Jessica Carroll – Director of Programs
Jessica (she/her) grew up in the Roseland community of Santa Rosa. After graduating from UC Davis she started her career in non-profits working with youth and young adults in the foster care system, suicide prevention programs, and mental health treatment. After 12 years away, Jessica returned to Sonoma County and immediately reached out to Positive Images knowing that she had the skills, knowledge, and experience to serve the unique needs of the local LGBTQIA+ community. With positivity, warmth, and excitement Jessica hopes to create space at Positive Images (and the greater Sonoma County) where all LGBTQIA+ folks are accepted, respected, valued, and loved. Outside of PI, you can usually find Jessica (and Puppy Frank) on the rugby field!
Email Jessica at jcarroll@posimages.org
Drew Crawford – Program Coordinator
Drew Crawford (he/they) is originally from West Virginia, where he spent his childhood exploring the Appalachian Mountains with his family. They studied sociology at West Virginia University, then moved to northern California and began working in outdoor education and environmental stewardship. They first came to Positive Images as a volunteer shortly after moving to Santa Rosa in 2013 when seeking local community, and was amazed at the support that was available. Drew realized he wanted to have an impact on the lives of young people, so he earned his elementary teaching credential and taught 5th and 6th grade for three years in local schools. Joining the Positive Images team as a Program Coordinator seemed to align well with Drew’s passion for mentoring, uplifting, and advocating for LGBTQIA+ youth, as well as providing education for allyship. When he is not at PI, Drew can be found playing guitar, hiking, or running with his partner Bobbi and their rescue dogs, Tucker and Skippy.
Email Drew at programs@posimages.org
Marian Mejia – Operations Coordinator
Marian (she/they) is a queer Filipino person who has grown up in the South and East Bay Area, before moving to Sonoma County for school in 2017. Their passions grew in their time in college, primarily focused on intersectionality in the climate and environmental justice space.
In 2019, she began canvassing in Santa Rosa to advocate for the rights and justice of immigrants, housing justice, and environmental justice; an experience that deepened their understanding and perspective on community, access and equity, and the environment in the city.
Guided by their love for earth, community, creativity, and addressing the intersections of the issues that unite us, Marian is excited to offer and expand their skills with Positive Images. Since beginning to work with PI in 2021, they’re hoping to use their passions related to identity and culture to foster more belonging and community for all of Sonoma County’s LGBTQIA+ people. Marian is also on a continuous journey to embody the authenticity and mentorship they wished they had when they were young. Ultimately, their goal is to help uplift Black, Indigenous, and non-white voices while bridging seemingly disparate issues together in order to cultivate stronger equity and solidarity.
When not at Positive Images, Marian is working as Global Crew Director for Earth Guardians, dancing in heels, spending time outside, making art, or watching anime.
Email Marian at operations@posimages.org
Joy Anderson – Executive Consultant
Joy Anderson (they/them) has lived in Santa Rosa their whole life. Joy first learned about Positive Images in high school and began attending as a member in 2017. They quickly became passionate about PI’s work and joined the Youth Leadership Development Program. In their time on the volunteer youth leadership team, they served in roles such as historian, greeter, and co-facilitator. When the position for Outreach Coordinator became available in 2019, they jumped at the chance to serve their community at a professional level. Joy is proud to have mentored many young people in their time with PI, supporting and guiding other queer and trans youth through the mental health challenges the LGBTQIA+ community so often faces. They strive to be the leader and advocate they wish they had when they were young. Their goal is to leave the world a safer and more equitable place for their community, and all other marginalized people, to exist in. They are currently studying Social Justice at Santa Rosa Junior College and hope to transfer to UC Santa Cruz in the fall of 2021. In their free time, Joy enjoys watching their favorite tv show, Supernatural, and snuggling with their kitty, Esther. Joy has found so much joy and love in the Positive Images community, and they hope you can, too!
