The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) has hired Adam Ragan to serve in the position of Associate Director of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, & queer) Initiatives. This newly created position was approved by the SAAF Board of Directors in March and will serve to further promote and grow programming and resources for the LGBTQ community in Tucson and southern Arizona.
In 2014, SAAF acquired Wingspan, southern Arizona’s LGBTQ community center for more than a quarter century, as well as many of its programs and initiatives when they were forced to close their doors due to a lack of stable funding. Since that time, SAAF has grown funding support and services for 2 Wingspan programs, the Anti-Violence Project (AVP) and the Eon Youth Program, serving LGBTQ youth ages 13-23 and their allies. SAAF also acts as the umbrella organization for 4 Wingspan community groups: Camp Born This Way; Senior Pride; Puertas Abiertas; and the Multi-Faith Working Group. According to SAAF Executive Director Wendell Hicks, “This newly created position will allow us to take all of the great work that Wingspan was doing when they closed and bring it to brand new levels. Just because Wingspan went away does not mean that the overwhelming need for LGBTQ-specific resources has vanished. In fact, we have seen a growth in requests for certain services over the past 2 years and our commitment is to meet as many community needs as possible.”
Ragan, a graduate of Arizona State University where he received his Master’s degree in English Linguistics, has a long history of community involvement and activism. Ragan currently serves on the City of Tucson Commission on GLBT issues; the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Board of Directors; and as co-chair of the Arizona Cesar E. Chavez Holiday Coalition. Ragan was also one of the organizers behind last year’s Engage Rally in downtown Tucson celebrating the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
Ragan currently works as an adjunct faculty member with Glendale Community College and is the founder of Ragan Consulting, providing consulting services to political candidates and causes. Ragan states, “I am so excited to be joining an organization like SAAF, which has such a strong and proven reputation. I can’t wait to get to work on finding out more about the needs of the LGBTQ community and addressing those needs, head on.”
Ragan will begin in the position May 11 and can be reached directly at aragan@saaf.org or (520) 547-6171.