Board of Directors
Frank Macias, President of the Board
Frank has been residing in the Antelope Valley since 2006. He earned an associates degree in Liberal Arts and Humanities at Antelope Valley College. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Art at California State University, Northridge. From his time spent as a youth leader in The Out Project to now being elected as president for The OUTreach Center, Frank has been heavily involved in serving the LGBTQ+ community in the Antelope Valley for more than a decade. Frank enjoys planning and attending Pride festivals. He is ecstatic to continue working to serve and advocate for our community in his capacity as President.
Send Frank an email
Frank has been residing in the Antelope Valley since 2006. He earned an associates degree in Liberal Arts and Humanities at Antelope Valley College. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Art at California State University, Northridge. From his time spent as a youth leader in The Out Project to now being elected as president for The OUTreach Center, Frank has been heavily involved in serving the LGBTQ+ community in the Antelope Valley for more than a decade. Frank enjoys planning and attending Pride festivals. He is ecstatic to continue working to serve and advocate for our community in his capacity as President.
Send Frank an email
CJ Carreón-Bennett, Vice-President of the Board
CJ is a former graduate of Quartz Hill High School, where he was involved with Student Government and served as the Spirit Director in 2012. Afterward, CJ collaborated and volunteered his time with LA Pride. Shortly thereafter, he redirected his focus to his local community in the great Antelope Valley. CJ has been volunteering for the center since 2018, where he contributes to running multiple programs our center has to offer and assists our President with building relations with local businesses and sponsors. His knowledge, background, and willingness to give back to the community led him to obtain an officer position within our non-profit organization.
Send CJ an email.
CJ is a former graduate of Quartz Hill High School, where he was involved with Student Government and served as the Spirit Director in 2012. Afterward, CJ collaborated and volunteered his time with LA Pride. Shortly thereafter, he redirected his focus to his local community in the great Antelope Valley. CJ has been volunteering for the center since 2018, where he contributes to running multiple programs our center has to offer and assists our President with building relations with local businesses and sponsors. His knowledge, background, and willingness to give back to the community led him to obtain an officer position within our non-profit organization.
Send CJ an email.
Collin Ray, Treasurer to the Board
Collin Ray is an experienced engineering professional with a passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics from Louisiana Tech University, and a Graduate Certificate of Study in Airworthiness Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has experience as an Employee Resource Group chair, where he presented professional development programming and provided mentoring services. He also has experience with support groups and facilitating virtual and in person events. Collin leverages his mathematical expertise and experience with LGBTQ+ support and inclusion to serve as the Treasurer of The OUTreach Center. He is proud to call the Antelope Valley home and enthusiastically looks forward to further serving the local community.
Send Collin an email.
Collin Ray is an experienced engineering professional with a passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics from Louisiana Tech University, and a Graduate Certificate of Study in Airworthiness Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has experience as an Employee Resource Group chair, where he presented professional development programming and provided mentoring services. He also has experience with support groups and facilitating virtual and in person events. Collin leverages his mathematical expertise and experience with LGBTQ+ support and inclusion to serve as the Treasurer of The OUTreach Center. He is proud to call the Antelope Valley home and enthusiastically looks forward to further serving the local community.
Send Collin an email.
Tere La Giusa, Secretary to the Board
Tere has spent over 25 years serving the youth of the Santa Clarita Valley. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University. She is a Santa Clarita Valley Gay-Straight Alliance faculty advisor and has received the Rolf/Uribe Models Of Pride Award for her work to advance LGBT+ visibility and youth support. Tere brings her passion for service to The OUTreach Center.
Send Tere an email.
Tere has spent over 25 years serving the youth of the Santa Clarita Valley. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University. She is a Santa Clarita Valley Gay-Straight Alliance faculty advisor and has received the Rolf/Uribe Models Of Pride Award for her work to advance LGBT+ visibility and youth support. Tere brings her passion for service to The OUTreach Center.
Send Tere an email.
