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.
Keegan Hobson - President
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, sex education 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 has been organizing in community since 2015.
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 from 2018 to 2020, and became President in 2020.
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 has been organizing in community since 2015.
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 from 2018 to 2020, and became President in 2020.
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.
Gabriel L. - Secretary
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, and became Secretary in 2020.
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, and became Secretary in 2020.
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.
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.
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.
Brandon Rheal Amyot - Director
Brandon Rhéal Amyot (they/them pronouns) is a student, activist, and sometimes writer. Growing up in Simcoe County for most of their life, they have been involved in the community for the past ten years focusing on 2SLGBTQ+ community, Indigenous community, student issues, and progressive causes.
They are currently studying at Lakehead University (Orillia) where they are specializing in Political Science and Media Studies. At Lakehead, they have been involved with multiple campus groups. As of 2020, they sit on the Board of Directors for the student union. Brandon also has a diploma in Aboriginal Community and Social Development from Georgian College (2017).
In 2012, they were a founding member of Fierté Simcoe Pride. In their time with the organization, Brandon served in several roles ending in their time as President (2017-2019). They now serve as the Past President, an ex-officio role. cfdrv
Brandon enjoys Netflix and memes in their spare time, as well as getting creative in the kitchen and sleuthing on the internet to write up pieces.
They are currently studying at Lakehead University (Orillia) where they are specializing in Political Science and Media Studies. At Lakehead, they have been involved with multiple campus groups. As of 2020, they sit on the Board of Directors for the student union. Brandon also has a diploma in Aboriginal Community and Social Development from Georgian College (2017).
In 2012, they were a founding member of Fierté Simcoe Pride. In their time with the organization, Brandon served in several roles ending in their time as President (2017-2019). They now serve as the Past President, an ex-officio role. cfdrv
Brandon enjoys Netflix and memes in their spare time, as well as getting creative in the kitchen and sleuthing on the internet to write up pieces.
Meg Minnikin - Director
Meg Minnikin (they/he pronouns) is a nursing student, personal support worker and local activist.
They are currently a student at Georgian College in Barrie. Meg is also an alumni of Georgian College in South Georgian Bay. They are dedicated to helping others in their community, in anyway they can.
Meg wants to continue to support the inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+, as well as BIPOC communities. Meg's interests include video editing, volunteering and engaging with their community.
Meg joined the Board in June 2020 as a Director.
They are currently a student at Georgian College in Barrie. Meg is also an alumni of Georgian College in South Georgian Bay. They are dedicated to helping others in their community, in anyway they can.
Meg wants to continue to support the inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+, as well as BIPOC communities. Meg's interests include video editing, volunteering and engaging with their community.
Meg joined the Board in June 2020 as a Director.