Board of Directors
Officers
Doug Litwin | President
Board of Directors
Directors At Large
Jerry Abrams
Dencil White
Harvey Zuckman
Doug has been on the JSEF Board since 2003 and has been the Secretary that entire time. He also has served for 20+ years on the Boards of the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band (including 3 years as President and currently as the Director of Marketing) and the Federation of Gay Games (as the Archivist after having served 15+ years as the Officer of Marketing).
Adding further to his legacy of supporting non-profit LGBT performing arts groups, in 2010 he stepped down after serving for 20 years on the Board of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (including 4 years as its President). Doug’s commitment to serving these performing arts groups through the JSEF is clear, backed by his financial acumen gleaned while earning business degrees from the University of Illinois (BA) and Northwestern University (MBA).
Bruce joined the JSEF board in October 2017. He was born & raised in Michigan and earned a B.S. in Nursing at Northern Michigan University and a M.S. in Anesthesia at Wayne State University. Bruce packed up and moved to the East Coast, settling in Washington, DC to pursue his career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).His lifelong passion for music led him in 2006 to join D.C.’s Different Drummers, the LGBT Music Ensembles for the Nation’s Capital & a founding member of LGBA. He served as its Treasurer from 2008-2011, Vice-President from 2014-2015, and President from 2015-2017. He presently sits on the DCDD Board of Directors as Past-President
Bruce met his husband, Adam, in DCDD, and was married in 2014. They reside within the District of Columbia and enjoy travel, the theater, exploring the arts & culture of DC, and visiting wineries in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Music and community service has long been a part of Kathy Hennig’s life. She first became involved in Lesbian Gay Band Association (LGBA) in 1982. Ms. Hennig was a Board Member during the early days of LGBA, serving as Executive VP, VP, Secretary and Treasurer. She was formerly a member of the Oaklawn Band of Dallas, where she held several offices and was a community organizer. Ms. Hennig joined the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band in 1989. Ms. Hennig has served the band in a variety of leadership roles, including President, Vice President, Drum Major, Assistant Conductor, Treasurer, Secretary, and Member-at-Large. In her long tenure, she has served as Board President, Vice President and Secretary of the Jon Sims Center for the Arts, fiscal sponsor of the band until 2003. She has written several grants for musical groups and advised several LGBA bands on how to organize and gain non-profit status. She studied conducting under Martha Stoddard. A clarinetist by training, she performs with the Oakland Civic Orchestra and the Community Women’s Orchestra.
Ms. Hennig is active in her community, serving on the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission and SHARE, a community food co-op. She is a Directors Circle patron of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and volunteers for the Montclair Jazz and Wine Festival, among other community events. Formerly a candidate for county school board in 1999, her interest in education led her to serve on the State of California textbook review committee for English/Language Arts, representing Contra Costa County as well as the Contra Costa Legal Compliance Review Committee, C.C.C. Office of Education. She holds a Teaching Credential in Music and Psychology and takes classes in enology at UC Davis.
Her affiliations include the California Association of Public Purchasing Officers; National Association of Purchasing Management, the Institute for Supply Management; and Jon Sims Endowment Board. Other memberships include Pi Alpha Alpha, Public Administration Honor Society; Mu Phi Epsilon, Professional Music Sorority; Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority. Ms. Hennig holds a Masters of Public Administration, and Bachelors in Music, Marketing, and Psychology. She is employed as a Finance Professional for a large college district. “I enjoy pulling together the passion of the arts and the business of non-profits.”
Joel has an extensive background in finance and banking, having been associated with the Federal Reserve System and the International Monetary Fund throughout his career. He still serves as a contractor for the IMF, serving as an advisor to central banks in emerging market countries in financial affairs on behalf of the Fund. He joined the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band in 2015 and served as the Band’s Treasurer from 2015 – 2019.
Joel was elected to the JSEF Board in 2020. He was a drummer in his high school’s marching band. Joel holds a BA in International Affairs from the University of Virginia and an MBA from George Washington University
Jerry has been on the JSEF board since 1998, serving once as President and as Treasurer and investment director, managing the health of our investments and reporting our investment results. He has been supporting gay performing arts organizations for many years, first assisting the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band and Twirling Corps with computerizing their mailing list in 1982, followed by extensive technical support for the Jon Sims Center.
Other organizations he has volunteered for include 42nd Street Moon, Joe Goode Performance Group, San Francisco Ballet, and Men’s Associated Exchange (MAX). Jerry is involved with the JSEF to try to make a positive contribution to the acceptance of the gay community into society, convinced that performing arts is an excellent avenue toward this goal.
Dencil has been a member of the Palm Springs Desert Winds Freedom Band for over 12 years. He served as the Band’s President for six years and as Secretary for six years. Dencil currently plays trumpet with the Band.
