PFLAG Fort Collins / Northern Colorado, founded in 1998, is one of nearly 500 local chapters in the U.S. that belong to the larger PFLAG National organization, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C.   We believe in the fight for Justice, the creation of Equity, advancing Diversity, and we are committed to Inclusion.

Provide Support – PFLAG facilitates separate monthly in-person and online support groups, as well as a weekly support group for parents and allies of transgender folks. We also provide periodic programs for special topics and events. Past programs include Visible Voices with CSU Pride Center, an AAPI Transgender Moms panel, and our Annual Family Pride Picnic.

 Offer Education – Each month, as part of our support groups, we provide a different education topic relevant to the time of year (back-to-school, coming out, etc.).  For the parents / allies of transgender folks, we provide a faith-based discussion one week, book club the next week, sharing our stories, and trans-specific education topics. We also do periodic special programs like suicide prevention training, name change clinic, and others.

Advocate – PFLAG strives to partner with other local and National organizations to educate key decision-makers about the issues that affect our loved ones and families, and to teach others how to use their voices to amplify our efforts toward a more equitable, and just world for the LGBTQ+ community.

Meet the current PFLAG Fort Collins / Northern Colorado Board of Directors:

Reggie Johnson, President

Reggie is the mom of a couple of transgender daughters and the grandmom of rainbow grandkids, all of whom are the heart and soul behind the work she does for PFLAG. Having been born in Fort Collins, and living here for over 6 decades, she has a passion for the community and would like to help make PFLAG an integral part of Northern Colorado history. Reggie was educated in Psychology (Bachelor) and Accounting (Master) at Colorado State University, and currently works from home as a customer delivery engineer for a software company. Active in a few Facebook groups for moms of LGBTQ+ kiddos, she has been an admin for Colorado MamaBears for almost 5 years. Hobbies include photography, playing the piano, and watching Jeopardy!.”  

Jen Wallen, Secretary

Jen serves on the PFLAG board to make a difference for LGBTQ+ loved ones, friends, and community members. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Computing from the Women’s College at the University of Denver and works for a Software as a Service company as a Senior Manager. Hobbies are Kickboxing, Knitting, and Paddleboarding.

Kurt Peters, Treasurer

Kurt is a transgender man who has been active in helping the LGBTQ+ community since high school. Being born and raised in Fort Collins, finding something Northern Colorado specific was the goal, with PFLAG being the perfect opportunity. Kurt is a fully Apple Certified repair technician and the store manager of an Apple Authorized Service Provider. His hobbies include reading, pretty much anything technology, and dabbling in writing.

Karen Wong-Brown, Member-at-Large: Program/Speaker Coordinator

Karen is a first-generation Chinese American who was born in Hong Kong and came to the States at the age of six.  She has resided all over the United States and has lived in Colorado for three decades.  Her alma maters include Colorado State University and Regis University.  She has been an active community member in serving on various boards either as a leader or volunteer. She loves to be an advocate for marginalized communities like the LGBT+ community in many different roles. 

PFLAG Fort Collins / Northern Colorado is currently looking to fill the following Board Positions. If you or someone you know would like to help us make a difference for the LGBTQ+ community in Fort Collins and throughout Northern Colorado, email pflag.noco@gmail.com to apply.

*As of August 2022

Membership Coordinator:  Develop and execute campaigns for member retention and new member recruitment; ensure that new members receive a warm welcome including basic Chapter information and opportunities to get involved; coordinate and collect new and renewal membership dues and provide receipt of payment; keep membership records up-to-date and enter member information into the PFLAG National Chapter Hub; provide membership list to other Chapter leaders, as necessary.

Chapter Outreach / Communications Coordinator: Communicate and collaborate with Chapter Officers, committees, and members to advance PFLAG’s vision and mission via digital communications; develop and manage the strategy and execution of the Chapter website, online publications, and social media to provide a rich experience for members, visitors, and donors; create content and regularly post to social media accounts; monitor and respond to email inquiries regarding support, membership, and Chapter activities; produce email campaigns by soliciting content from internal sources, and managing the review, testing and sending of emails; answer/monitor the Chapter phone and provide required information or direct caller to the appropriate resource; track and evaluate digital communication for continuous improvement.

