Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of Fierté Simcoe Pride includes individuals who are committed to the LGBT+ community of the Simcoe County area. Members are residents or professional workers of Simcoe County. Official elections are held each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Preference is given to individuals who identify as Gender and Sexually Diverse (GSD) or allies. Other community members who are interested are able to volunteer or participate through sub-committees.
To learn more about founding members, including the founding chair and past presidents, please visit the Founder's Circle page.
To learn more about founding members, including the founding chair and past presidents, please visit the Founder's Circle page.
Members
The following members were elected at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday, December 5, 2019.
Sharon Hobson - President of FSP
Sharon Hobson (she/her pronouns) is the owner and creative director of Two Roads Marketing Inc. and has over 25 years experience in the design and marketing fields.
After many years helping global Internet and media companies develop and implement their marketing strategies, she decided to bring her expertise to entrepreneurs who are driven by their passion to share their products and services with the world. In the past 15 years, Sharon has created online marketing strategies, social media campaigns and websites for a wide variety of businesses.
Sharon has been a passionate volunteer in the arts but has been looking for a way to serve her LGBTQ+ community. She is excited to join the board of Fierté Simcoe Pride to assist in creating safer spaces and awareness.
Sharon joined the Board in February 2019, and became President in December 2019.
After many years helping global Internet and media companies develop and implement their marketing strategies, she decided to bring her expertise to entrepreneurs who are driven by their passion to share their products and services with the world. In the past 15 years, Sharon has created online marketing strategies, social media campaigns and websites for a wide variety of businesses.
Sharon has been a passionate volunteer in the arts but has been looking for a way to serve her LGBTQ+ community. She is excited to join the board of Fierté Simcoe Pride to assist in creating safer spaces and awareness.
Sharon joined the Board in February 2019, and became President in December 2019.
Lennox LePage - Treasurer
Lennox LePage (he/him pronouns) is a post-secondary student, parent and local activist. With roughly 6 years experience, Lennox has sat as both a Board member and President of our neighbouring organization, Muskoka Pride.
He is currently a student in Georgian Colleges Honors Bachelor of Business Administration and working full-time with the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. He is passionate about harm reduction, decolonization efforts and facilitating braver spaces.
Lennox joined the Board in February 2019 and became Treasurer in December 2019.
He is currently a student in Georgian Colleges Honors Bachelor of Business Administration and working full-time with the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. He is passionate about harm reduction, decolonization efforts and facilitating braver spaces.
Lennox joined the Board in February 2019 and became Treasurer in December 2019.
Keegan James - Secretary
Keegan (he/him pronouns) is a post-secondary student who is active in his local communities through direct action, volunteer work, community outreach and workshop facilitation. With an emphasis on queer and trans youth and utilizing harm reduction approaches, he is passionate about 2SLGBTQI+ rights, mental health advocacy, antifacism and Indigenous movements.
Keegan is currently attending Ryerson University in Toronto for his Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in Disability Studies. He is active in local kink communities and is fierce in the pursuit of conversations around consent, healthy negotiations, leather culture and Risk Aware approaches. He encourages the embracing of discomfort and works to facilitate radical, braver spaces.
First elected to the Board in 2016, he has served as the Regional Representative for Barrie in 2016, Vice Chair from 2017 to 2019, and Secretary since 2018.
Keegan is currently attending Ryerson University in Toronto for his Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in Disability Studies. He is active in local kink communities and is fierce in the pursuit of conversations around consent, healthy negotiations, leather culture and Risk Aware approaches. He encourages the embracing of discomfort and works to facilitate radical, braver spaces.
First elected to the Board in 2016, he has served as the Regional Representative for Barrie in 2016, Vice Chair from 2017 to 2019, and Secretary since 2018.
Jason Hurdle - Chair of the Board
Jason Hurdlen (he/him pronouns) was born April 13, in the year of our lord Nineteen-Hundred-Seventy-Eight. He was born before the Friday the 13th Movie series was announced and bears only a few resemblances to Jason on those days, especially when his birthday actually falls on Friday the 13th.
Avid volunteer and do-gooder, he is a big brother mentor volunteer, and has facilitated queer youth groups in the past in Mississauga. He was first elected to the Board at the 2013 Annual General Meeting.
Jason was appointed as Co-Chair of the Awards Committee in 2015, and the Chair of the Board as of 2016.
Avid volunteer and do-gooder, he is a big brother mentor volunteer, and has facilitated queer youth groups in the past in Mississauga. He was first elected to the Board at the 2013 Annual General Meeting.
Jason was appointed as Co-Chair of the Awards Committee in 2015, and the Chair of the Board as of 2016.
Colin Nelthorpe - Vice Chair of the Board
Colin Nelthorpe (he/him pronouns) is a long time resident of Barrie. He is always looking for new ways to get involved in community and engage others. He attended Georgian College for Mechanical Technician Precision Skills and graduated 2018. While attending college he ran successfully to become the Vice Chair of the Change Makers, a group dedicated to using technology to solve environmental and manufacturing issues.
