Team DC Elects New Leadership, Charts Course for Next Year

Team DC Elects New Leadership, Charts Course for Next Year

WASHINGTON - Team DC, the charitable organization established to educate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community on the benefits of individual and team sports participation, recently held their annual meeting and elected new executive council members. During the annual meeting, representatives of the member teams participated in person and virtually, receiving updates on the work of Team DC in the past year, the plans for this coming year, updates on the Team DC Scholarship program for LGBTQ+ high school student-athletes, and discussed upcoming Pride events and the planning already underway for WorldPride 2025 and the sports component of the event.

"As a community resource and partner, Team DC has entered a new era of leadership and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ sports community and our member teams and leagues. The local sports community is made stronger by the vibrant and robust LGBTQ teams and leagues that gather in our parks, rec centers, and other indoor venues every day of the week. As we look forward to the coming year of events, including our Night Out series which includes every professional sports team in the DC area, I am excited about our growth and our plans to connect our community more greatly. I am proud to serve as President of Team DC as we embark on a path to WorldPride 2025, and I am proud to welcome our new Executive Council members and congratulate those who were re-elected. We will continue to ensure that our LGBTQ athletes and players have the opportunity to enjoy team sports and activities and that we expand and grow our college scholarship program for LGBTQ high school athletes," said Miguel Ayala, Team DC President.

The following people were elected or re-elected to the Executive Council of Team DC:

Vice President - Grace Thompson (Re-Elected)

Team DC's mission statement of "Building Community Through Sports" speaks to Grace's personal values within our community and movement through sports and connection. Grace has served on Team DC's board since 2014. Her first role was as a member of Team Outreach, where she spent several years liaising with many of our member organizations. In addition to her work with Team DC, she also serves on the board of the Federation of Gay Games since 2019. Grace spends her off-the-clock time toggling between various sports, from rock climbing, triathlon(70.3), cycling, Stand-up paddle boarding, and distance running (12 Marathons, 3-50K’s). 

Treasurer - Patrick Woods (Re-Elected)

Patrick has been a long-time Team DC supporter and most recently served on the Team DC scholarship committee. He is an avid hiker, tennis player, and a former professional dancer. He has been active with Stonewall and DC Fray kickball since 2012.  Patrick brings over 15 years of experience working in the non-profit sphere. He is currently a non-profit operations and events consultant in DC. He is excited to help Team DC reach new strategic and financial goals. 

At-Large - Scholarship - Charles Roth (Re-Elected)

Charles is an established music educator and amateur athlete. He has served on the Team DC Scholarship Committee since the summer of 2018 and the Team DC Board of Directors since 2020. Known to build arts and nonprofit programs alike, Charles continually finds success in enriching student programs while creating an inclusive and engaging environment for all.  Charles has participated in many LGBTQ+ teams across the DC area, including DC Gay Flag Football, Stonewall Dodgeball, Chesapeake and Potomac Softball, and the DC Pride Volleyball League.  In addition to his duties, Charles also serves as the Artistic Marching Band Director for the preeminent LGBTQ+ band organization in the nation’s capital, known as DC's Different Drummers, since the fall of 2017.  Charles recently received his Master of Arts in nonprofit administration this past year and is proud to continue to build and expand the Team DC Scholarship program and brand.

At-Large - Outreach - Ciara Lascano (New)

Ciara Lascano is a seasoned professional with 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, licensed in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. Ciara has a proven track record of success in the real estate market, demonstrating a deep understanding of property management, sales, and acquisitions. For the past four years, she has been an active participant in Rouge League Sports with a focus on Cornhole and has served on their board for the past three years, contributing significantly to its growth and development. Residing in Arlington, VA, with her wife Courtney, teenage daughter Alexis, and beloved English bulldog Lucy, Ciara brings a personal understanding of the community and its real estate needs. 

At-Large - Fundraising - Kevin Barnett (New)

Kevin Barnett is a dedicated philanthropist and humanitarian.  Professionally, he is a Senior Funeral Director with Joseph Gawler’s Sons.  Through Joseph Gawler’s Sons, he has had an active role in continuing and expanding their almost 175 years of support to the LGBTQ+ community, including participation in Unite at SCI, a funeral employee organization that works to advocate for LGBTQ+ families and promotes inclusion in the workplace.  Kevin is a founding member of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Column and Stripe, is the former president of the Bailey’s Crossroads Host Lions Club, and has been honored by the Lions Club International with the Melvin Jones Fellowship, recognizing his service to humanity.  He is engaged with Capital Climbers, a recreational swimmer, and enjoys spending time with his husband, Aron Hinson, and his Pomeranian-Poodle, Demi.  

Subsequently, the Board has voted to make an appointment to fill a vacancy that remained after the Sports Council meeting:

Secretary - Aaron Fischbach (New)

Aaron has been a member of the Chesapeake & Potomac Softball League (CAPS) since 2008 and is in his 11th year as the league's Secretary.  During that time, he served several stints as the CAPS representative to Team DC.  An avid environmentalist personally, he works in public health policy, focusing on access to healthcare coverage.  In his downtime, Aaron enjoys bicycling, softball, traveling, and being outdoors. 

The newly elected and re-elected members of the Executive Council of Team DC join the following members whose positions were not up for re-election this year:

President - Miguel Ayala 

Miguel has served on the Team DC board since 2014, most recently as the Secretary. He is active in the Stonewall Kickball and DC Fray LGBTQ leagues and was previously involved in the DC Gay Basketball League and DC FrontRunners. Miguel is proud to have completed the Marine Corps Marathon and several half-marathon runs. He has also worked in DC’s queer bar scene as the Events Manager at the DC Eagle. Outside of the LGBTQ community, he serves as Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Alumni Association for his fraternity, Sigma Lambda Beta. Miguel has over two decades of political experience, including campaign work in swing states, serving in President Obama’s administration, and serving as a communications specialist for various Democratic Congressional offices.

At-Large - Night Out Series - Gabriel Hernandez

Gabriel Hernandez is returning as the Pride Night Out Series coordinator. He has been involved in many different sports and leagues in the area, including the DC Gay Flag Football League, Scandals Rugby FC, Rogue League Darts, Cornhole and Trivia, and DC Fray & Stonewall Kickball. Gabriel is currently serving as an appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration. 

The board has the following vacancies and will consider appointing members to these roles from interested applicants who contact us at [email protected];

• At-Large - External Relations

• At-Large - Marketing

• At-Large - Social Media

• At-Large - Special Projects

Team DC is the association for the over 45 member teams and leagues in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The organization works within the broader community to dispel discrimination against LGBTQ people participating in sports; awards scholarships to LGBTQ student-athletes; provides a network of sporting outlets for the LGBTQ community of the Washington Metropolitan area; and promotes participation in local, regional, national, and international amateur sports competitions.

Team DC's commitment to excellence and growth in LGTBQ sports and community will continue with this newly elected leadership. All the new and re-elected Executive Council members will bring important insights and invaluable experience in the next chapter of innovation. As a working board, the Executive Council envisions a bold new strategic plan to uphold the legacy and commitment to our member teams and the LGBTQIA+ community.  We are moving forward with our upcoming Night Out series events, plans for Capital Pride 2024, and the Night of Champions Gala on April 20, 2024. For any comments or questions, please email [email protected].

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Contact: [email protected]