Meet Our Board of Directors
Colby Kluthe - Executive Director
Colby Kluthe established the Daniel McCree Foundation in July of 2007. He grew up in Kirksville, Missouri and first moved to the St. Louis area in 1994.
In 2009 he served as the 2nd Vice President of Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois until his departure in November 2010. From 2007 to 2011 he was employed as a Foreclosure Prevention Counselor with Justine Petersen, a non-profit Housing Agency in St. Louis. Today he is a web consultant for many St. Louis small business owners and LGBT organizations. He continues to coordinate many of the outreach projects of the foundation. In 2010 he received certification for Suicide Prevention/Intervention in partnership with the I CARE Campaign and the Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri. Colby continues to work and coordinate outreach with the Ezekiel Project and Bethany Place, in advocacy of HIV/AIDS awareness. He has volunteered with TransHaven, and works as a social media consultant for Belleville Transgender and Friends. Colby served as a social media consultant for Paducah pride in 2010 and established sponsorships of our publication from organizations throughout the region. (OUR SPONSORS) Colby serves as the managing editor of MetroEast NEWS, with a vision to bring greater awareness to events and news specific to the Metro-East Communities. The monthly publication began as The Hope and Help Center, a partnership with MCC of Greater St. Louis and ONE SAINT LOUIS who received a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health in 2008. Today MetroEast NEWS is a primary project of the Daniel McCree Foundation and publishes a digital directory twice a year and provides ongoing advocacy for the LGBT community. (BECOME A SPONSOR) In February of 2012 he relocated to Joplin, Missouri and will expand partnerships in the Ozarks Region. |
Daniel McCree Foundation
St. Louis, MO 63116 To Donate by Check, please contact us for our mailing address. [email protected] Colby Kluthe, Executive Director
(Joplin, MO) Emily Smith,St. Louis Regional Director (St. Louis) CONTACT : [email protected] Kayla Kistner, VP Community Relations (Alton, Illinois) Cole Wofford, Board Member & Outreach Coordinator (West Hollywood, CA) Tess Farnham, Board Member (Belleville, Illinois) Jazan Wallace, Board Member (Sparta, Illinois) Amanda Beneze, Board Member (Alton, Illinois) Social Media Admins: Joe Hale (Monroe, OH) Ryan Hamillos (Baltimore, MD) Paul Tuminaro (Chicago, IL) Lukus Daniel Keeling (Edwardsville, IL) Lauren Rapp (St. Louis,MO) |
Emily Smith - St. Louis Regional Director
Emily Smith was elected to serve as our St. Louis Regional Director in May of 2012. As a resident of Belleville, Illinois she will be working for the foundation's visibility and Public Relations in the St. Louis Region. Emily may also begin to work more with our MetroEast NEWS publication and foundation's direction into the future.
Emily serves as the our local contact for our LGBT Community partnerships in the St. Louis and Metro East Region.
Public Engagements and Volunteer efforts.
Her first official duty will be as our representative at the 5th Annual Metro East Pride Festival. She will be volunteering with the local PFLAG chapter of Belleville and will oversee the distribution of our 4th annual Limited Prints of Artwork.
CONTACT US ABOUT VOLUNTEERING
Emily serves as the our local contact for our LGBT Community partnerships in the St. Louis and Metro East Region.
Public Engagements and Volunteer efforts.
Her first official duty will be as our representative at the 5th Annual Metro East Pride Festival. She will be volunteering with the local PFLAG chapter of Belleville and will oversee the distribution of our 4th annual Limited Prints of Artwork.
CONTACT US ABOUT VOLUNTEERING
Cole Wofford - Board Member (Outreach & Fundraising)
Cole Wofford joined our board of directors in 2009. Cole was a close friend of Daniel during his lifetime and has worked many years as a youth-advocate. He currently serves on several boards including Sherwood Forest Camps, a St. Louis area camp for under-privledged youth. The camp provides youth with real world experience in overcoming obstacles and provides an ongoing support network for youth in advance of pressures that today's youth must overcome.
