LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline: 866-488-7386 | Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 988 | Physical Emergency: 911 | Maryland Resources: 211
The Frederick Center provides critical services to youth and adults in our state. We cannot do it without your help! Please DONATE TODAY!
LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline: 866-488-7386 | Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 988 | Physical Emergency: 911 | Maryland Resources: 211
Kris Fair is a lifelong Frederick County resident who graduated from Linganore High School in 2002, Frederick Community College in 2008, and Hood College in 2012. Kris has worked on civil rights and other community challenges for the past twenty years. He has been active with organizations including The Frederick Arts Council, The Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP), MOM’s Demand Action, The Frederick Center, The Golden Mile Alliance, Marylanders for Marriage Equality, The Greater Frederick Advertising Federation, Frederick County Democratic Party, and Weinberg Center for the Arts. In recognition of his strategic planning abilities, leadership skills, and contributions of many volunteer hours, Kris has been honored with the Community Foundation of Frederick County’s Wertheimer Award, The Human Relations Commission’s Lord Nickens Public Service Award, and Hood College’s Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Award. He has been named the Frederick County Democratic Party volunteer of the year and was recently featured in Frederick Magazine’s People to Watch. Kris currently lives in Frederick City with his husband, Dominick.
Support Program Coordinator – Glorie is a lifelong local of Frederick and dedicated member of the queer community. Glorie graduated from Brunswick High School in 2015 and from Hood College in 2019 with a degree in Social Work and minor in the Study of Women and Gender. During their time at Hood College, Glorie served as the first Diversity Chair of the Student Government Association Executive Board and as a Resident Assistant of Meyran Hall. Glorie received the Epitome Award from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for dedication to social justice in the Hood community. They also participated in the Hood College Improv Troupe, Feminist and Queer Student Unions, acted in ‘A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and a Prayer’, ‘The Vagina Monologues’, and was Lucy in ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’. Since graduating, Glorie has worked as a Therapeutic Mentor with children with emotional and behavioral disorders, and as a Supports Planner for people with disabilities. Glorie enjoys spending their free time in a hammock with their nose in a book, or on a hike with their partner, Anthony, and dogs, Cheech and Percy. Glorie is thrilled to join The Frederick Center and to work with other members of the LGBTQ Frederick Community.
A native of Frederick County, Alex has always had a passion for people and community health/wellness. Most recently he served two years at the Frederick County Health Department in COVID-19 response. As.an instructor of English as a second language and recent American Sign Language interpreter graduate, he understands the importance of equal access to communication/language, opportunities and resources. Alex identifies as a Bi-racial African American, Cisgender man and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He has worked closely with individuals and communities impacted by HIV, and seeks to spread an awareness of issues related to transmission, treatment/health care, testing, drug adherence, stigma and the concept of U=U (Undetectable Equals Untransmittable).
Tony Hemler is the current drag entertainment conditioner. Team player with communication skills. Notorious for having a fun, fair, and approachable attitude. He always maintains a festive mood with his tasks. Enjoys music, films, thrift shopping, and photography. He may not live in Frederick, but his heart does.
Nenita has lived in Frederick since she was two. She graduated from Gov. Thomas Johnson High School in 2021 and will be attending Ithaca College in the fall of 2022. Nenita has been an intern with The Frederick Center since the summer of 2020, helping connect The Frederick Center with local GSA advisors. In the past, they have enjoyed spending time volunteering and working with different community organizations in Frederick. With the increased isolation in the past few years, they’re glad to have been a part of keeping Frederick’s queer community connected.
As an entrepreneur, professional coach, Recovery Coach Professional, and sought-after speaker, Johanna’s passion and mission is to help others awaken to the highest version of themselves. Through in-person and online coaching, support and video training, their clients put into action proven tools, principles, and strategies that raise them up from major setbacks, failure and mediocrity to living lives beyond their dreams.
Johanna’s work is available at their company website www.dolanassoc.com along with their blog, and podcast series Recovery Capital.