Robert Benitez, Board Member at Large
Robert Benitez (he, him) is a queer arts administrator who centers a diverse public within the cultural and civic space. An Antelope Valley native, Benitez came of age as president of The Out Project, an LGBTQ+ youth and young adult group, a former program of The OUTreach Center. Benitez re-joined The OUTreach Center’s board of directors in 2023, after serving on the board from 2010 to 2016. Benitez holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, with a minor in art history, from the University of California, Riverside, an executive certificate in arts and culture strategy from the University of Pennsylvania, and certificate in diversity and inclusion from Cornell University.
Send Robert an email.
Robert Benitez (he, him) is a queer arts administrator who centers a diverse public within the cultural and civic space. An Antelope Valley native, Benitez came of age as president of The Out Project, an LGBTQ+ youth and young adult group, a former program of The OUTreach Center. Benitez re-joined The OUTreach Center’s board of directors in 2023, after serving on the board from 2010 to 2016. Benitez holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, with a minor in art history, from the University of California, Riverside, an executive certificate in arts and culture strategy from the University of Pennsylvania, and certificate in diversity and inclusion from Cornell University.
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Jazz Mitchell, Board Member at Large
Jazz is an experienced professional who works in the field of Public Health. Jazz graduated from Antelope Valley College with an Associate's Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and plans on pursuing her Bachelor's of Public Health. A resident of the Antelope Valley for over thirty years, Jazz recognizes the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community in the AV, and strives to build community partnerships to gain resources that support the mental, emotional and physical well-being of our diverse population. She's excited to serve as a board member and to build bridges that lead to equity, inclusion and visibility.
Send Jazz an email.
Jazz is an experienced professional who works in the field of Public Health. Jazz graduated from Antelope Valley College with an Associate's Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and plans on pursuing her Bachelor's of Public Health. A resident of the Antelope Valley for over thirty years, Jazz recognizes the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community in the AV, and strives to build community partnerships to gain resources that support the mental, emotional and physical well-being of our diverse population. She's excited to serve as a board member and to build bridges that lead to equity, inclusion and visibility.
Send Jazz an email.
Joseph Rodriguez, Board Member at Large
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- Born and raised in Lancaster, Joseph attended SOAR High School, graduating in 2013. He went on to establish his foundations in behavior, motivation, and group dynamics with a specialization in psychological safety in organizations, later obtaining an M.A. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2019.
He has since demonstrated, his working knowledge of survey development, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and designing scalable interventions to combat a variety of organizational threats. His prowess to make sense of complex problems to facilitate organizational efficiency has earned recognition for boosting stakeholder satisfaction by an average of 23% and increasing organizational efficiency by 36% at Facebook and NVIDIA.
He lives by 3 values:
1 - Make meaningful connections with other brilliant minds
2 - Help others become the best versions of themselves
3 - Share the knowledge you acquire with others
He uses these tenets as his motivation to bring evidence-based, organizational change to the communities and organizations he supports. He holds a commitment to his craft by continuously seeking to understand the behavioral dynamics within organizations with the intent to create inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued, respected, and feels they can reach their full potential.
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Erica Stith, Board Member at Large
Erica moved to the Antelope Valley in 2012 from her hometown of Grand Forks, ND, to work for the NASA Airborne Science Program. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of North Dakota. She has been participating in programs at the OUTreach Center since 2021, shortly after coming out, and has been a program contact for the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Support Group since 2023. She has been a member of the Center's Board of Directors since 2024 and brings her technical knowledge to the Center's Technical Committee, and her passion for building community and diversity to all her work for the Center.
Send Erica an email.
Erica moved to the Antelope Valley in 2012 from her hometown of Grand Forks, ND, to work for the NASA Airborne Science Program. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of North Dakota. She has been participating in programs at the OUTreach Center since 2021, shortly after coming out, and has been a program contact for the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Support Group since 2023. She has been a member of the Center's Board of Directors since 2024 and brings her technical knowledge to the Center's Technical Committee, and her passion for building community and diversity to all her work for the Center.
Send Erica an email.