3:30pm | The Center Long Beach has announced the addition of several new staff and Board members. Porter Gilberg has been promoted to Administrative Director, Kyle Bullock joins as Youth Program Manager, Shawna Cozens as HIV Testing Counselor, and Natalie Tjandra as Operations Assistant. In addition, Jamie Hunt and JaySun Howell have been elected to The Center’s Board of Directors.
 
“We are thrilled to have doubled our staff and elected two new Board members” states Ron Sylvester, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Center. “With the support of our community we have grown over the last year and we look forward to continuing our current renaissance in Long Beach.”
 
Gilberg most recently served as The Center’s Operations Manager and has spearheaded efforts to recruit hundreds of new volunteers, increase funding, and provide additional outreach services to Long Beach. Gilberg brings over five years of experience in non-profit management, community organizing, and fundraising and has been involved with The Center for over five years. Gilberg holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master’s Degree in Applied Women’s Studies from Claremont Graduate University.
 
With the addition of Gilberg, The Center’s current Interim Executive Director Phyllis Schmidt officially steps down from that role and rejoins the Board of Directors in a voting capacity.
 
“We are very grateful to Phyllis for her two year stint as our volunteer IED.  We couldn’t have survived without her incredible contribution” added Sylvester.
 
Bullock has over seven years experience working with youth and has previously worked as a teacher in the Long Beach Unified School District and with Long Beach Parks and Recreation. As Youth Program Manager, Bullock will oversee The Center’s Mentoring Youth Through Empowerment (MYTE) Program which provides support, guidance, and educational opportunities to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth ages 13 to 17.
 
Howell is a Managing Application Consultant with International Business Machines (IBM). A Southern California resident for over twenty-five years, Howell has volunteered with a number of local organizations and has served as Co-Chair of the Southern California Chapter of Black and White Men Together and just completed a three year term as the Community Relations Chair for The AIDS Food Store Board of Directors. In 2010, Howell received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama.
 
Hunt is completing a double major in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies at California State University, Fullerton and has extensive experience in sales and marketing.  Hunt is also a research assistant for the Tanzania Project which works to protect human rights, the environment, and personal and mental health for Tanzanians.
 
“This is an incredibly exciting time for The Center and the Greater Long Beach LGBT community” states Gilberg. “With these new staff and Board additions, The Center will be able to provide increased outreach and direct services to better serve our community.”