Daniel Castellanos to Step Down as Executive Director of Queens Pride House,
Which Names Peter N. Pavich Interim Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info., contact:
Pauline Park
President, Board of Directors
(718) 424-4003
paulinepark@earthlink.net
Queens Pride House
76-11 37th Avenue, Suite 206
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
(718) 429-5309
http://www.queenspridehouse.org/
New York, 11 January 2011 — On January 16, Daniel Castellanos will step down as executive director of Queens Pride House, the organization has announced. Castellanos has led the only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community center in the borough of Queens since April 2009. Castellanos will be succeeded by Peter N. Pavich as interim executive director.
“I’ve been with Queens Pride House since the beginning,” said Castellanos, who was one of the original co-founding members of the board of directors that established the organization in January 1997. “It’s now time for me to move on, as I focus my efforts on finishing my dissertation,” he added. Castellanos is pursuing a DrPH in public health at Columbia University and has received a fellowship to write his doctoral thesis on homeless youth of color and embark in a new career as a health researcher.
“I would like to thank Daniel for his many years of service to Queens Pride House,” said Pauline Park, president of the board of directors, who, along with Castellanos and board treasurer Charles Ober, are the only three original co-founding members of the organization who are still directly involved in its operations. “Daniel and I are the only two original founders who have served on the board and/or staff continuously since the founding of the organization in January 1997,” noted Ober. “Daniel will be missed.”
Castellanos will be succeeded by Peter N. Pavich, who has spent the last 6 years as the executive director of Helping Hands Unlimited, a Brooklyn-based HIV/AIDS housing provider as well as president and CEO of Pavich Consultants, Inc.
“We are delighted to announce Peter’s appointment as interim executive director of Queens Pride House,” said Park. “Peter has enormous experience in program and organizational development,” noted Park. Pavich has developed HIV prevention programs for elders, youth, and members of the LGBT community, in particular LGBT youth. “Peter’s experience as interim executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Community Center of Central Florida is of particular relevance in his work for Queens Pride House,” said Ober. Pavich received his bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Florida in 1991, his master’s degree in public health from the University of South Florida in 1994, and a Ph.D. in public health from New York University in 2006.
Queens Pride House serves over 6,000 clients and conducts health support, education and referral programs, youth training, and cultural and social programming.
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