Johanna is a graduate of Robbins-Madanes Training Strategic Intervention Institute. They are a member of the International Coaching Federation and completed their coach training under teachers Tony Robbins, Cloe Madanes, Mark Peysha, and Magali Peysha. Over 12+ years, they have developed and run in-person and online trainings/ events for a wide variety of organizations, including: Kolmac Outpatient Recovery Centers, Ashley Addiction Treatment, Facing Addiction, Connecticut Community For Addiction Recovery (CCAR), Recovery Coach Academy UK, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence Faces and Voices of Recovery UK, and The Communities Project. They were also a [full/part-time] staff member at an urban inpatient and outpatient drug treatment and recovery center where they served as a member of the Clinical Management Team and developed and co-facilitated the first company-wide LGBTQ Equality training across numerous campuses.
They are a board member of the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence, the International Association of Recovery Coach Professionals, the Maryland Behavioral Health Advisory Council, the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Suicide Prevention, James’s Place Inc. and The Frederick Center (currently Board Chair), writes the Disrupting Bias column for Baltimore Outloud, and the recipient of the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leader of the Year award. They are also an ordained minister.
A self-avowed watery hippie and boat geek, Ms. Adams came back to Maryland and The Frederick Center after having worked for Amazon.com as an Operations Manager at a Fulfillment Center in DuPont, Washington. Prior to Amazon, she had served 24 years on active duty in various command, operational, staff, and senior executive roles within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a NOAA Corps Officer. She is currently employed as a Marine Transportation System Specialist with the USCG in Alexandria, VA. Ms. Adams proudly served NOAA and the Nation for 24 years while accumulating 14 years of sea duty with many more years of maritime experience gained prior to NOAA in the boat livery, marine salvage, and assistance towing industries operating from the port of Barnegat Light, New Jersey. Her commands include the NOAA Research Vessel Gloria Michelle and NOAA Ships Oregon II and Pisces. A hawse pipe sailor, she has sailed the waters of the North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Northern and Tropical Pacific and the frozen seas of the US Arctic. Ms Adams holds a Bachelor of Science degree in oceanography and biology from Millersville University. She is also a USCG-credentialed mariner holding an unlimited USCG license and a dynamic positioning operator certificate from the Nautical Institute.
A courageous and strategic leader, Ms. Adams leveraged her coming out as transgender in a service-wide announcement on the day that Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the end of the military’s ban on transgender service members. Her foresight and service-wide messaging in announcing her truth greatly advanced visibility and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people throughout NOAA. Ms. Adams currently resides in beautiful Brunswick, Maryland. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and continues to plot a course toward opening her own craft brewery. She is a passionate nature-lover, and can be found recharging her spirit by hiking, cycling, swimming, tubing, or snowboarding in the scenic hills of Western Maryland with her three teenagers.
Clare has been an Emergency Room nurse for 12 years,and also serves as the LGBTQ Resource Nurse, and LGBTQ Committee Co-Chair for Sibley Memorial Hospital of Johns Hopkins Medicine. In this role, she provides LGBTQ health education for staff, community outreach, and advocacy for patients, as well as, employees. Also, an Emergency nurse at Frederick Memorial Hospital, Clare has implemented LGBTQ health education, and continues to encourage inclusive practices within the organization. Clare is also certified in Plant Based Nutrition, and passionate animal rights advocate. Clare lives in Frederick with her wife, Cheryl, and dog, Pumpkin.
Peter Brehm currently serves as Treasurer for The Frederick Center, Inc., a nonprofit corporation dedicated to support, educate, link, organize, and provide outreach to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community of central Maryland. He is also a volunteer with the organization’s Community Services and Community Partnerships Committees. Brehm began his advocacy for LGBTQ issues when he was in college and served as president of the then-named Gay Student Union (GSU). He is also active with the Friends of Baker Park, the Kiwanis Club of Suburban Frederick, the Frederick HIV Coalition, Friends of Waterford Park, and serves as a coordinator for the Neighborhood Advisory Council 9. He has lived in Frederick with his husband, Jack Day, for fourteen years.