Cole has been instumental in our outreach with this wonderful organization and in 2012 was elected to serve on the board of the Unify Humanity Organization which provides social support services in Kenya. Cole is well known in the St. Louis region and continues his work from his residence in West Hollywood, California.
Cole has been instumental in our outreach with this wonderful organization and in 2012 was elected to serve on the board of the Unify Humanity Organization which provides social support services in Kenya. Cole is well known in the St. Louis region and continues his work from his residence in West Hollywood, California.
Tess Farnham - Board Member
Tess Farnham has served on our board of directors since 2009. She was a close freind and mentor of Daniel during his time as a student at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. Tess is an Adjunct Professor of English Composition at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) in Belleville.
Tess has a passion for the arts and a special understanding to those that struggle with the ups and downs of mental health. She has also served for two years as contributing writer for MetroEast NEWS .
Ms. Farnham is also an accomplished Artist and avid supporter of the arts in the Cherokee Street Arts District in St. Louis. Her original works are for purchase online. (TESSILU STUDIOS)
Tess has a passion for the arts and a special understanding to those that struggle with the ups and downs of mental health. She has also served for two years as contributing writer for MetroEast NEWS .
Ms. Farnham is also an accomplished Artist and avid supporter of the arts in the Cherokee Street Arts District in St. Louis. Her original works are for purchase online. (TESSILU STUDIOS)
Amanda Beneze - Board Member
Amanda Beneze was elected to our board of directors in May of 2012. She is the first member of our leadership that did not know Daniel during his lifetime. Amanda has been an avid collector of his artwork since 2009 and has supported our outreach projects for more than 3 years.
As a resident of Alton, Illinois she is widely recognized as a community leader and volunteer. Amanda can be found throughout the St. Louis region as a drag king performer. Recently she attended the Illinois Statewide Lobby Day representing Southern Illinois in an effort sponsored by Equality Illinois.
As a resident of Alton, Illinois she is widely recognized as a community leader and volunteer. Amanda can be found throughout the St. Louis region as a drag king performer. Recently she attended the Illinois Statewide Lobby Day representing Southern Illinois in an effort sponsored by Equality Illinois.
Jazan Wallace - Board Member
Jazan Wallace is the niece of Daniel McCree and resident of Sparta, Illinois where Daniel grew up.
Jazan was very close with Daniel and brings a unique understanding to the spirit of our foundation and the issues which face today's youth.
She is a local artist and hopes to work closely within Southern Illinois in causes of Social Justice. She hopes to develop partnerships in the Sparta area and perhaps begin to offer Art Therapy classes and volunteer efforts with Bethany Place. Ms. Wallace is our youngest board member and was elected by unanimous consent in May of 2012.
Jazan was very close with Daniel and brings a unique understanding to the spirit of our foundation and the issues which face today's youth.
She is a local artist and hopes to work closely within Southern Illinois in causes of Social Justice. She hopes to develop partnerships in the Sparta area and perhaps begin to offer Art Therapy classes and volunteer efforts with Bethany Place. Ms. Wallace is our youngest board member and was elected by unanimous consent in May of 2012.
Kayla Kistner - Board Member
- Kayla Kistner is the mother of Daniel McCree and has been instrumental to our work with Bethany Place and the Southern Illinois AIDS Quilt that was begun in 2008. She lives in the Alton, Illinois area and works in Medical Transcription. Kayla also maintains all the artwork not in the foundation's private collection. Kayla has served on our board of directors since 2007.
Social Media Administrators
Our Social Media Administrators are chosen based upon a proven track record of community outreach and volunteering. Our volunteers can be found in each of our outreach projects and represent the foundation in their local areas. Each of them knew Daniel personally during his lifetime and therefore provide a unique understanding to the spirit of our work.
- Joe Hale (Monroe, OH)
- Ryan Hamillos (Baltimore, MD)
- Paul Tuminaro (Chicago, IL)
- Lukus Daniel Keeling (Edwardsville, IL)
- Niccole Dancy (Sparta, IL)
- Lauren Rapp (St. Louis,MO)