Executive Board of Directors & Founders
Providing governance and leadership.
Governance
Yakima Pride is comprised of an all-volunteer group of community leaders throughout the Yakima Valley — is the governing body for the organization. Its members determine Yakima Pride's mission and purposes, and they sustain the organization's vision by offering their time and professional experience to ensure Pride has diverse representation and good governance.
Leadership
Yakima Pride's board members are a unique and diverse group of courageous, hardworking and talented people who combine strong professional skills with a passion for equality and justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. No higher caliber of committed volunteers exists. Yakima Pride's boards make policy, manage finances and coordinate volunteer involvement for the organization. They sustain Yakima Pride's vision and raise awareness about the mission of Yakima Pride.
Cristina Ortega
President
Contact: cristina@yakimapride.org
(she, her, hers) - As a grassroots movement-builder based in central Washington, Cristina's work encompasses several projects such as U.S. Census, advocating for immigrant and farmworker issues and rights, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, and committed to working for LGBTQ+ equity. She is an experienced philanthropist and grant writer to fund various community-driven programs. Cristina remains an advocate for the most vulnerable and pulls her community up when most needed. #LaLuchaSigue
Joshua Hastings
Vice President and Director of Marketing & Communications
Contact: joshua@yakimapride.org
(he, him, his) - Born in Yakima, WA, Joshua Hastings grew up in Wapato, WA on the Yakama Indian Reservation. Joshua has always been a self motivator and autodidact. From an early high school job placement at the Heritage College, located in Toppenish, WA, in the Computer Science department. Having jumpstarted his career in information technology; Joshua spent 6 years at Microsoft training from the best. In 2003, he moved to Phoenix, AZ and helped to develop what is now called, "Geek Squad", at Best Buy. Then moving on to automotive technology giants such as Kelley Blue Book and AutoTrader.com. While working on his career in IT, he also started developing a taste for graphic design and integrated digital marketing (mass communications). In 2008, he started Arizona's largest LGBTQ+ movie social group called, The Phoenix Movie Bears, that ran for over 13 years. In 2017, he felt the need to make better memories with his family and his mother and just like that, he moved back home with his fiancé, Kaimu Peneku, to Yakima, WA.
Kyle Curtis
Treasurer and Director of Sponsorships
Contact: kyle@yakimapride.org
(He, Him, His) - Kyle Curtis grew up in White Swan, WA on the Yakama Indian Reservation. He later graduated from The University of Washington with a degree in Finance and American Indian Studies. Upon completing his education in Seattle, he spent three more years working for Liberty Mutual Insurance, located in Downtown Seattle, where he helped kick-off an employee resource group called Pride@Liberty.
Kyle always knew he wanted to return home to the Yakima Valley and did so in 2017. He continues to be engaged with the community and is a member of the Yakima Downtown Rotary Club. Kyle believes the Yakima Valley is a diverse place, with many different walks of life, and Yakima Pride helps to bring the community together. In Kyle’s free time, he enjoys traveling, drinks with friends, and playing with his miniature dachshund, Pickles.
Kaimu Peneku
Secretary and Production Manager / Technical Director
Contact: andrew@yakimapride.org
(he, him, his) -
Communications Team
Our experienced Communications Team consists of a core group of volunteers that are skilled and passionate about the work of Yakima Pride, in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Curtis Bartlett
Communications Specialist
Contact: curtis@yakimapride.org
(Pronouns) - (bio coming soon)
Desi Quenzer
Social Media Specialist
Contact: desi@yakimapride.org
(She, her, hers) - Desi Quenzer was born in New York and grew up in Yakima. She is still in High School, but has experience in leadership roles and is very active in school activities. Desi loves theatre arts, public speaking, and is a skilled writer. She has written several historical research papers and has won awards for her writing. She plans to attend Washington State University to study wildlife conservation. Desi is a proud advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights, animal rights, and environmental rights. She hopes to represent Yakima’s LGBTQ+ youth through Yakima Pride.
Jake Crawford
Social Media Specialist
Contact: jake@yakimapride.org
(He, Him - Unless in Drag) - Born in Yakima, Washington, Jake grew up Catholic and afraid of who he was (among other things) . Later He attended EVHS for two years, learning to accept himself and made life long friends.
He attends YVC and it was there he started The Pride Alliance club, and became bitten by the acting bug and performed in The Laramie Project!
He is excited to join the Yakima Pride family, and to make a difference in the community…
Jojo Babcock
Social Media Specialist
Contact: jojo@yakimapride.org
(Name, Any Pronouns) - Jojo has a passion and love for graphic design to convey artistic expression and communication. As a disabled person who’s also part of the LGBTQIA+ community, Jojo has an intersectional experience outside of societal norms that drives them to be empathetic and outspoken. Working with Yakima Pride, Jojo hopes to use their love of graphic design and people; to reach out and help others feel seen.
Emeritus
"There will not be a magic day when we wake up and it's now okay to express ourselves publicly. We make that day by doing things publicly until it’s simply the way things are."
— TAMMY BALDWIN // FIRST OPENLY GAY U.S. SENATOR