Board of Directors

Mark Ault, CPA
Dean Carter
Helen Chandler Helen Chandler is a PhD Candidate in Arts & Humanities at the University of Texas at Dallas.  Her fields of study include Victorian Women Writers and American Literature.  Her dissertation will consider women and wealth in late 19th century and early 20th century American Literature.  Her writing interests include poetry and playwriting.  She has written two one-act plays, “Snickerdoodled” and “Armageddon at the Rialto Senior Living Center.”  Before starting her PhD, Helen was a vice president in institutional retirement services at Fidelity Investments, where she worked for 16 years.  Helen has served as a board member and grants chair with the Dallas Women’s Foundation and is a member of a planning task force for North Dallas Shared Ministries.  She also is a member of the Dallas planning committee for Annie’s List, a political action committee.  Helen has a Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M and a Master’s degree from SMU.  She holds a certificate in nonprofit management from The Center for Nonprofit Management and Brookhaven College.  Helen and her partner, Dena Bartnicki, share their home with two affectionate and courageous Chihuahuas, Nicky and Lilly.
Roberto de la Cruz, M.D. Roberto de la Cruz is a physician specialist in Internal Medicine. As a Hospitalist, he practices at Baylor Hosptial in Dallas, and cares for acutely ill patients admitted through the emergency department. He has developed expertise and interest in Palliative Care Medicine, and assists families and terminally ill patients in coping with complex psychosocial and physical symptoms at end-of-life. He has been active with the Human Rights Campaign, as well as has been a participant of the LoneStar AIDS ride. Roberto holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.D. degree from the University of Puerto Rico, and completed his post graduate training in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He also enjoys opera (and works tirelessly to get his friends to enjoy it with him) and the company of his dog, Bonita
Mark Niermann Mark Niermann is a lawyer and Vice President and Corporate Counsel at Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. Mark is one of the co-founders of the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Dallas. Mark has been involved in several local community groups. He was co-chair of the Dallas Committee of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund and has served on the Governing Committee of the Dallas/Fort Worth Federal Club of the Human Rights Campaign. He is currently a member of the Dallas Warburg Chapter of the American Council on Germany. Mark received an undergraduate degree in piano performance from Arizona State University and a J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law.
Keith Nix Keith Nix owns a public relations/marketing firm specializing in the upscale retail, real estate and design industries. His vocational background includes senior positions in commercial real estate firms and for a decade, served as executive vice president of corporate public relations at Neiman Marcus. The highlights of his background in the Dallas non-profit community consist of founder of the Dallas Coalition for the Arts, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, president of The 500, Inc., board memberships at the Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Historical Society, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Kitchen Dog Theater, board of governors of the Dallas/Fort Worth Federal Club and currently, the Friends of the Katy Trail Executive Committee and Dallas Center for BrainHealth Advisory Board. Keith holds a BBA in accounting and marketing from The University of Texas at Austin; he is in continuing education at SMU and at the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture.
Richard H. Peeples Richard H. ("Dick") Peeples is a partner in the law firm of Peeples & Hilburn, P.C. in Dallas, which specializes in tax qualified retirement plans. He serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors. Dick has been involved on a volunteer basis with a number of gay and lesbian community organizations since 1976. He has served on the board of directors of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Texas Human Rights Foundation, Stonewall Professional and Business Association, Dallas Independent Volleyball Association, Dignity Dallas, Leadership Lambda, Turtle Creek Chorale, and Oak Lawn Community Services. He has been recognized by several organizations for his community volunteer services: 1993 Texas Human Rights Foundation--Robert Schwab Award, 1993 Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade and Masterpiece Award, 1997 the Dallas Fort Worth Black Tie Dinner Committee--Kuchling Award, and 1998 the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award. Dick received a B.A. in Economics from Austin College in Sherman Texas and a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Kelly Rao Kelly works with The Container Store in their corporate headquarters in International Business Development and Marketing.  Together with her husband Raj, she is firm believer in equal rights and has championed GLFD’s mission since learning about it in late 2001.  Immediately she got involved and was instrumental in the success of the Dallas Women’s Museum event as well as the Where the Wild Things Are Event.  It was a natural progression for her to join the board.  Kelly sits on the Alumnae board of her alma mater, Wellesley College, where she works to support the institution that provides unparalleled higher education for young women.   When she is not working, traveling or volunteering, Kelly enjoys spending time in Dallas with her husband and their dog Lola.
Raj Rao Raj is a Financial Analyst at Health Care Service  Corporation (HCSC) with an emphasis on Treasury functions.  Prior to joining HCSC, Raj worked a number of year with the State and Federal Legislatures. His work in the U.S. Senate focused primarily on judicial appointment. In the Texas State Senate, his focus was on Health Policy.  Raj completed his undergraduate in Political Science at Texas A.M. International University and his graduate studies in Political Economics at University of Texas at Dallas.  In addition to his pro bono  work on behalf of GLFD, Raj also volunteers his time with    Entrepreneurial Foundation of North Texas (EFNT).
Tom Solender
Sue Williams, M.D.