About Us

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Rian Brooks

President

Rian believes in direct community engagement as a path to creation of community and advancement of LGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms. As such, Rian has served on LGBT community boards in several states, including in New York City, as Director of Community Relations for Out Astoria, as well as serving as Associate Commissioner for Stonewall Sports Detroit, a non-profit intramural sports league serving the queer and allied communities of Metro Detroit. 

Drew Fitzsimmons

Director

Drew comes to Unity Fund with a diverse background. He served as an Intelligence Officer in the US Army, including a deployment to Afghanistan, and later transitioned to employment with CIA;  he now works in the tech industry. Alongside his professional endeavors, Drew's dedication to advocacy dates back to his time at West Point, where he founded the institution's first gay-straight alliance “Spectrum” following the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Antonio David Garcia

Director

The former Executive Director of Affirmation where he served for 8 years. For five years Dave served as the Director of Policy and Community Building at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Dave also served as the Executive Director of The Kalamazoo Gay and Lesbian Resource Center and before that in various leadership positions at the YMCA. For 10 years, Dave served on the Board of Directors of CenterLink - the national LGBTQ+ Community Center’s Network.

Rolanda Kelley

Vice Chair 

Rolanda's historic election to Ferndale's City Council as the first lesbian to be elected marks a significant milestone for LGBTQ+ and female representation. With over two decades of leadership experience, she's a force in advocacy, fostering diversity, inclusivity initiatives and championing LGBTQ+ protections both locally and statewide. Rolanda's strength lies in her ability to cultivate relationships with legislators and stakeholders, driving positive change.

Kevin Kresch

Director

 

Kevin is an attorney in Hazel Park and a graduate of Wayne State University Law School, and Oakland University where he studied political science. A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community Kevin brings over a decade of political experience to the Unity Fund board.

Ryan Maffesoli

Director

One of the founding members of Unity Fund, Ryan has been an active member of Unity Fund since its inception. He has spent 20 years in the VFX and animation field with a focus on technology creation and team efficiency through software tooling. Ryan is dedicated to helping increase LGBTQ+ representation in all levels of our government and supporting the LGBTQ+ community in all its expressions and forms.