About Us
Mission Statement
This conference is for the educational, philosophical, political, and spiritual growth of gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered persons. We want to provide the opportunity for the tri-state area to build friendships, experience GLBT pride, and strengthen our political power.
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Workshop Presenters
Pat Collins and
Judy Lawrence
Workshop
presenters on "Retiring Living Options." Pat is also the conference
coordinator and workshop presenter on "Caring for Your Dying Spouse
or Good Friend."
Pat has a BA from West Virginia Wesleyan College, MS from West Virginia University. Executive director of human services agencies for 19 years; financial planner for 23 years; United Church of Christ pastor for 5 years; MCC worship facilitator at Chautauqua Institution for 9 years; currently, coordinator of the LGBT Chautauqua Community group.
Judy is a reporter for the Chautauquan Daily and has been publishing her thoughts on lesbian life since the mid-90's, including her book, Musings on a Quarter Century of Lesbian Living. A graduate of the University of Rochester, Judy worked in non-profit administration in Rochester, New York for many years.
Pat and Judy have been partners for 33 years. They have two adult children, three grandchildren, and a cat, Drew. They live in Sherman, NY and winter in Florida.
Kate Ebersole and Bethany
Robson
Workshop
presenters on "Enhancing Communications with Your Partner."
Kate Ebersole and Bethany Robson are life partners and business partners. Kate comes from the world of manufacturing and for the past 6½ years has run her own training and coaching consulting business. She is a certified professional coach with additional training in advanced systems coaching techniques and workshop design. Bethany has a counseling background and is also a certified professional coach with additional advanced training in systems and relationship coaching. She has her own counseling and coaching business and specializes in coaching couples and families.
Kate and Bethany have conducted relationship workshops for LGBT couples in western NY, Florida and California and also work together to provide relationship coaching to couples. In addition, they deliver team coaching in a wide variety of organizations and do joint facilitation for Board retreats, visioning sessions and community meetings.
Emelye Waldherr
Workshop
presenter on "Transgender Issues."
Emelye Waldherr lives in
Keynote speaker and workshop presenter on "Queer Eye for the Bible."
The Rev. Dr. Richard McCarty is an assistant professor of Religious
Studies at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. Holding a Master of Divinity
from Western Theological Seminary (Holland, MI) and a Ph.D. in Religious
Studies from The University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA), McCarty is a
specialist in religion, ethics, and sexuality.
Since 2003, McCarty has traveled throughout the United States offering lectures, workshops, and seminars on religion and sexual ethics. While finishing his doctoral studies in the State of Iowa, he assisted in public education on the anti-bullying and civil rights laws that successfully passed to protect LGBT people.
During the Iowa Supreme Court case for marriage equality, he was entrusted with gathering support from scholars of religion and clergy, signing an amicus brief accepted and cited by the justices in favor of marriage equality.
In his current book project, McCarty is exploring how virtue ethics might offer Christian communities liberating insights on sexual morality. In the last year, McCarty has presented his research and ethical perspectives at The American Academy of Religion, Syracuse University, Wells College, denominational conference meetings, as well as retreats and sessions in Chicago, IL and New York City.
McCarty has recently become a Carpenter Fellow, participating in the Religion and Sexuality Symposium at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. In addition to his research, academic duties, and public lecturing, McCarty is ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the United Church of Christ and volunteers as the pastoral assistant at Community United Church in Erie, PA. He is also a frequent guest speaker for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Girard, PA.
Lorraine Wolch, CPA
Workshop presenter on "Financial Issues" and Tax Issues."
Founder and president of LPWolch, CPA's, P.C., providing tax, accounting, planning, financial counseling and computer services for small businesses and individuals.
Full time lecturer in taxation and accounting, undergraduate and graduate, 1981-86 Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Business.
Workshop presenter
Paul Brew has been a lifelong resident of Western New York. Paul started seriously pursuing an academic career after nearly 25 years at Eastman Kodak where he was a teacher for the Leadership Assessment and Development program, a board member for the Lambda LGBT employee network, a certified Advocate through the Kodak/Kaleel Jamison program and one of the designers for Kodak's shop floor diversity outreach around LGBT issues.
Paul left Eastman Kodak specifically to pursue a life long academic dream and earned his Associates Degree from Monroe Community College. He followed this with a Bachelors in World History at SUNY Brockport and was offered a scholarship to finish his Masters. Paul's Master's work focused on changing morality over time and his particular passion has been to look at the evolution in popular perceptions about the LGBT community.
As a World Historian and instructor Paul prefers an eclectic approach with an understanding of trends and impacts being more important than a memorized set of dates and names. His students will proudly tell you that his favorite answer for anyone asking for a date is "Go google it." and that he values a reasoned argument or good question much more than an answer from a book.
Paul currently lives in Rochester NY with his partner Todd Plank, their cat Mr. Pus and an ever growing collection of fish. He looks forward to a spirited and engaged day at Chatauqua and has been eagerly selecting topics for his talk.
Workshop presenter on "Coming out to family and at work ."
Contact Us
Mail: Rainbow Pride Connection
P.O. Box 574
Chautauqua NY 14722Phone: 716.761.6052
E-mail: pjcollins21@yahoo.com