Executive Leadership
Cassie Lucchesi (she/her)
President
Cassie is a Peoria transplant from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She's lived in Peoria for more than 15 years and has been on the Peoria Proud Board of Directors since 2019. Cassie is passionate about unifying the community and advocating for marginalized people. In her spare time, Cassie loves to spend time with her wife Lindsay, her 2 cats Vincent and Josephine, and host dinner parties for her friends.
Rin Parker (he/him)
Vice President of Business
Rin is dedicated to fostering a supportive community where everyone feels safe and empowered to embrace self-love. Drawing from his own lived experiences, Rin aims to use his joinery to help others feel less alone and make life easier for those in his community. Outside of work and advocacy, he enjoys playing Pokemon and spending quality time with his best friend.
Todd Northcutt (he/him)
Vice President of Public Relations
Todd is a Bloomington, IL native, is a servant leader and owns Hadaway Transport, a non-emergency medical transport company. Living in Peoria Heights with his husband, Todd combines his background in agriculture and disability advocacy to make a positive impact in his community.
Lisa Roeder (she/her)
Secretary
Lisa holds master’s degrees in Psychology and Public Health and brings over two decades of experience to her role at Positive Health Solutions, formerly the Heart of Illinois HIV/AIDS Center. She has been with the organization for 22 years and has served as Director for the past three, leading with a deep commitment to advancing community health and support services. Lisa also teaches as an adjunct instructor at Illinois Central College, sharing her knowledge and passion with future professionals.
In her free time, Lisa enjoys reading and traveling—especially to California to visit her twin sons.
Jake Bowers (he/him)
Treasurer
Jake serves as the Treasurer of Peoria Proud, bringing expertise in accounting and budgeting to support the organization’s mission of celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community. Jake lives in Germantown Hills with his husband, Scott, and their three dogs, Zeke, Jax, and Rebel. Together, they own and operate Rebel Roots Hair Haus, combining creativity, collaboration, and community-focused values.
At-Large Board Members
Alex Faulkner (he/him)
Alex was born and raised in Peoria. After a four-year stint working out West in natural resources with the federal government, Alex returned home in March 2020. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, swimming, volunteering in the local community, and spending time with his partner, friends and family, and his dog, Aldo.
Courtney Garrett (she/her)
Courtney is a proud trans woman who grew up in the Peoria area. She works with Peoria Proud to advocate for the community and make Peoria a safer and more inclusive place for gender diverse identities. When she takes time for herself, she can be found pursuing whatever hobby is currently her fixation, or getting dressed up to go explore the town, and seeing a local concert or drag show.
Ty Hart (he/him)
Ty (he/him) is a lifelong resident of Central Illinois, where he’s developed skills as a passionate baker and bartender. He also enjoys traveling, exploring new cultures and gathering fresh ideas, he can bring home and use in his professional life. Committed to learning and growing Ty joins, Peoria, proud passionate about giving back and helping others.
Dawn Parker-Frakes (she/her)
Meet Dawn Parker-Frakes (she/her)! Peoria native, dedicated wife, and loving mom. As a small business owner, she’s excited to serve as a board member at Peoria Proud. Together, we can make a difference! #PeoriaProud #FamilyFirst #SupportLocal
River Russell (he/him)
River is a Georgia peach, transported to Peoria in 2022. As a trans man with a nonbinary sibling, he’s been actively advocating for the trans and queer community since high school and is ecstatic to join the Peoria Proud board in 2024. He loves hosting game nights, cuddling with his cats, and hiking with friends.
Tony Smith (he/him)
Tony, a proud native of the Chicago area, holds degrees from both Bradley University and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He is fiercely passionate about technology and dedicated to helping others, committed to creating inclusive and welcoming spaces for everyone
JT Thomas (he/him)
Joshua (J.T.) Thomas was born in Central Illinois and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. After being displaced at 16 for being gay, he found strength in community, completing high school, cosmetology school, and barber college while working to support himself.
He returned to Central Illinois in 1996 to care for his grandmother and went on to build three successful small businesses, establishing deep roots in the community. A lifelong advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth, Joshua brings decades of grassroots experience to his role on Peoria Proud’s board, committed to creating a more inclusive and supportive future for all.
Marcie was born and raised in central Illinois. She has a passion for science and education that she loves to share with anyone she meets. In her free time, Marcie loves reading, cuddling with her cats, and learning as much as she can.