A search is underway for a new Executive Director (ED) for San Diego Pride, after months with Jen LaBarbera and Sarafina Scapicchio at the helm as interim co-Executive Directors– both of whom stated they wish to return to their regular jobs in a 2023 town hall.
The board has commissioned Blair Search Partners to find a new Executive Director after Fernando Lopez was let go on Transgender Day of Remembrance in 2023. The firm, founded by philanthropist Phil Blair’s son Trevor, has conducted other searches for LGBTQ+ nonprofit executives in San Diego.
Whoever the board selects as the next ED should remember to dust off their résumé five years from now. Unlike the San Diego LGBT Community Center which has had longstanding executives such as Delores Jacobs, SD Pride has not had a leader last for more than a few years since it became a non-profit in 1989. Even the list of those who lasted five years is small. Preceding Lopez is only Ron deHarte, who was fired in 2010 after he protested the board approving a $5,000 gift to the board chair, and Suanne Pauley, who resigned in 2005 after media backlash to two Pride volunteers being registered sex offenders. Background checks on volunteers were unusual at the time.
Compared to some of the previous terminations, Lopez’s exit from San Diego Pride has been relatively quiet: No lawsuits, no competing claims for the festival permit, only one town hall. Leaders of other LGBTQ+ organizations, including the San Diego LGBT Community Center, North County LGBTQ Resource Center and San Francisco Pride put out statements in support of Lopez. Since they refused to speak out negatively in case it harmed the organization they love, efforts from other people to urge the board to reverse the decision largely fizzled out. Scapicchio admitted that a few donors had stopped monthly giving over Lopez’s treatment but others had stepped up to help in the time of transition.
Board turmoil
The DeHarte situation led to two staff members resigning in protest and a meeting in which Chris Kehoe, Toni Atkins and Todd Gloria pressured the three board members most associated with the scandal into resigning.
Several high-profile board members resigned last year prior to Lopez’s departure, including longtime Mama’s Kitchen CEO Alberto Cortes and veterans advocate Joanna Sansoterra, who were board co-chairs at the time. Just seven weeks after being appointed co-chair, Cortes resigned over a fellow board member sharing personal information about him to the board that Cortes viewed as an attempt at character assassination.
“From a values perspective, it was clear to me that we had a disconnect and I did not want to continue to work with some of the people on the board because I didn’t want to have any affiliation with those people,” he said.
Cortes joined the board in 2019, wanting to get involved in what he believes is one of the “most diverse and truly inclusive organizations that I’ve ever known.” He was quick to affirm that the vast majority of people engaged with Pride are operating from an ethical, good and even kind place and Pride staff is exceptional. However, he believes that some leaders in the organization have not made the best decisions but because of limitations, appropriateness, civility and legal factors “will get away with it.”
Cortes worked in the nonprofit sector for decades and has served on many boards in that time. On those, he said even during disagreements they were safe, respectful environments.
“I have never had such a negative experience on a board ever before. Nothing close to this,” he added.
Other co-chairs stepped down during what was a tumultuous year for the board. David Thompson, who resigned as a long-serving co-chair after 2023 Pride due to his move to New York, said members of the board attempted to undermine him frequently, with interruptions, false assumptions and accusations that felt personal.
“Most of the board’s behavior that I experienced is not what I would consider racist. Most of what I’ve experienced from the board is absolutely biased and is absolutely driven by privilege and absolutely driven by lack of empathy or understanding. And I would also say it’s often driven by a real failure at cultural competency,” Thompson said.
Following questions about Lopez’s departure, the remaining board held a town hall in December 2023 with volunteers then the general public, in which they received some criticism for not celebrating Lopez’s 12 years serving as Pride staff in the short email announcing their sudden departure to staff, volunteers and community members alike. Not everyone present was upset about the leadership change, some came to show support for Pride, and others were simply frustrated history appeared to be repeating itself.
“I’ve been coming to town halls about Pride having scandals since probably 2006. It seems to be every four years something happens,” said Eric, who suggested the community elect board members like in San Francisco. “I keep hearing the board saying ‘yeah, we want to help the community and we want to serve the community.’ But you guys don’t actually follow through with that because you don’t feel accountable.”
Laws around personnel privacy meant the board could not share much information about Lopez’s departure. The current board co-chairs, Noah Lomax and Melissa Malone-Montgomery assured the community of Pride’s stability and the organization’s zero tolerance policy of racism.
“We started with 19 board members this year. We’re at 15 board members. When we started that we were at 40% of People of Color and we remain at 40% People of Color,” Malone-Montgomery said. Cortes pointed out this is the first time in many years when no POC have been in any of the top four officer positions. The board has largely remained stable since the town hall, although it has shrunk in size from 15 members at the town hall to 13 members listed on Pride’s website now.
Staff turnover
In the town hall, LaBarbera and Scapicchio affirmed that Pride’s year-round programming, including the focus on youth Lopez initiated, would not be affected by the leadership change. They were asked about staff turnover. At the time, there was speculation a disgruntled former employee could be the reason behind Lopez’s firing.
“We have more staff than any other Pride… We are almost at 22 employees,” LaBarbera said. “A number of staff have left for different reasons. We’ve had staff step away for illness or medical reasons. We’ve had a couple of staff be promoted out to leadership positions… I can say from the operational standpoint, there’s not some kind of funky thing going on.”
In an oblique reference to the rumor, Lopez mentioned their high standards as a manager during a January conversation.
“People say I’m a hard boss. I am a hard boss. I have high expectations. I really do. And I have them of myself,” they said, noting they value giving people the space and freedom to fail and then learn from it. “I’ve had five employees in the last year become executive directors or interim executive directors and I’m very proud of that.”
Alex Villafuerte, a former Pride staff member who is now the Executive Director of Pacific Arts Movement, credits Lopez with pushing him to improve his comfort with public speaking, something he needs in his current job.
“There was no way I would have been able to do that, had that trajectory, if Fern didn’t put me in those uncomfortable positions,” Villafuerte said.
As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the first the first Pride march in San Diego, the community holds out hope that in the next 50 years, Pride can find long-term stability for the sake of the LGBTQ+ community, its volunteers, board, staff and most especially for the sake of its next Executive Director.
