DDG June 1 2023

THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE DESERT
APPOINTS MIKE THOMPSON AS NEW CEO
Palm Springs, California -May 24, 2023 - The Board of Directors of the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert is delighted to
announce the return of Mike Thompson as our Executive Director and CEO. Many Coachella Valley locals
know Mike from his previous successful tenure with The Center from 2014 – 2021. Mike returns to his previous post after a successful
stint as Chief Impact Officer at CenterLink, an international network of LGBTQ Community Centers. His abilities as a strategic thinker
and know-how for transforming policy into actionable, quantitative campaigns have carried him through a consistent string of
lucrative engagements.
Current and interim CEO, Don Zuidema states: “I have had the great honor of serving as Interim CEO of this amazing organization
during the last several months while the search committee took on the important task of finding a permanent CEO. I could not be
happier to welcome Mike Thompson back into this role. I know I join the staff and the Board of Directors in welcoming Mike back and
for this exciting new chapter for The Center.”
Mike is a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation, a graduate of The University of Oklahoma, and has a coaching certification from
Hendricks Institute. He also holds a nonprofit board consulting certification from BoardSource and serves on the faculty of the
Billions Institute where he is also a leadership coach. Mike has received numerous Community Leadership Awards and in 2019 was
named one of “50 People Who Impact the Quality of Life in the Coachella Valley”.
About The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert:
With origins as a social club for mature gay and bisexual men, The LGBTQ Center of the Desert has made impressive strides over
the past 20+ years. Today the Center facilitates its endeavors to sustain an energetic and diverse community with open arms. Our
foundation is built on providing support to ensure a healthy, thriving and equal community that benefits the greater good in our
everyday lives. With an invincible staff, a dedicated corps of volunteers and generous donors, the Center offers social
and educational programs, annual events, health and wellness services for multi-race and multi-generational clients throughout the
Coachella Valley with offices located in Palm Springs and Coachella. Our mission is to create an open and welcoming environment
for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. For the latest updates follow @thecentercv on social media and our website https://
thecentercv.org Participate in the dialogue using #thecentercv.
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