Board of Directors

DeAnna Swope
Chair

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

Image description: A smiling brown skinned lady with locs updo bun standing behind the grayish with gold status wearing a yellow blouse with multicolored cover.

Born and raised: Eatonton, GA

Hobbies: Book lover

Favorite self-care:  Reading

Favorite book: The midnight hour by Brenda Jackson

Quote to Live By: “I can do anything through the Christ who strengthens me.” -

Phil 4:13 (match my job :)

Carlene Thumann-Prezioso
Vice Chair

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

Image description: Older white woman with short white hair and black rimmed glasses. Sitting on lawn chair with black woven strips outside at a campsite at night time with lights hanging near trees. Wearing long sleeve grey shirt and short sleeve black jacket, blue jeans.

Born and raised: Texas

Hobbies: Reading and cross-stitch

Favorite self-care: Reading and walking

Favorite book: Too many to list

Quote to Live By: “Treat others as you would want to be treated.”

MJ Jones
Secretary

Pronouns: They, Them, Siya

Image description: A light-skinned Black/Filipinx masculine individual is standing in front of a brick wall with a shelf of potted plants and stacks of books on it. On the bottom half of the wall is the navy-colored fabric the backing is different cube sizes. MJ is the focal point of the image and is smiling toward the camera wearing their glasses, a big smile, turquoise gauges in their ears, and a dark grey suit with a black button-up shirt. MJ is also wearing a turquoise/light blue floral print bow tie.

Born and raised: Born in Yokosuka, Japan and raised in San Diego, CA

Hobby: Hiking, camping, and baking

Favorite Self-care: Essential oils and getting a massage

Favorite book: I am in love with Netflix

Quote to Live By: "Nothing about us,
without us."
- James Charlton

Risa Shaw
Finance Chair

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

Image description: A white woman with salt and pepper dark hair sitting on a large rock with the deep blue ocean and light blue sky in the back of her. There is some land far back and a few rocks in the water closer up. Risa is the focal point of the photo. She is sitting with one leg outstretched and the other folded with her foot under her knee. Her arms are held up in a V in the air with palms open to the sky. She is wearing a deep purple down jacket, dark blue jeans, and a huge smile on her face while she looks at the camera.

Born and raised: Lawrence, KS and
Lincoln, NE

Favorite self-care: Gardening, biking, and playing with young people

Kenya Colbert
Board Member

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

Image description: Outside with plants in the background. Brown-skinned Kenya smiling, body tilted slightly to the left. Has long curly hair, wearing shiny orange top with army green cover and a single chain.

Born and raised: Maryland

Hobby: Longboarding and crocheting

Favorite self-care: Personal grooming and watching movies or reading a book

Favorite book: The Harry Potter series

Quote to Live By: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
- Neal Donald Walsch

Aneesha Lane
Board Member

Photo and information coming soon!

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Alex Leffers
Board Member

Pronouns: He, Him, His

Image description: A white man with a a dark short beard and mustache and glasses is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a long sleeve white shirt and black tie with a rainbow shawl. The background shows part of the Bison statue and a small amount of brick sidewalk and a little blue sky.

Born and raised: Born in Waynesboro, VA and raised near Lynchburg, VA

Hobby: Reading, coloring books, puzzles and Scrabble

Favorite Self-care: Three favorites: Cuddling with my wife, walking my dog, and doing jigsaw puzzles to unwind

Favorite book: I don't have a favorite–I like many. Currently reading through several books on racism and how to be a better anti-racist.

Quote to Live By: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
- William Shakespeare

Kristina Miranda
Board Member

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers / Siya

Image description: Against a black backdrop, Kristina, a light-skinned Filipina, has short hair, golden brown highlights interspersed with her dark brown hair. She is wearing a black top. She has hooped earrings, and smaller piercings along her left ear, and a modest necklace. Kristina has her head slightly tilted to the side and is softly smiling.

Born and raised: New Jersey

Hobbies: I love meeting Deaf people and Codas in other countries. It brings me incredible joy to connect with communities and learn of all the things that connect us and that beautifully distinguish us.

Favorite Self care: I love playing the piano. I write music on the spot, and I can rarely repeat the same creation twice. To me, it means that I've composed something that was meant to be expressed at that moment and only in that moment.

Favorite Book: Too many to name!! Right now, I am reading "The Body Is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love" by Sonya Renee Taylor and it is revolutionizing and healing the ways I think about myself, my body, and the meaning of self-love.

Quote to Live By: “Service is the rent you pay for room on this earth.” - Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress

Mary Thumann
Board Member

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

Image description: Older white woman with very short frizzy hair wearing a black short-sleeve T-shirt with the words Council de MANOS and a picture of a hand with a circular shape in the palm of the hand. Mary is standing against a grey brick wall and is wearing black/brown glasses and dangling silver earrings.

Born and raised: Texas

Hobbies: Reading, baking, & scrap booking

Favorite Self care: Reading and taking walks

Quote to Live By: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
- Maya Angelou

Steven Titlebaum
Board Member

Pronouns: He, Him, His

Image description: A white man, with a light beard and smiling at the camera. He is wearing a white shirt with a blue jacket. He is holding onto a black rail, and the background shows a body of water with various buildings and green trees.

Born and raised: Pittsburgh, PA

Favorite self-care:  Spending time at the beach or with my family is how I recharge my batteries

Favorite book: Time and Again,
by Jack Finney