Born and raised in Southern West Virginia, Bastian Browning moved to Shepherdstown in 2004, earning a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Shepherd University. They have been a Frederick County resident since 2019, sharing a quite home with partner Will and feline friend Puffrey, enjoying savory cooking and cooperative games. Bastian volunteers for the WV Eastern Panhandle Youth Alliance, an LGBTQIA+ organization for middle and high school ages. They are passionate about providing support and garnering integral resources for our community. They believe education is vital to foster our communities ability at completely being embraced and seen. He identifies proudly as a non-binary queer trans man and is excited to be welcomed by The Frederick Center.
Wil X Graham (he, his, him) comes to The Frederick Center with a wealth of experience in leadership, administration, policy, and organizational development in business and nonprofits. He has led in the teaching and learning sphere, having served as principal and head of school in Washington, DC, and Maryland. An active member of the Frederick County business community as a small business owner. Previous or current experience includes or has served Frederick County Chamber of Commerce board of directors, the Frederick Community College Foundation Board of directors, Founding Board of Directors member, and Western Maryland Representative to the Maryland Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chair on the City of Frederick Disadvantage Business Enterprise Panel. In addition, he is a member of the Southern Frederick Rotary Club, And the Greenview HOA. He is a Large format Print Specialist and a consultant to small minority owned business and schools.
A lifelong resident of Frederick County, Jessica is a proud transgender woman. She has a passion for advocating for progressive causes, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. For the past 5 years, she has worked as a phlebotomist collecting patient blood specimens. As a self described “gay geeky gamer girl”, in her downtime, she enjoys gaming, playing with her pets, reading comic books (her favorite superheroes are The Flash, Batwoman, Supergirl, and Jessica Cruz), and binge-watching TV shows online (especially Star Trek!). Jessica currently lives in Walkersville with her cat, Louise, and two cornsnakes, Oblisque and Norbert.
Kate is the founder and director of the Maryland Center for Gender & Intimacy. Kate is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) and a registered clinical supervisor in Maryland. She holds a BA in English from Smith College, a M.Ed. from American University, and an MSW from Smith College School for Social Work.
Kate is licensed to practice therapy in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, and offers telehealth sessions with clients physically located in those states. In-person clients are seen in Kate’s office in Frederick, Maryland.
Kate is a queer, biracial (Chinese and white), cisgender therapist. Her work is informed by her experiences in culturally liminal spaces, and her holding of identities both visible and invisible, dominant and marginalized.
Kate practices from anti-oppressive framework that incorporates transfeminist, queer, anti-white-supremacist, and other liberatory perspectives. Kate is committed to forming transformative therapy relationships with clients seeking healing, deeper connection, and increased self-awareness. Kate’s integrative approach to therapy incorporates relational, psychodynamic, attachment-based, and narrative therapies.
Kate works with children, adolescents, couples/partners, and individual adults, and is dedicated to providing effective therapy to gender-expansive, trans, queer, nonbinary, and otherwise LGBTQIA2S+ adolescents and adults. She believes that therapy can be an important space to explore identity across the lifespan.
Kate works with gender-expansive, transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming individuals from a gender-affirming perspective that centers the client’s self-determination and values them as the expert on their own identities. Kate is a World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) GEI SOC7 Certified Member, meaning that she has undergone a rigorous course of training and mentorship and has passed a certification exam evaluating competence in the treatment of T/NB/GNC people in accordance with the current WPATH Standards of Care.
Kate especially enjoys working with gender-diverse young people and their families, helping to support families in affirming their loved ones, improve communication, and deepen family connections. Kate facilitates TransFamily, a free support group for adult family members of gender-expansive young people. Kate also offers one- to two-session private consultation meetings with adult family members of gender-expansive people seeking to better understand and affirm their loved ones. Please note that these consultations are not considered mental health treatment and cannot be billed to insurance.
Kate also provides sex therapy. She enjoys supporting individuals and partners to feel more sexually confident and connected with themselves and in their relationships. She works from a kink- and sex-positive perspective, welcoming and affirming people with traditional (i.e., monogamous) and nontraditional (i.e., open, polyamorous, consensually nonmonogamous) relationship structures. Kate is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).
As a former public school teacher, Kate continues to enjoy opportunities to train and educate others, especially adult learners. Kate specializes in providing support to other cisgender therapists in incorporating gender-affirming perspectives into their practices and welcomes opportunities to provide referrals to trans-identified experts in the field for trainings and organizational development.
