LINDA & MIKE BRATSEN

"After finishing Lobby Day in Austin, 2001, my husband I drifted off to Austin's center for gay youth which was having an open house.  There we met a young man from Houston, Steven Bratsen, who had recently been outed to his parents who were distressed at learning their beloved son was gay. They had been encouraging him to attend counseling to help turn him around.

We spoke to Steven about our many years of involvement in PFLAG-Houston and suggested that he try to get his parents to come.

Steven appeared at the next meeting, and he brought his parents, Mike and Linda Bratsen, to the following one.  They were distraught about Steven and Linda cried throughout this first meeting. The following month, Linda marched with Steven in the Pride Parade.

Linda soon volunteered to take over the PFLAG library, and when the next year's Pride Parade came near, Mike built the float.  Each year, Mike and Steven, along with several Santa Fe , TX citizens, continue to build the float's frame and with the help of Linda and other PFLAG members, they assemble and decorate each float, several of which have won awards.

Linda has been PFLAG's librarian for seven years, writes book reviews for the newsletter, served on the PFLAG board for five years, supported the establishment of a GSA in Santa Fe High School, and represented PFLAG at the Texas Counselors Association convention.  Mike and Linda have participated in the Easter fundraiser for Bunnies on the Bayou and have been PFLAG representatives at Empower and the International Festival. They are also members of PFLAG's Speakers Bureau.

Linda and Mike Bratsen have given nearly eight years of dedicated service to PFLAG's goals in the Houston and Santa Fe communities with their unconditional love and continuing affirmation of GLBT people."

- Sue and Jim Null, PFLAG-Houston
Honorary Grand Marshals 2004

ANN J. ROBISON

In December 2008, Ann J. Robison, PhD, celebrated her 20th anniversary at the helm of Montrose Counseling Center. She recently shared some of the reasons she has dedicated herself to MCC and Houston's GLBT communities. Dr. Robison recounted her work in the violence-against-women movement, and how painful it was for her to see other providers discriminate against this population. She created MCC's Hate Crimes Program when someone was set on fire for being perceived as gay. She brought HATCH and Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Houston under the agency's umbrella. And when her dear friend, Jack Jackson, struggled in his senior years, she developed the SPRY Program. More recently, she oversaw MCC's expansion into a brand new building. When Dr. Robison joined MCC, there were times when they had to empty the soda machine in order to meet payroll. At a time when so many other nonprofits are struggling, MCC remains fiscally strong. Twenty years ago, the organization's budget was $350,000. It is now $4 million. Imagine all the people who are able to receive services now because of the agency's growth. Imagine all the people who have found a better quality of life through MCC, HATCH, the Switchboard, SPRY, and the new GLBT Cultural Center. She makes sure Montrose Counseling Center is an openly proud GLBT organization, even when it may not be popular with funders or other service providers. Perhaps she put it best when she said, "As an ally whocomes from a rural, conservative, religious family, I have a passion - and I feel an obligation - to make sure people are not hurt by the misguided views of people who think that only people like them deserve rights."

SANDY STACY

RN - Biography 2009 I had only been working with HIV for little over a year back in 1989, when I realized that I could do so much to help all that were infected and affected with HIV. Prior to moving to Houston in 1987 I had lived in a suburb of Dallas with little knowledge of the Gay Community or how devastated HIV had affected it. In 1988, I got a job in the business office of Dr's Crofoot, Valfree, Brewton and Rios whose primary practice was HIV and 90% Gay. This was representative of the disease at that time. I quickly realized that I wanted to do more to help this community than setting appointments and filing insurance. In 1990 I returned to school for nursing. After graduate as a RN in July of 1994, I was offer a job at Omega House and I knew I had found my niche. I learned so much from a number of great mentors and friends in this community that opened their arms and hearts to me. When Bering and Omega House merged in 1999, I became the Director of Nursing for the agency and the Director of Omega House. In this role I have been able to carry on much of the love and caring work started by Eleanor Munger. I have been so blessed to be the person that helps to guide patients, family and friends through a very difficult period of life. Working with Bering Omega gives me such pride. They are a respected agency that have always been supportative of my work. The allow me the flexibility to help individuals in the community. During the twenty years in the community I have always tried to support the cause any way I could. I did the first AIDS walk, when it was a 10K walk, 5K run (who's idea was that, I never saw those runners again), marched with ACT-UP (should have investigated that a bit more), attended fundraisers (more that I can remember), volunteer at the showing of the AIDS quilt and walked in the Pride Parade during the heat of day, and not much cooler nights.

I have volunteered at Montrose Clinic drawing blood and assisting with exams as a new graduate, was a volunteer nurse at Steven's House, and member of Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, treasure for 3 years. Currently I am on the board of Lazarus House, and I'm a member of the Thomas Street Advisory Committee. I have lectured, spoke and educated in a number of settings. I pride myself in always being available to anyone. Whether it has to do with HIV or the sudden death of a loved one, I am always surprised that people find their way to me. Being in this community for so long a have a wealth of knowledge that I am always willing to share. I am a familiar face, associated with a number of causes, and love the GLBT as an embracing community as well as many individually. Most of what I have done over the last 20 years have been to support people in this community one on one. That is what I am best at, will continue to do be because I love being able to help people. I am so honored to be nominated for the Grand Marshall and the work I have done being acknowledge by my friends and peers.