Fundraising Coordinator:  Create a strong fundraising message that appeals to potential donors; identify and research potential sources of donations; write funding proposals and send these to potential donors; develop and manage fundraising events, including in-person and virtual; train volunteers in fundraising procedures and practices to assist with fundraising events; organize campaigns, marketing, and promotional activities to attract donors; maintain records of donors and donations; ensure that all legal reporting requirements are satisfied; evaluate the success of previous fundraising events

Education and Chapter Library Coordinator:  Research and document educational issue area(s) in various media; work with Chapter and community members to identify and document area(s) of interest for education initiatives; oversee internal Chapter education and planning for educational initiatives; facilitate acquisition or development of materials such as brochures, fact sheets, booklets, and so on for presentations and educational campaigns; assess Chapter needs for establishing a Resource Library; identify specific resources that the Chapter should acquire for either/both a physical and/or online resource library; solicit financial or in-kind contributions to acquire resources for the library, working with the Fundraising Coordinator, as applicable; for any physical resources, develop and maintain a lending library system to ensure that borrowed materials are returned.

Support Group Facilitator/Coordinator:  Assess needs of members to determine appropriate support group topics and dynamics; train and coordinate other facilitators in group dynamics and facilitation techniques; ensure facilitators are familiar with PFLAG’s vision, mission, confidentiality code, and available resources; be ready to refer people to other resources in the community; develop specific support groups as needed; develop opportunities for support group participants to be involved in PFLAG activities outside of the support group(s)

JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Coordinator:  Work with the Chapter and community members to identify and document areas for advocacy and/or diversity initiatives;  research and document advocacy issue areas in various media; oversee Chapter skills-building and planning for advocacy initiatives; facilitate acquisition or development of advocacy materials such as sample letters, talking points, brochures, fact sheets, booklets, etc.; work with the President and other Officers and Committees to ensure that the Chapter is inclusive and diverse, including identifying and breaking down barriers; work to build relationships with local groups representing various identities and intersectionalities.

Volunteer Coordinator:  Assess volunteer needs of the Chapter by working with Chapter Officers and Committees; recruit new volunteers from current and potential members; develop and maintain a method for assessing potential volunteers’ skills and interests; match and place volunteers where needed by the Chapter; serve as volunteer “cheerleader” to encourage ongoing commitment.

Public Relations Coordinator:  Develop and maintain a local press list; respond to media calls and refer to trained and designated Chapter spokesperson; draft and disseminate press releases on Chapter activities; hold Press Conferences as needed; develop and provide spokesperson training.

Hospitality Coordinator:  Coordinate volunteers to welcome new members and visitors to PFLAG meetings; have PFLAG introductory materials available for new members; arrange for refreshments to be available at meetings; introduce new members and visitors to support group facilitators so they feel welcome and open to share during small group activities; obtain contact information from visitors / new members and follow up after the meeting, and provide contact information to the Chapter Membership Coordinator.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE BOARD AS A WHOLE:  As the highest leadership body of the organization, and to satisfy its fiduciary duties, the board is responsible for 

• Fulfilling the vision, mission and purposes of the PFLAG National and the local Chapter
• Selecting and evaluating the performance of the president
• Strategic and organizational planning
• Ensuring strong fiduciary oversight and financial management
• Fundraising and resource development
• Approving and monitoring PFLAG Fort Collins’s programs and services
• Enhancing PFLAG’s public image
• Assessing its own performance as the governing body of PFLAG Fort Collins

EXPECTATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS:  Each individual board member is expected to:

• Know the organization’s mission, policies, programs and needs
• Faithfully read and understand the organization’s financial statements
• Serve as active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and fully engage in identifying and securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary for PFLAG Fort Collins to advance its mission
• Leverage connections, networks and resources to develop collective action to fully achieve PFLAG Fort Collins’ mission
• Help identify personal connections that can benefit the organization’s fundraising and reputational standing, and can influence public policy
• Prepare for, attend and conscientiously participate in board meetings
• Participate fully in one or more committees
• Follow the organization’s bylaws, policies and board resolutions

All positions are “Member-at-Large” with specific responsibilities relevant to the position.