Laura Lynn DelRoss – Operations Consultant
Chelsea Rose Kurnick – Chair
Chelsea Rose Kurnick (she/her) is a queer bisexual woman originally from southern California. She has lived in Sonoma County since October 2017. She knew the area well before moving, as she worked in the wine industry for nearly 12 years. Chelsea spent four years doing public relations and digital marketing for a variety of Sonoma County tourism businesses and organizations, before turning to nonprofit development work. With Jessica Carroll, she co-founded the weekly Friday evening 20s/30s LGBTQ+ peer support group. Chelsea joined the board of Positive Images in 2018.
Email Chelsea at chelsea@posimages.org
Christian Sullberg – Vice Chair
A long time resident of Sonoma County, born in Healdsburg, California, Christian opened his first pastry cafe Moustache Baked Goods at the age of twenty two in the historic Healdsburg, Plaza. Christian is Chief of Operations for Noble Folk Inc. & Co Founder Owner of Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie. Selected as one of the Bay Area’s Top 25 LGBTQ Businesses to work for in the Bay Area. Fellow of the Victory Institute’s Next Gen Initiative with Coca Cola 2017.
Christian’s passions and skill sets include: youth leadership development, mentorship, community advocacy, fundraising, organizational planning, community partnerships.
He is deeply passionate about creating space & advocacy for those most vulnerable in our LGBTQ+ population specifically, those in our trans community of Sonoma County, California.
Email Christian at csullberg@gmail.com
Sal Andropoulos – Secretary
Sal is a transgender individual and LGBTQIA+ community advocate in Sonoma County. They are dedicated to supporting and uplifting queer, trans, and gender expansive youth and families, and building connections within our LGBTQIA+ community. Sal is active in local efforts to create equitable, safe, and affirming school environments and communities for all through intersectional advocacy as part of the North Bay LGBTQI Families parent leadership group, and as a founding member of Petaluma TIDE. Sal has been involved with Positive Images since 2016, when they became a volunteer mentor. Their professional background includes law practice, legal editing, and working as a Congressional staffer.
Alexis Puerto-Holmes – Board Member
Alexis (she/her/hers) identifies as a Latina, Indigenous, Queer, woman, and community advocate from Oakland, California/Ohlone land. She studied Recreation Administration at Humboldt State University while working as a backpacking and water sport guide. Following college she worked for an LGBTQ youth center, Boy’s and Girls Club within Santa Rosa city schools, and has been loving her career working for Sonoma County Regional Parks for the past 4+ years. In addition to working for parks Alexis loves to stay busy and creates, and sells art through her business: ArtsyQueerLatina along with training dogs for Canine Constitutional.
Alexis loves supporting her LGBTQ+ community through participating in LGBTQ+ clubs, participating in LGBTQ Connection’s youth leadership cohort, and is a leader for GayDar, which creates events for LGBTQ+ individuals within Sonoma County. Furthermore, she began her own side project in 2020 collecting data and presenting nationally regarding information pertaining to how environmental educators can connect with their own LGBTQ+ community along with creating and leading annual programs such as: Hike with Pride and QT’s (Queer and Trans) in the Park.
She is excited to be a part of PI’s board as they are an agency, which supports her goal to be the person her younger self would have needed!
Jake Harpin – Board Member
Jake Harpin (he/him) is a white, pansexual, transgender man. Originally from Massachusetts, Jake has lived in Sonoma County since 2009. Jake works for the Sonoma County Human Services Department’s Upstream Investments Initiative as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Community Resilience Programs Contract Manager supporting an equitable pandemic recovery. He has worked extensively with non-profit agencies and has years of experience advocating for Sonoma County children and families, and adults with developmental disabilities. Outside of his professional life, Jake can be found in his kayak on the Russian River, toes in the sand at the coast, and/or hanging with his kids, partner, dogs and cat.
Jake is brand new to the board in 2022 and is excited to both be a part of PI’s growth and the inevitable growing pains.