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SLDN Announces New Board Members
WASHINGTON, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today announced the election of three new members to its board of directors.
Captain Joan E. Darrah, USN (Ret.) joined the Navy in 1973 and retired in May 2002. She has served as a submarine analyst and an action officer at the Naval Intelligence Processing Support Activity (NIPSSA). A graduate of the Naval War College, she served as the Aide and Flag Secretary to the President of the College and as the Deputy Director of the Human Resources Directorate at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). In July 1994, she was transferred to the Bureau of Naval Personnel where she was the Intelligence Community Senior Detailer and Community Manager until May 1997. Following this tour, she returned to ONI where she was assigned as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander from June 1997 until July 2000. Her final assignment was on the staff of the Director of Naval Intelligence, where she served as the Officer and Enlisted Community Manager from July 2000 until May 2002. Captain Darrah’s personal decorations include the Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), and the Navy Achievement Medal. Captain Darrah currently lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Cholene Espinoza was the second woman to fly the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft in the U.S. Air Force. She logged over 200 hours of combat time and was awarded the Air Medal and Aerial Achievement Medal for her service. Espinoza graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987 and was selected to be a jet instructor pilot in 1988. She currently serves as a Captain for United Airlines. She was an embedded journalist with the U.S. Marine Corps 1st Tank Battalion during the Iraq War and has reported from Syria, Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, Jordan, and Kuwait. Through the Eye of the Storm, her account of working along the American Gulf Coast following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, was recently published by Chelsea Green Publishing. She lives in New York City.
Anne S. Wynne is the Founder of Atticus Circle, a group focused on education, policy development and legal advocacy to achieve equality for all parents and partners, regardless of sexual orientation. In spring 2005 during the 79th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, she testified against HJR-6, the bill that put a constitutional amendment banning civil marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships for same gender couples on the November 5, 2005, ballot. As a spokesperson for No Nonsense in November, the coalition of more than 150 organizations and thousands of individuals working against the Texas Marriage Amendment, she had the opportunity to debate these issues many times with radical right proponents. In countless media interviews and public speaking engagements, she advocated for the thousands of families that would be hurt by embedding discrimination in the Texas Constitution. Governor Richards appointed Wynne as the first woman to serve on both the General Services Commission and Texas Transportation Commission. She currently lives in Austin, Texas.
“We are thrilled to have Joan, Cholene and Anne as part of the SLDN board,” said SLDN board co-chairs Amy S. Courter and Joe Tom Easley. “Each has shown an amazing dedication to ending discrimination in our armed forces, and each brings a wealth of talent to the organization. With their help, SLDN is moving closer every day to repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”
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