Always needing to be part of something Colin joined the Fierté Simcoe Pride Barrie Subcommittee in 2019 and served as the Vice Chair. He plans to continue supporting harm reduction strategies, mental health support, and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community. His interests are in science, politics, handyman skills, environment activism, and progressive social activism. Being a rather talkative person he is always willing to engage in conversation and discuss any topic to the best of his abilities.
Colin was elected to the Board as Vice Chair in December 2019.
Always needing to be part of something Colin joined the Fierté Simcoe Pride Barrie Subcommittee in 2019 and served as the Vice Chair. He plans to continue supporting harm reduction strategies, mental health support, and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community. His interests are in science, politics, handyman skills, environment activism, and progressive social activism. Being a rather talkative person he is always willing to engage in conversation and discuss any topic to the best of his abilities.
Colin was elected to the Board as Vice Chair in December 2019.
Parker Buchanan - Social Media Director
Parker Buchanan (they/them pronouns) is a powerful, outspoken, nonbinary queer high femme, a barista, an animal-lover, and a Pisces. Currently, they are an artist; displaying their hot-blooded dedication, humility, and radical proclivity to the 2SLGBTQ+ community through patches and prints about sobriety, kink, classism, fatphobia, mental health, and queerness.
They started their journey with Fierté Simcoe Pride as a volunteer for the 2019 Pride Festival held in Barrie. They first found their passion for organizing and community engagement in high school, where they became an advocate and mentor for vulnerable younger queer folks in secondary schools across Simcoe County by working through their school’s GSA, and founding. More recently, Parker was asked to speak at Georgian College’s flag raising for Trans Day of Remembrance as a nonbinary femme alongside other local trans folks.
They are fiercely dedicated to their work on harm reduction, antifascist strategies, decolonization as a settler, empowering the local 2SLGBTQ+ community, and femme advocacy, and is thrilled to work alongside some of their mentors and friends with FSP.
Parker formally joined the board in December 2019 as a Social Media Director.
They started their journey with Fierté Simcoe Pride as a volunteer for the 2019 Pride Festival held in Barrie. They first found their passion for organizing and community engagement in high school, where they became an advocate and mentor for vulnerable younger queer folks in secondary schools across Simcoe County by working through their school’s GSA, and founding. More recently, Parker was asked to speak at Georgian College’s flag raising for Trans Day of Remembrance as a nonbinary femme alongside other local trans folks.
They are fiercely dedicated to their work on harm reduction, antifascist strategies, decolonization as a settler, empowering the local 2SLGBTQ+ community, and femme advocacy, and is thrilled to work alongside some of their mentors and friends with FSP.
Parker formally joined the board in December 2019 as a Social Media Director.
Amy Miller - Director
I'm Amy (she/her pronouns). I'm a mother to a two year old. We live in Midland. I work there as a birth worker. In my free time I enjoy writing, reading, family time, listening to records, and talking about disability rights.
Amy was elected to the Board in December 2019 as a Director.
Amy was elected to the Board in December 2019 as a Director.
Gabriel L - Director
Gabriel (he/him pronouns) is a director of the board who grew up - and lived in Simcoe County for most of his life. He lived in between Ontario and Halifax in his early 20s while obtaining an art degree.
Gabe has roughly 4 years of experience with event organizing and support group facilitating. He began work with Fierté Simcoe Pride early summer of 2019, sitting on the Barrie Sub committee and the Trans Pride sub committee. He is a 2 spirit, trans masculine individual who is dedicated to community.
While working hard and full time in Simcoe County, Gabe is a trauma informed activist in the community striving to keep spaces brave. He is passionate about advocating for queer and trans youth, mental health, harm reduction, restorative justice and decolonization.
Gabe was elected to the Board in December 2019.
Gabe has roughly 4 years of experience with event organizing and support group facilitating. He began work with Fierté Simcoe Pride early summer of 2019, sitting on the Barrie Sub committee and the Trans Pride sub committee. He is a 2 spirit, trans masculine individual who is dedicated to community.
While working hard and full time in Simcoe County, Gabe is a trauma informed activist in the community striving to keep spaces brave. He is passionate about advocating for queer and trans youth, mental health, harm reduction, restorative justice and decolonization.
Gabe was elected to the Board in December 2019.
Chris Sheridan - Director
Chris Sheridan (They/Them pronouns) is one of the founding members of Georgian Pride at Georgian College in Barrie.
They have received multiple accolades from Georgian College and local community organizations for the hard work they've done.
Chris is an alumnus of the Culinary Management and Hotel and Resort programs, having received honours in both. Their passion has always been with the issues in our area surrounding homelessness, poverty reduction, mental health and addictions, and harm reduction.
Transitioning from Pride work on a large college campus to doing Pride work in an even larger community has always been a dream of theirs.
Chris joined the Board in December 2019 as a Director.