LGBTQ+ Leadership Council

Compassion & Choices is committed to raising awareness around the healthcare disparities and barriers that the LGBTQ+ community faces. We created the LGBTQ+ Leadership Council to build partnerships with LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations to help educate and empower LGBTQ+ Americans to chart their own end-of-life care journey.

Current Members

Florrie Burke (She/Her)

Stella Dawson (She/Her)

Phil Duran (He/Him)

Carrie Framsted (She/Her)

Jim Kelly (He/Him)

Blake Oshiro (He/Him)

Kelly Rice (They/Them)

Deb Robertson (She/Her)

Barb Timper (She/Her)

Honoring Those We’ve Lost

Allyne Hammer (She/Her/Ella

Allyne Hammer will be remembered as a joyful force to be reckoned with. Dedicated as a long time Labor, LGBTQ+ and Women's Rights Activist. She lived as a fierce advocate for patient-directed care and medical aid in dying. Involved in the Death with Dignity movement for more than 40 years. She led the Compassion & Choices Santa Cruz Action Team, sat on the LGBTQ+ Leadership Council, and facilitated Death Cafes for Hospice of Santa Cruz County. In a meeting with Compassion and Choices LGBTQ+ staff she said through tears and smiles that “It helps to know that people coming up behind me are doing the work so that I know when it’s time for me to die that the struggle continues.” Allyne gave us a tremendous gift in this movement and by her friendship.

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