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Who We Are & What We Do

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community in the City of Reading and Berks County as well as Lebanon, Schuylkill, Montgomery, Lancaster and Chester Counties. We work hard to create a welcoming, safe, and empowering environment for LGBTQ+ community members and allies. 

 

We are registered as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and proud that we earned a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Guidestar. Now our community members, as well as 10+ million GuideStar users, can find in-depth information on our Guidestar profile about our goals, capabilities, and progress.  

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Mission

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading creates, administers, and provides services, advocacy, and support to the Greater Reading LGBTQ+ community, including our allies, with the goal that all may live a life of fulfillment, inclusion, and celebration.

Group of gay teens
Senior Gay Couple

Vision

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading will be the leading expert resource to the LGBTQ+ community and our allies for advocacy, support, services, and fellowship on every aspect of the quality of life continuum.

Gay teen with skateboard
Image by Jiroe

LGBT Center of Greater Reading Team

Michelle Dech, Executive Director:  mdech@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Dr. Joseph Birli, Consultant:  jbirli@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Aaron Rineer, Director of Development: development@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Tasha Santiago, Director of Education: education@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Dana Pound, Director of Programs: programs@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Craig Peters, Director of Finance: finance@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Rachel Gerrity, Volunteer Coordinator: volunteer@lgbtcenterofreading.com

Kim Woerle, Public Relations/Marketing Consultant: publicrelations@lgbtcenterofreading.com

LGBT Center of Greater Reading Board

Anita Matson - President

Tim Greusel - Ex-officio President

Kai Miller - Vice President

Sarah Morin

Nicole Vega

Lori Lobb

Michelle Koals

Joaquin Guzman

Shawn Hendricks

Jennifer Dinatally

Dana Hoffman

Brett Diamond

Brian Lahmann

Jacquelyn Flanagan

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading is dedicated to the promotion of a diverse, inclusive, and equitable
space for all our community members, volunteers, and staff. Everyone, regardless of gender, race,
ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, expression or identity, education, disability, family or
marital status, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, religion, socio-
economic status, veteran status, has the right to feel valued and respected. At the LGBT Center of
Greater Reading, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is integral to our mission. We believe our Board,
Staff and Volunteers should reflect the vast diversity of the community we serve, and that diverse voices
should be elevated and intentionally integrated into our work. We embrace difference and diversity of
identity, experience, and thought and actively strive for inclusive behaviors across our Center and its
work. By promoting these values, we aim to create a positive Center experience that encourages a
sense of belonging for all.


We commit to making our Center a trusted and safe place to have complex, and sometimes difficult,
conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion.


We commit to implementing and expanding unconscious bias education for our staff, board, interns,
and volunteers.


We commit to sharing best-and unsuccessful practices.

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We commit to creating, developing, implementing, and sharing strategic, intentional, inclusion, equity,
and diversity plans with our Board of directors.

DEI
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