About us
The Borderland Rainbow Center’s mission is to create a community space in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex (LGBTQI) people and their allies can heal, grow, and empower themselves and others.
This substance-free space is governed and run according to ethically sound standards and research-based best practices for (LGBTQI) people and their allies. The BRC connects LGBTQI people to resources for improved physical and mental health, economic stability, legal rights, education, spiritual and cultural enrichment.
OUR BOARD:
Since the inception of the BRC, our board has embodied a myriad of diverse identities. Including current and past board members, they identify as lesbian, gay, queer, bisexual, genderqueer, straight allies, transgender women, transgender men, nonbinary people, parents of transgender kids, parents of straight kids, Mexican American, Iranian/Mexican American, African American, Caucasian, Latinx, native-born El Pasoan, transplants to El Paso, bilingual, multi-lingual, working-class people, middle-class people, veterans, and members of military families.
Kyle Erwin, PhD
President
Amanda Sanchez, PhD
Vacant
Vice President
Karissa Reeves, LCSW, LCDC
Vacant
Secretary
Elizabeth Bambi LePew, LCSW-S, LAC
Interim Treasurer
Board Member-at-Large
Board Member-at-Large
Mark Pumphrey
Board Member-at-Large
Vacant
Board Member-at-Large
Vacant
Board Member-at-Large
Jocelyn Stout
Youth Advocate Board Member
Eman Attar
Youth Advocate Board Member
Our Executive Director:
Brenda Risch, PhD, LMSW
Executive Director
Our Program Director:
Alison Westermann
Program Director
To contact staff, email:
Julie Lucas
Building & Food Pantry Manager
Other Staff:
Naomi Estrada
Volunteer/Outreach Coordinator
Ashley Heidebrecht, MSW
Training and Education Director
Tina Corral
Custodian
Michael "Barbie" Reyes
Drag Queen Story Hour Coordinator
Brian Sieve
Healing Sexual Trauma in the Borderland Grant
Program Director
OTher Volunteer Staff:
Max Bellman-Seeskin
Mental Health Counseling Intern
Laura Ayala
MSW Intern
Paola Ling
MSW Intern
Dexter Zapien
BSW Intern