Those who give of their time and talents
WE ARE
WE STAND UP FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
Betty Jacobs
Founder/Executive Director
Betty Jacobs is a lifelong Lake County resident and a mother of six. She has spent most of her career working and volunteering with nonprofit organizations. It is through that, that she became aware of the gaps in support and services for the Lake County LGBTQ community. Betty earned her Associates of Human Services through Lakeland Community College. She is currently in her last semester of her Bachelors of Social Work through Youngstown State University.
Betty is the National PFLAG Great Lakes Regional Director. She is also a PLFAG-Cleveland board member. She developed and facilitates PFLAG Cleveland satellite meetings, which are held at the LGBTQ+ Allies Lake County offices. She has also founded and co-facilitates, TransSupport Lake County, Youth Pride, LGBTQ REcovery, Gaymers, LGBTQ Book Club, LGBTQ Movie Club. Betty has presented over 40 diversity training (safe space) seminars/webinars for organizations, agencies, and businesses.
Betty has made it her mission to continue advocating for the LGBTQ community by developing and facilitating, the first and only LGBTQ Practicum for leaders in Lake County. She has been working with the leaders of Lake County on the disparities and discrimination that LGBTQ individuals face in Lake County. She has brought together more than 20 health and human service providers both for children and adults, drug addiction agencies, sheriff’s departments, churches, and community members to work on how to make Lake County more LGBTQ inclusive and welcoming.
Betty has a passion for advocating and empowering the most marginalized groups, in particular, LGBTQ individuals.
Daphne Miller
Board Member
Daphne Miller has more than twenty-one years of Marketing experience specializing in Digital Advertising, Promotion, Social Media Planning, and Content Marketing. She is a well-rounded digital media professional, with over twelve years of interactive practice in developing and executing high-impact digital advertising strategies, as well as multi-platform integrated media campaigns including, web, mobile, email, social media, and video presence for a broad spectrum of industries.
Over eight years of supervisory and management experience with responsibilities including employee supervision, budget development, recruitment and training, media buying, creative services, brand promotion, and seminar development.
Additional experience includes print ad design, Cable and Radio commercial production, brochure and media kit design, Sales and Stockholder presentations, web design, video production, and content marketing.
Daphne is a PFLAG-Cleveland board member. She has been an advocate for the LGBTQ community since 1980. Daphne and her partner are Lake County residents and are parents to twins.
Tom Hill
Board Member
Tom Hill is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lighthouse Advisers, a Registered Investment Advisory firm in Mentor.
Tom was born in Painesville and lived there most of his life, recently moving to Shaker Heights. He and his wife Libby will celebrate their 40th anniversary later this year. They are proud parents and grandparents.
Tom joined the LGBTQ+ Allies board to help create a more inclusive community with safe spaces for all, regardless of orientation, race, or economic status. In addition to the LGBTQ+ Allies organization, Tom serves as Senior Warden of the St. James Episcopal Church Vestry and is on the board of the North Coast Men’s Chorus. He also volunteers for the St. James Feeding Ministries, Rabbit Run, Fine Arts Association and several other arts and community organizations.
Capt. Cynthia Brooks
Board Member
Captain Cynthia Brooks is the Jail Administrator of the Adult Detention Facility. She has served at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office since 1984, serving 4 years as a Corrections Sergeant, and 20 years as a Corrections Lieutenant. Promoted to Captain, and serving as the Jail Administrator, she is responsible for over-seeing the operations of the 400 bed jail facility.
Captain Brooks has her Associates of Applied Science degree in the field of Criminal Justice, and is a graduate of Cleveland Heights Police Academy.
In 2007 she was a certified as a Jail Manager by the American Jail Association. A 2006 graduate of the Police Executive Leadership college (PELC). Capt. Brooks has had extensive training in the field of Corrections through the National Institute of Corrections on jail management, team building, working with women offenders and their families. As well she has instructed at the Corrections Academy on issues of jail management, diversity, and numerous aspects of operations. She is recognized nationally for her development of the W.I.T.T.S. program (Women in Transition Through Support).
She serves on the Lake County Community Corrections Board, the Lake County Metropolitan Housing Board, and as chairman of WITTS. Captain Brooks is a 2015 graduate from the Ohio Certified Law Enforcement Executive Program (CLEE) class of XIX. In addition to graduating from CLEE she received the Chief Michael Kallai award for excellence as the leader in academics and community service.
Stu Lucker
Board Member
Stu Lucker is a Gay man who grew up in Painesville and has lived his whole life in Lake County. Stu currently resides in Kirtland with his father.
Stu started his career as a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) in Mayfield. He worked as an accountant/analyst for Progressive Insurance (15 years) and then at Nationwide Insurance (5 Years). In 2013 he decided to launch a 3rd career as a real estate agent – working for his brother at Puppy Realty which is a Lake County based business. Stu is a member of Painesville Rotary, a board member at Andrews Osborne Academy, delivers Meals on Wheels with his Dad, as well as being involved with lots of other non-profit and professional organizations.
Stu understands the need for the LGBTQ Center and all of the programs and support groups and events that it provides. Having fully come out in his fifties – he understands the loneliness and lack of resources available to LGBTQ people. He is extremely proud to be a part of Lake County’s first true resource to his community. No longer will a child grow up in Lake County without a place to go where they can find a friendly voice that can answer questions and provide unconditional understanding and care.
Rev. Vanessa Clark
Board Member
The Rev. Vanessa Clark is an Episcopal priest whose ministry and community work is rooted in the biblical mandate that all people are created in God’s image deserving of love, grace, and justice. She is the Rector at St. James Episcopal Church in Painesville and the Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer of the Diocese of Ohio.
Her undergraduate work includes writing and theater. Before pursuing her ordained call, she was a professional stage manager and worked in magazine publishing. Mother Clark holds a Master of Divinity from Bexley Hall Seminary. She was ordained to the priesthood in 2007.
A native of Louisville, KY, she has lived overseas and throughout the United States before settling in Northeast Ohio to lead St. James. She is married to Mark Clark, author, with whom she raises two talented, wonderful children.
In Painesville, Mother Clark is recognized for her work advocating for people in homelessness through the work of her parish’s meal program, public witness, and network building. She is passionate to defend the rights and protection of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2019 St. James hosted the first public Pride event in Lake County with partner LGBTQ+ Allies Lake County, and sponsors NAACP Lake County, City of Painesville, and Downtown Painesville Organization.
Mother Clark serves on the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio and as Vice Chair for the Ohio Council of Churches. She is on the Continuum of Care Lake County, a member of Painesville Rotary Club, NAACP Lake County, and a proud Mentor Band paren