Max Disposti | Executive Director | maxrome@cox.net
Max Disposti
Max was born in Rome, Italy in 1968 and lived there for 30 years. After college, he pursued his volunteer aspirations by working with different human rights non-profit organizations and unions. He has traveled extensively to expose himself to different cultures and ideas. Upon arriving in the United States in 1998, Max continued to work as a community organizer for human rights organizations. He volunteered with the Immigration Task Force in the Oakland area while also supporting causes of equality and social justice. After moving to Southern California in 2002, he soon began volunteering his time with local agencies and noticed the need for a stronger North San Diego County LGBT community and support system, since it is such a conservative area with a high presence of military personnel from nearby Camp Pendleton.In January 2008, he founded the North County LGBT Coalition, a non-profit organization and almost immediately increased LGBT visibility in the North San Diego community. After 4 years of hard work, an outpouring of community support, and with the help of a dedicated board of directors, the North County LGBTQ Resource Center was opened in 2011, where Max operates now as Executive Director.
Along with LGBT rights, Max is active in the North County San Diego community at large. He has been an active participant within the San Diego Leadership Council since 2009, and is a former Community Relations Commissioner for the City of Oceanside where he served for 4 years. In 2011, he traveled to Guatemala with the international humanitarian organization Rainbow World Travel and witnessed firsthand the needs of the international community on many levels. In 2012, he joined the Oceanside Mainstreet Business Association, where he is currently serving as the Secretary for the board. In 2012, he joined the board of Advancing Compassion, a San Diego non-profit organization that provides volunteer resources and monetary rewards to other non-profit organizations and underserved communities. In 2012, he also participated as a member of the Oceanside Library Advisory Committee.
Max recently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Since 2010, he continues to write a monthly column for the Gay-SD Magazine called “North County News”. He was the recipient of the 2011 Honoree of the Lambda Archives at San Diego’s annual “Heroes, Pioneers & Trailblazers” ceremony and was also the recipient of the 2010 Harvey Milk Award. In 2012, he was nominated to be “Oceanside Citizen of the Year” by the Historical Oceanside Rotary Club.
Max’s main goals for the future involve continuing to strengthen and transform the Resource Center into a vibrant, thriving hub that can meet all the needs of its community, and increasing the visibility of the underrepresented in the greater San Diego area, specifically, North County. He also desires to keep current with global issues and will continue to travel as much as possible to areas that are in need of attention and services. Max has also not ruled out returning to school to further his formal education so as to increase his potential effectiveness in his quest for making the world a better place.
Carolyn Bolton | Board Chair & Director of Project Youth | carolyn@ncresourcecenter.org
Carolyn Bolton
A native Californian, in 1975, Carolyn moved from the Los Angeles area to Oceanside with her family. Carolyn is a local business owner in the field of natural medicine, is a certified Holistic Health Practitioner and has a background in Human Resources Management.
Even as a child, Carolyn felt a tremendous devotion to protect those that were not able stand up for themselves. She has labored against several issues of social injustice with local community organizations and in the work environment. Carolyn truly believes in the methodology applied by the Resource Center to change and improve the LGBTQ reality. Carolyn is an advocate for our self-identified LGBTQ youth, HIV infected and impacted teens. Carolyn states that, “I believe that by working through education and outreach programs we can achieve equal rights, improve learning environments, and strengthen our communities.
Raphael Rubalcaba | Director of HIV Prevention Programs | raphaelrubalcaba@yahoo.com
Raphael is the prevention programs coordinator for the Resource Center. Since 2005, Raphael has been working with the Vista Community Clinic and have since dedicated his time to help those in need in North County.
In addition to his work as an HIV prevention counselor, Raphael is currently working to coordinate various 12-step programs for victims of different types of substance abuse. In addition, he is working to enhance his experience and grow as an individual and his career through the work he does with the Resource Center. “I also enjoy sharing my experiences,” says Raphael.
Curtis Fitzgerald | Secretary | curtisis@cox.net
Born and raised near Alexandria, Virginia, Curtis and his partner Lena, moved to Escondido, California in 2000. They have a 7 year old son. Curtis became a board member not long after the Resource Center was founded and has served in a variety of roles. Currently he is serving as the Secretary of the Resource Center. Curtis attends Chalice Unitarian Universalists Congregation in Escondido.
David Blasband, Ph.D. | Executive Committee Member-At-Large | blasband@cox.net
David Blasband
David is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Escondido. He received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1990, and have since worked in a variety of positions, including staff psychologist at UCSD’s student Psychological & Counseling Services, Director of the San Diego LGBT Community Center’s LGBT Counseling Program, and Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Cal State San Marcos. All of these positions have provided David with opportunities to pursue his interests in LGBTQ as well as HIV/AIDS-related issues.
David is strongly committed to helping create safe and accepting environments for LGBTQ individuals. He hopes that, through his work with the Resource Center, he can play a part in creating such environments for LGBTQ individuals and allies in North County.
Jason Saude, MSN, RN | Treasurer | jsaude@csusm.edu
Jason Saude
Jason is Faculty at California State University San Marcos in the School of Nursing. He is the Co-Director of the CSUSM School of Nursing Student Healthcare Project which provides free medical care to persons who are uninsured or underinsured. He has traveled to Africa to provide nursing care to people living with HIV/AIDS & Tuberculosis. Jason is a doctoral student at Rush University in Chicago focusing on Public Health. His interests include LGBTQ Health Issues, LGBTQ Awareness Training for Healthcare Professionals, HIV/AIDS, and access to healthcare for underserved and vulnerable populations.
Robert Knauf | General Board Member | rdknauf12@aol.com
Robert Knauf
Robert was born in San Bernardino and raised in Long Beach. During his high school years, the LGBT Center in Long Beach played a large part in his coming out process. In the early to mid-nineties, Robert moved back and forth between Oceanside and Long Beach. From 1994 to 1998, he volunteered with the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach, where he helped to organize four charity events that raised over two million dollar over a four-year timespan. In 1997, Robert volunteered for the Monte Carlo Night, and he was on the Committee of 300, which helped to orchestrate and organize the actual Grand Prix. Robert is a co-facilitator of the Men’s Coming Out group, and he is the founder of the Resource Center’s new Art Committee. Now that Robert has the time, he wants to give to those going through the same process that he went through.
Other Community Involvement:
- City of Long Beach Police Commendation – 1997
- Certificate of Recognition – California State Assembly – 1997
- Letter of Commendation – House of Representatives, Representative Stephen Horn – 1997
John Jones | Pride @ the Beach Director | john@northcountypride.com
John Jones
Beginning his educational career in 2009 at Palomar College in San Marcos, California, John Jones became active in the campus’s Lesbian, Gay, Bi Sexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies (LGBTQA) Club, which had been left inactive. While completing coursework toward his degrees in the Social and Behavioral Sciences as well as in University Studies, Jones became more involved with the LGBTQA Club, eventually becoming the Vice President and later, the President. Through his commitment to the LGBTQ community, Jones created a safer place for students of all sexual orientations at Palomar College by planning events, hosting forums, and getting other students involved in LGBTQ issues. Currently, Jones attends California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) where he is completing coursework towards a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Women’s Studies. Upon his acceptance to CSUSM in the Fall of 2012, Jones became the new President of the CSUSM LGBTQA Club, and continues to promote diversity in all forms throughout his campus and his community.
