Leadership

Staff:

DeReau K. Farrar, Artistic Director. DeReau (he/him/his) was a fan of Bridging Voices long before being hired as our AD! DeReau is the Director of Music at First Unitarian Church of Portland and President for the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries. He’s also worked with the Portland Revels and Resonance Ensemble. Prior to moving to Portland in 2016, he worked in Los Angeles with A Noise Within (The Threepenny Opera, A Christmas Carol), DC6 Singers (SxSW, Jessye Norman’s Stand Up Straight and Sing! Tour, Sundance, Norman Lear, Michael Abels, Jerry Kohl), Monkeypaw Productions (Get Out), HBO (All the Way), Selah Gospel Choir (Coachella, RuPaul’s DragCon), MUSE/IQUE Symphony Orchestra, The RED Stamp (The Wiz, Ragtime, Songs for a New World), Epic Megalopolis Productions (JUNK! A Rock Opera), The Verdi Chorus, the University of California Los Angeles (The First Lady), California State University Los Angeles (A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum), New Roads School (Guys and Dolls), a bunch of churches he’s proud of and a few he’s not, plus some other folks. DeReau has served as the Bridging Voices Artistic Director since August 2022.

Maia Estes, Operations Coordinator. Maia (she/her/hers and they/them/theirs) joined the chorus originally in 2015 and quickly grew in as a singer and a leader. She was one of the first singers to take on a leadership role in the chorus, working closely with the Artistic Director to manage singers, music and choir practice routines. They later left the choir in 2018 after the Raise Your Voice concert to focus on their career. She spent the next 4 years working in a national retail chain, traveling, and being with her family. Maia joined the board in November 2022. She served on the Bridging Voices Board of Directors to lend her expertise in Human Resources. They have been working in Human Resources for over two years, hiring, onboarding and managing employees for a local Target store. Giving back to an organization that has added so much to her life and the lives of so many LGBTQIA+ youth is an honor.  

board of directors:

Rachel Bancroft, Board Treasurer and Interim Board Chair. (she/her) became involved with Bridging Voices in 2019, when her non-binary child joined the choir. It has been a joy to see her child thrive in the choir and feel empowered to express themselves. Rachel started volunteering with Bridging Voices as a grant writer in January 2023 and became a board member in November 2023. She has experience volunteering with Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington, Portland Society for Calligraphy, schools that her kids attend, and Mama Dragons (a non-profit that supports and empower mothers of LGBTQ children). She has grown a lot as a parent and LBGTQ+ advocate, and now encourages other parents to support and celebrate their queer kids. Rachel lives in Portland and is an artist and calligrapher with a life-long passion for the arts.

Maya Trabin, Board Secretary. Maya (she/her/hers) is a queer writer and strategist working to build new possibilities through narrative change. In her work as a communications consultant, she collaborates with nonprofits and foundations building a more equitable, sustainable world. Maya is the proud parent of two amazing school-aged kids and one clingy rescue dog. In a political climate where the rights and safety of LGBT+ youth are being eroded, she is thrilled to support spaces that center queer joy. (Her own singing is limited to the shower.) Maya joined the Bridging Voices board in March 2024.

Erik Gulliickson, Interim Artistic Director

Anna Phillips, Board Member

Susannah Axelrod, Board Member. Susannah (she/her) has more than 20 years of experience building and leading product teams for B2B software companies including Intuit, Thomson Reuters, Verizon, Puppet and Sauce Labs. With an MBA from Wharton, she understands both the executive perspective and the mechanics of product, UX and developer teams. Susannah has been a fractional product leader, consultant and advisor for diverse software companies since 2023. She has sung in classical and acapella choirs for decades, and is currently a soprano singing with two choirs in Portland's Blueprint Arts organization. As a parent of a choir member and an advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ kids, Susannah joined the Bridging Voices board in June 2025.

Bennett George, Youth Liaison to the Board. Bennett (He/Him) has been with Bridging Voices for many years as a performer, and is on the Youth Leadership Committee.

ongoing thanks for generous service:

Mark Clift, CPA, Director of Finance.

Sharon Lamoreaux, Bookkeeper.

Evan C. Paul, Principal Pianist.