Chroma advocates for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in New Brunswick
Our vision: An equitable world where 2SLGBTQIA+ and all intersections of identity are recognized, celebrated and thriving.
Purpose
and Principles
Our values are the threads that weave through every initiative, partnership, and interaction. These principles inform our actions as an organization: Belonging, Collaboration, Equity, Respect, Empowerment
Annual Reports
Our Board
Katie Herrington
(She/Her/Elle)
President
Katie is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who was born and raised a settler on the unceded territory of the Wolastoqey in Menahqesk (Saint John). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Brunswick and a B.Ed from St. Thomas University. She is passionate about many issues including Indigenous rights and fostering and developing accessible and livable communities.
Bailey Boyer
(She/Her/Elle)
Vice President
Bailey is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community from Rothesay, New Brunswick. She graduated from UNB Saint John with a Bachelor of Science and earned a law degree with a specialization in Health Law from Dalhousie's Schulich School of Law. Called to the New Brunswick Bar in 2024, she works for Horizon Health and as a wedding officiant. She believes an equitable future for all people is possible and worth fighting for.
Catherine Sidney
(She/Her/Elle)
Co-Treasurer
Catherine is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Saint John, New Brunswick. She holds an MBA from the University of Guelph and retired in 2021 as a Senior Administrator at NBCC. In 2005, she and her spouse Bridget won the right to marry in New Brunswick. She enjoys travelling, her German Shepherd (Brahms IV), and their Old North End home. She is passionate about education and the right to be your authentic self.
Bridget McGale
(She/Her/Elle)
Board Member
Bridget is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Saint John, NB. She earned a Bachelor of Design from NSCAD in 1989, becoming the first Design student awarded the Governor General's Medal in the college's history. She is President and CEO of McGale & Associates Inc., a design firm in Saint John since 1993. She loves art, travel, and time with Catherine, guided by their motto: "Make the ordinary extraordinary."
Michelle Curwen
(She/Her/Elle)
Board Member
Michelle Curwen is a queer retired Registered Nurse who graduated in 1990, retiring due to injuries and to focus on raising her two children. She has been an active Chroma volunteer for several years and is especially involved with the Rainbow Lunch Club, where she supports and engages with the community. Michelle's interests include painting landscapes, crocheting, reading, and watching anime.
Marsha Hitchcock
(She/Her/Elle)
Board Member
Marsha’s favourite thing to do at work is to shine a light on those who don’t normally stand in the spotlight. Her job, supporting people with disabilities in New Brunswick, centers on uplifting others in any way she can. She’s been lucky enough to find work that aligns with this ideal, and hopes to continue empowering other people. She is a keen reader, writer, and loves to be involved in her community.
Hannah Gray
(She/Her/Elle)
Board Member
Hannah is proud to be a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Originally from Nova Scotia, she has called Saint John home since 2019. Hannah graduated from St. Thomas University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts and went on to complete a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Queen’s University. She now owns and operates a small therapy practice that supports neurodivergent children and youth. In both work and life, Hannah is passionate about creating spaces where everyone can thrive.
Lindsay Hazen
(they/fae/iel)
Board Member
Linsday is a vocalist and interdisciplinary cultural worker, co-founder of queer record label Moondrip Collective and cultural education group Femmes Against Empire. Assistant Box Office Manager at Imperial Theatre, Saint John, NB, and Treasurer of Third Space Gallery's Board, they champion inclusion, equity, and accessibility, creating space for non-binary and gender-creative individuals in East Coast arts.
Beck Johnson
(She/they)
Board Member
Beck is a proud member of the 2SLGBTIQA+ community, living near Menahquesk (Saint John), recently relocated from Wurundjeri country (Melbourne, Australia), Kulin Nations. With degrees in Criminal Justice, Sexology, Mental Health, and Adult Education, she champions advocacy, empowerment, and inclusion. Outside work, Beck is rewilding her land with her partner, playing roller derby, and photographing nature.
Maria Murphy
(She/Her)
Secretary
Dr. Maria Murphy is a strategist and relationship builder advancing inclusive, sustainable futures. Known for securing funding for community-engaged research across law, medicine, and social sciences, she drives equitable growth. After 12 years in the United States, she returned to the Maritimes as VP Development and Social Sustainability at Bloom Funding, championing inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.
Krisa Katassidis
(She/Her)
Board Member
New to New Brunswick with connections in Toronto and Calgary, Krisa is a social worker in adult mental health at Horizon Health Network. Passionate about honoring the voices and choices of marginalized communities, she brings experience in crisis and suicide prevention, peer support for domestic abuse, and mental health. Outside work, she loves yoga, baking, friends, and new hobbies she never sticks to.
Alanna Alves
(any/all)
Board Member
A proud 2SLGBTQIA+ member from Toronto, Alanna has called Saint John home since 2023. Chroma gave her a safe space to find community and chosen family. Now working as an Anti-Money Laundering Analyst, team leader, and key accounts manager, she spent 18 years as a Pastry Chef specializing in vegan food and private brands. She enjoys gardening, board games, local history, and beach walks with her chihuahua Beans.
Our Team
Hadeel Ibrahim
(She/Her/Elle)
Executive Director
Hadeel is an Iraqi-Canadian who has made Saint John home. After a decade in local news journalism, she moved to the non-profit sector, deepening her commitment to social justice, equity, and human rights. She is dedicated to building bridges and fostering a community where authenticity is not a privilege. She believes local change paves the path to systemic change, starting with everyday conversations.
Tanya James
(She/Her/Elle)
Operations Manager
Tanya has been with Chroma since 2021, the year it began offering programming to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. She brings many years of community work, including experience as a Community Health Centre dietitian, food skills program leader, and Community Navigator. Making connections and strengthening communities is her passion. She holds a BSc. in Applied Human Nutrition.
Victor Reap
(They/Them/Iel)
Peer Navigator
Victor loves to help our community thrive. They are an avid hiker, a proud parent, and an openly queer and trans person. They have called Saint John home since 2009 and hold a Bachelor of Science from UNBSJ.
Sam Del Duca
(They/Them/Iel)
Project Manager
Sam is a nonbinary newcomer passionate about building queer and trans community. Their background spans hospitality, law, and journalism. As Rainbow Entrepreneur Program Manager, they foster partnerships supporting the queer and trans entrepreneurial ecosystem in Saint John. They host Chroma's Supper Club, a monthly intergenerational gathering through cooking and shared meals. Sam holds a J.D. from Georgetown and a B.A. from Rutgers.
Elena Shevchenko
(She/Her/Elle)
Education Coordinator
Elena is a queer theatre director, drama teacher, and acting coach with over 15 years of experience creating bold, inclusive, youth-centred work. She holds a Master's in Drama Theatre Directing and has directed more than 40 performances. Since immigrating from Saint Petersburg, Russia in 2021, she has brought queer-affirming, trauma-informed education to her community, creating safer spaces where creativity and authenticity are centred.
Kailer Boyne
(He/Him/Il)
Marketing & Communication Coordinator
Kailer is a transgender man from Saint John with a long history of pushing for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights. As an openly queer and neurodivergent person, he brings lived experience in the queer, trans, and invisibly disabled communities. Kai is a graduate of NBCC’s Wesley Armour School of Business with a focus on Marketing, and is especially passionate about promoting local community resources and accessible events.