After graduation from West Virginia University where he was active in the Marching Band, Dencil became the youngest Financial Aid Director to be hired in the state at Southern West Virginia Community College. Dencil received his Master Degree in Student Personnel Services & Counseling and moved to Washington, DC where he worked in the higher education finance field for 35 years before retiring to Palm Springs, CA in 2012. Dencil is extremely proud to have been a founding member of the Washington DC Band (D.C.’s Different Drummers).
Dencil has participated in a number of Pride Band Alliance events, serving as a delegate for the Desert Winds Freedom Band, and marched in the two Barack Obama Presidential Inaugurations. In 2022, Dencil was awarded the “Pillars of Pride” award at the annual conference in Chicago.
Dencil resides in Palm Springs, California with his husband George Gangloff and their Shih Tzu “Torrie.” Dencil and George celebrated their 46th anniversary in November 2023. They officially got married at Palm Spring s City Hall on May 16, 2014. In addition to Band activities, Dencil volunteers for the International Film, the Short Fest and the Cinema Diverse Film Festivals each year
Harvey retired from his family firm, one of the oldest independent Apple dealerships, after 35 years as CFO. He played an active role in supporting local businesses through as founder of a community business association and serving on the board and president of Metro Independent Business Association (Minneapolis).
As a founding member of the Minnesota Freedom Band, he has served as treasurer and has participated on various committees since its founding in 1982, including the planning for two national conferences. He currently also plays bass clarinet in Desert Winds Freedom Band in Palm Springs, CA, and he has served on the board of Six Points Theater, a professional performing theater arts organization, as Treasurer.
On the board of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (now Pride Bands Alliance), he has served as VP for Outreach, VP for Fundraising, and co-chaired the organization’s participation in the 1993 US Presidential Inaugural, the first time even any LGBT organization was invited to this quadrennial event.
Additional volunteer activities involve participation, recruitment and fundraising for the Minnesota Red Ribbon Ride (AIDS Ride), People for Parks (Minneapolis) as President, and has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion within the local Jewish community. He has served on a variety of Community Advisory Committees for the Minneapolis Park System.
We mourn the sudden passing of Bruce Bill Sinor, who suffered a fatal heart attack in San Francisco on July 14, 2023. His life was celebrated at a memorial event on September 28, 2023.
Bruce was an active member of the Jon Sims Endowment Fund Board of Directors since 2006, having served most recently as Board President.
Bruce moved to San Francisco in 1994 and immediately joined the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band (SFLGFB) since 1999. In 2002 Bruce was elected to the board of the Lesbian & Gay Band Association (LGBA) and in 2004 was appointed their VP of Fundraising. With this, Bruce brought the organization online for expansion in fundraising opportunities. His contributions to LGBA include: eBay’s charity program: “Mission Fish,” eBay’s “Affiliate” program, and the online shopping charity network “iGive.”
In 2008, Bruce teamed up with a small group of musicians to help create the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony (BARS). As one of BARS’ original board members he helped to shape this now highly successful music organization. Bruce is was also an active volunteer for AIDS Emergency Fund (AEF) & Positive Resource Center (PRC), and the South of Market “Bare Chest Calendar” which provides major funding for people living with HIV and AIDS. In addition to performing with the SFLGFB, Bruce was also President of the Corte Madera Town Band in Marin County as well as the Capital Horn Choir and the American River College Concert Band in Sacramento.His
JSEF Board member Matthew’ David Novotny of Minneapolis passed away unexpectedly on August 7, 2022. A prayer service was held on August 12.
Matthew was 38 years old. He grew up in New Prague, MN where he graduated from high school in 2002. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Air Force where he served three years. Matthew then moved to Kansas City, MO in 2004 and enrolled at Park University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He then started his career at MRI Global for 16 years and ended his career at ABDO as an Associate Accountant. In addition to his Board position at the Jon Sims Endowment Fund (he joined in 2013), Matthew also served on Board and as Executive Director of the Mid America Freedom Band in Kansas City, MO. He also was their Treasurer for five years. For six years between 2012 and 2020, Matthew served as Treasurer for the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (now Pride Bands Alliance).
Matthew played bass clarinet and was very passionate about Band. He understood the importance of providing lifelong music by and for members of the community at large.
Matthew is survived by his parents David and Jean Novotny, siblings Jennifer (Justin) Wollan, Julie Novotny, Nicholas (Sara) Novotny, nieces and nephews Nora and Marvin Novotny, and Taylen Wollan, all from Minnesota.
The entire Jon Sims Endowment Fund and Pride Bands Alliance families deeply mourn Matthew’s passing.