Julia holds BA degrees in psychology and social work from University of Maryland Baltimore County and a MSW degree from Salisbury University. She is a Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW) under the clinical supervision of Kate McShane, LCSW-C.
Julia is licensed in Maryland and West Virginia and is able to offer telehealth sessions for clients physically located in those states. In-person sessions are at her office in Frederick, Maryland.
Julia is a queer, fat, white cisgender therapist whose approach is holistic and anchored in the person-centered values of genuineness, empathy, connection, and positive regard for her clients. She operates from an intersectional social justice, sex-positive, LGBTQIA+-affirming lens that acknowledges the individual and collective trauma that can come from living within a marginalized identity. Julia seeks to uplift and hold hope for those she works with and believes strongly in the ability of all people to grow and heal.
Prior to completing her MSW degree, Julia worked in a variety of community mental health settings which allowed her to develop skills in crisis intervention, suicide assessment, and case management. These experiences helped form the perspective that many of the people who seek mental health services do so because of experiences with marginalization, trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and systemic oppression.
Julia enjoys working with adolescents, adults, and families for a variety of mental health needs such as anxiety, depression, trauma, dissociative disorders, and co-occurring substance use disorders. Julia believes in the importance of mindfulness, and expressive arts as means for healing and incorporates these perspectives into her practice when possible. Julia has training and experience with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) group facilitation. Julia recently completed level one training in EMDR therapy and is looking forward to expanding her use of this modality in her practice.
Emma holds a BA in Psychology from The University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MSW from Smith College School for Social Work.
Emma is independently licensed to practice clinical social work in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, and is able to do telehealth with clients physically located in those states. In-person clients are seen in her office in Frederick, Maryland.
Emma is a queer, white therapist who practices from an anti-oppressive and relational framework with a warm, open approach. She values creating spaces where people can talk about parts of their identities that they haven’t been able to explore previously. Emma enjoys working with clients to improve self-advocacy, develop meaningful connections in their relationships, and explore identity. She is passionate about working with adolescents and young adults who are exploring the complexities of life transitions and independence.
Emma has experience working with veterans with a focus on PTSD, complex trauma, and moral injury. Emma also worked with youth in the Boston metro area providing in-home family therapy while centering the strengths of her youth clients.
Emma has received post-graduate training in sex therapy from University of Michigan. She participated in a fellowship program with the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy + Psychoanalysis in 2020. She also received a Certificate of Human Sexuality in 2019 from the San Francisco VA, which included training in sensate focus therapy, sexual trauma, and supportive letter writing for trans adults.
Miles holds a BS in Women and Gender Studies from Towson University and a MS in Community Mental Health Counseling from McDaniel College. Miles is a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) under the clinical supervision of Michael Southers, LCPC.
Miles is licensed in Maryland and can provide telehealth sessions for clients who are physically located in Maryland. In-person clients are seen in his office in Frederick, Maryland.
Miles is a queer, trans, white therapist who practices from an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, intersectional feminist, and LGBTQIA affirming lens. He specializes in working with LGBTQIA individuals and families. Miles values the importance of fostering a safe, accepting space in his therapeutic practice. His mission is to provide affirming, empowering, and quality care to all of his clients. Miles strives to create a collaborative client-therapist relationship in order to develop the most effective techniques and realistic goals for all of his clients.
Miles utilizes an eclectic approach to therapy incorporating person centered, feminist, cognitive behavioral, solution focused, family systems and LGBTQIA affirming therapy. He believes that therapy should center the client’s needs and should not be an environment for gatekeeping. Miles is extremely dedicated about bridging the gap between the mental health community and the LGBTQIA community. He is passionate about working with transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals and their families to help them navigate the transition process (social, medical, legal, etc.) from a gender-affirming perspective.
Miles firmly believes that clients are the expert on their own identities and should be respected and valued as such. He fosters a safe space for LGBTQIA+ and questioning adolescents and adults to explore their gender and sexuality. Miles meets clients with an emphasis on a safe affirming therapeutic relationship as a place to begin healing, change, and empowerment.