SF LGBT Center Appoints Jen Valles as Executive Director to Lead Its Next Chapter

The SF LGBT Center Board of Directors on September 29, 2025, announced the appointment of Jen Valles as the organization’s next Executive Director, effective January 2026. The Executive Search Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, conducted a formal, multi-stage interview process before recommending Valles as the next Executive Director.

“I am deeply honored to step into this role and build on the center’s incredible legacy,” said Valles. “This is a critical moment for our community. We are facing growing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights alongside increasing demand for services, and we cannot afford to let this become our new status quo. I believe deeply in our collective power to resist, to imagine, and to drive real change, both here in San Francisco and nationally.”

She assumes the role of executive director leadership at a time when LGBTQ+ organizations are facing a sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, strained funding, and surging demand for services. Each year, the center welcomes over 100,000 visitors and provides direct services to nearly 7,000 people, many of them transgender individuals, youth, and immigrants.

Under Valles’ stewardship, the center aims to expand its role as both a trusted local resource and a national leader in LGBTQ+ liberation, strengthening programs and shaping solutions for those most impacted by systemic injustice.

“We are proud to welcome Jen as the center’s next Executive Director,” said MK Johnson and Travis B. Mitchell, Board Co-Chairs. “Jen stands out for her charisma, passion, and strategic vision, as well as her ability to bring people together around shared purpose. She has earned the respect and trust of the center’s staff and the San Francisco community over many years, and we have full confidence in her ability to lead the organization into its next chapter.”

“I feel incredibly excited and confident about this transition,” saidRebecca Rolfe, outgoing Executive Director. “The Center is ready for this change, and Jen brings the leadership, vision, and values needed to carry the organization forward. She’s deeply aligned with the community and well-prepared to guide the center into its next chapter.” https://www.sfcenter.org/

Published on October 9. 2025