MPFC Staff and Volunteer Leaders
Stuart Quinn
MPFC Program Coordinator, stuart@milpfc.org
Stuart Quinn MPFC Program Coordinator
I am 24 year old ally with familial military ties. I am from Seattle, WA and a somewhat recent graduate from the University of Redlands in Southern California with a degree in International Relations and a minor in Economics. I was serendipitously introduced to the founders of Military Partners and Families Coalition (MPFC) shortly after their creation and my arrival to Washington DC. I was charged with the responsibility of Program Coordinator of MPFC. What does that mean? Generally, I cause headaches by bringing up terms like scale ability, bandwidth, feasibility, operational, funding (realist). I am a laid back individual, but willing to fight for what I know in my heart is right and I am never short of awe for the amazing founders (and all of our families) who have adopted me into their family as their own.
Meg Rapelye
MPFC Board Member and “Faces of our Families” Coordinator
Heather Lamb
MPFC “Faces of our Families”
Heather is an Air Force veteran and software engineer, living and working in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Her partner of six years is an active-duty Air Force officer stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. They enjoy spending family time with their one year old son and five year old Siberian husky mix.
Pam Ellison
MPFC “Faces of our Families”
Pam Ellison is an full-time Army National Guard Soldier of 23 years who has settled into the Arlington, VA area (via FL & Maui) with her partner/wife of 14 years, Shanon. Shanon is a State Director of youth programs which provide life-skills and tutoring to underprivileged children. Pam and Shanon have a 25 year old daughter and 23 year old son who have given them 3 wonderful grandchildren. Pam is a National Guard officer stationed in the National Capital Region. She lives with her wife in Alexandria Virginia. They love spending time with their grandchildren.
Stephen Utley
MPFC Social Coordinator
On January 15, 2012, CPT Michael Holtz, USAR, and Stephen Utley took a step 24 years in the making – they exchanged vows before family and friends in a wedding ceremony in Worcester, MA. They met in college and have been partners since January 1988. Stephen supported Michael’s decision to enlist in 1997 and has been a regular participant in Family Readiness activities with the Reserves, including co-chairing an FRG with Michael’s mom during his 2003 Iraq deployment. Outside of their military lives, they reside in Arlington, VA, where Stephen is a public school teacher and Michael works for the Department of Energy.
Darin Brunstad
MPFC Board Member and Outreach Coordinator
Darin is married to Master Sergeant David Brunstad; they serve in the Air Force National Guard. Darin represented gay military partners to the CRWG at the Pentagon. He and David have many media credits including; “The Story with Dick Gordon” and Darin is “currently blogging their story at; www.gaysoldiershusband.wordpress.com
Dan LaMotte
MPFC Outreach
Dan enlisted in the Navy in August of 2001 and served primarily in Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One based out of Whidbey Island Washington. He elected to get to get out at the end of his obligated service, in part due to DADT. He and his partner, Scott Pierson have been together since July 2008 and entered into a Domestic Partnership in May 2012. CW2 Pierson is the Commander of the 133D Washington Army National Guard Band where Dan serves as the Lead Family Readiness Group (FRG)Coordinator. Not only has he been warmly welcomed by the unit, but also by the other FRG’s within the state. Dan invaluable experience will help MPFC translate the resources already available to military families through the FRG and State Family Programs.
Amber Sweeney
MPFC Base Outreach Coordinator, EglinAFB@milpfc.org, hurlbertfieldAFB@milpfc.org
Amber Sweeney is the spouse of a USAF active duty member. Over the past 12 years she has moved to 9 bases on 3 continents and knows first hand the challenges that military families face. Currently, Amber is the Military Spouse and Family Employment Advocate for the the State of Florida’s Workforce Development Board. She has years of experience working with both Army and Air Force soldiers, military spouses and civilian base personnel. Amber is also the proud Aunt of 2 members of the LGBT community.
Tony Smith
MPFC Veterans Initiative
Tony is an USAF veteran who served on active duty as an intelligence analyst. He served before and during Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policies and was also a civilian partner of an active duty service member. In 2003 Tony founded the 501 (c) 3 non profit organization Military Community Services Network (MCSN) with a mission to provide support and resources to active duty LGBT service members, their partners and families not available due
to DADT. Tony ran MCSN for several years and closed the organization as existing and new organizations incorporated the important mission into their programs. Tony is very excited and honored to be volunteering with MPFC to continue the service to our military families.
Xiomara Sosa
MPFC Veterans Initiative
Xiomara is a clinical mental health – forensic counselor (scholar-practitioner); a mental health and wellness coach; and a nonprofit executive. She has over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector where she developed her skill and knowledge in creating and implementing programs in communities that target social welfare work. She is an Air Force Reserves and United States Army veteran. Her life-long love is a retired Iraq war veteran.
Kirsten Stoddard
MPFC Veterans Initiative
Kirsten holds a B.A from the University of Virginia and J.D. from the University of Southern California. She has recently completed a federal judicial clerkship and is now working as an attorney for the federal government. Her partner of 6 years is an active duty Army officer. They live in Alexandria, VA.
Dr. Patrick Gleason
MPFC Health and Mental-Health Project Advisory Member
Patrick Gleason is a civilian, a social worker, and a member of the advisory board for the MPFC survey on the physical and mental health of families of LGBT members of the military. He has an MSS and a PhD in social work from Bryn Mawr College. In the course of his 35 years in practice he has worked extensively in direct service with clients, in administrative and
supervisory roles, and as a teacher on the undergraduate and graduate levels. For the past 20 years, he has been in private practice in Washington, DC, providing psychotherapy to individuals and couples, including members of LGBT community. In his private practice, he has worked with gay and Lesbian, as well as straight, members and veterans of the military, and their spouses.
Dr. Beverly Schmidt-Rodriguez
MPFC Health and Mental-Health Project Advisory Member
Beverly Schmidt-Rodriguez, PhD, RN, CCM resides in National Harbor, MD and is currently employed as a Nurse Case Manager. She has an extensive professional background as both a psychologist and nurse. She is licensed as a nurse in several states, and as a mental health professional. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s and Doctorate in psychology and an Associate’s in nursing, and is certified as a case manager. Beverly’s background in psychology includes testing and measurement, and clinical work with domestic violence perpetrators and sex offenders. Her past research interests have been in domestic violence and sex crime perpetration. She has a strong managed care background in nursing, with a particular interest in psychiatric nursing. Beverly is the mother of three adult children, two of whom are in the United States military, and one in healthcare.
Suvarna Shah
MPFC technical support
Suvarna was born in Pune, India. She holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts with a Specialization in photography from Jacksonville University. She works at The Phillips Collections and plays an active role in Military Partners and Families Coalition in the Technical Support department, collecting resources and media articles pertaining to the LGBT military community. She Lives in NW, Washington D.C.
Our MPFC Volunteer Team is growing! If you would like to be a member of the MPFC volunteer team please contact info@milpfc.org. We are military families supporting ALL military families.
MPFC values its volunteers and employees, and promotes a team environment that supports diversity and encourages creativity and innovation. It is the policy of the organization not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
