Board, Anna is elevating the voices of queer youth across the city. Her vision extends to establishing a Teen Advisory Council comprised of LGBTQ+ youth and allies, fostering inclusivity in schools throughout Spokane County.
"I want to help build a sustainable system the youth of today can improve upon tomorrow without having to start over," shares Anna Brougher, whose pronouns are she/they. Through her tireless efforts, Anna aims to widen the door of acceptance and change, allowing the progress of future generations to shine even brighter. See her amazing GSA leaders in action in their advertisement to help reach other here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3RXVZqronl/.
In addition to her advocacy work, Anna finds time to give back to her community, crafting blankets and hats for the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, mentoring robotics teams, training youth actors, and fostering a love for coding, gaming, and Magic the Gathering among her students.
Discover the powerful voices Anna collaborates with daily and join her in shaping a brighter future for Spokane's youth.