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MEET THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Committed to the Cause

Coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, our skilled team of professionals is the backbone of MoCo Pride Center. Their ideas help shape the direction and mission of our organization as it continues to develop. Read on to learn more about our incredible team members.

Han Malyn

Chairperson

(They, Their, Theirs)

Han is a nonprofit professional with 14 years of experience at institutions ranging from three person local organizations to INGOs with thousands of employees worldwide. They have worked in a variety of roles — including finance, membership, event coordination, and communications — both in volunteer and professional capacities, and specialize in grant writing and institutional fundraising. Since 2015, they have worked in the humanitarian sector, raising funds for work on a wide range of issues, such as racial justice, ending gun violence, police accountability, environmental justice, and eliminating poverty, as well as promoting and protecting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, refugees and immigrants, women and gender minorities, and more. Han spent most of their life in the Midwest and NYC before moving to Wheaton with their spouse in 2018. They hold a dual BA in studio art and business and economics from Kalamazoo College and an MA in Nonprofit Arts Administration from NYU.

Morgan Merriman

Vice-Chairperson

(She, Her, Hers)

Morgan is an experienced educator whose passion lies in advancing the reaches of education for all who want to access it. She is a native Texan who recently relocated to the DMV area with her wife in Summer 2021. She has experience with event planning, volunteer organization, and fundraising for various groups and non-profits. She has worked to achieve equity in education throughout the STEM and LGBT communities by connecting professionals to young career scientists, graduate students, undergraduate students, and high school students. She has led high school GSA organizations in a Title I school in Dallas, TX, and worked to create a safe space across the school through educating teachers and students alike on the experience of LGBTQ+ youth. She has been involved with initiatives from the Human Rights Campaign, oSTEM, ACLU, GSANetwork, and GLAAD. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Master’s of Science in Biomedical Science (Neuroscience) from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Rev. Dr. Jill McCrory

Secretary/Treasurer

(She, Her, Hers)

Jill has experience in both the staff and volunteer sides of non-profit organizations, serving for 14 years as a Senior Director at the National Association of Home Builders, then over 20 years as the founder of Leadership Outfitters, providing leadership training to a variety of non-profit organizations. She is also an ordained minister and has served a variety of congregations in both Baptist and the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) traditions. She has served on the board and as the chair of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, been involved with Equality Maryland and the Human Rights Campaign, and has been active for over 20 years at the national, state and local level on LGBTQ legislative actions. She had an active role in both the DC and MD effort around equal marriage legislation, was a part of the original planning team for the Montgomery County Transgender Day of Remembrance, was recognized in 2011 as a Capital Pride Hero, and dubbed "Jill the Baptist" by Metro Weekly magazine in 2014. A native Washingtonian, she attended Montgomery College and American University, earned a Masters of Divinity in 2009, and a Doctorate in 2018.

John Grimes

Member-at-large

(He, Him, His)

John is a 20-year public relations veteran with expertise in crisis communications, reputation management, and training. He has represented such companies as Ben & Jerry’s and Royal Caribbean as well as many nonprofit organizations including the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the Institute for Public Accuracy, and the Montgomery County Council of PTAs. As a bisexual activist, he hopes to increase visibility and involvement of bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, asexual, and demisexual people in the LGTBQ+ movement. Originally from Vermont, John received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT before moving to the Washington, DC area in 1999. Although he deeply misses winters in the Green Mountains, he prefers the pace of life in the city – especially the nightlife. He and his wife live in Wheaton with their son and three cats.

Jan Guttman

Member-at-large

(She, Her, Hers)

Jan is a native to the area, having attended Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, and the University of Maryland. She is a recent retiree of MCPS having spent her career of 34 years specializing in working with students with educational and social/emotional challenges. She is a member of Free Mom Hugs, MoCo Pride Prom Committee, and is a volunteer at the University of Maryland's Equity Center. She is the proud parent of a transgender young adult child who has truly educated and brought her into activism. Currently, she is working on bringing a multi-use workspace for LGBTQ+ professionals and students to Montgomery County. As an ally and parent of a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Jan is ready to provide a parent and educator point of view to MoCo Pride and learn as much as possible from the community.

Ezra Towne

Board Member Emeritus

(Ezra, They, Them)

Ezra has been an activist in the Metro DC Area for nearly 17 years and is currently a stay at home parent doing volunteer work during their spare time. Ezra facilitates the support group Maryland Trans*Unity, co-organizes Montgomery County ́s annual observance of the Transgender Day Remembrance, and does occasional speaking and/or consulting on issues important to the trans community in Montgomery County. Ezra has also worked professionally for several organizations committed to LGBTQ, feminist and anti-racist organizing--including the National LGBTQ Task Force, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the LGBTQ Victory Fund, and NOW. Ezra ́s vision for MoCo Pride Center includes creating a network of support, events, and better local government representation and policies for transgender people in Montgomery County.

Our Visionaries

A huge thank you to our original visionaries of a Pride Center in Montgomery County, Maryland. 

Gwen Andersen
​Alex Bobrow
Peter Fosselman
Stevie Neal
Janine Rauscher
​Deborah Vaughn

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