About

2013 Gertrude Stein Officers

Every November, the Gertrude Stein Club elects officers responsible for the management, fundraising, and operations of the the organization. These officers constitute the Stein Club's Executive Committee, which helps facilitate membership activities including social and political events for Stein Club members and DC's broader community of LGBT Democrats.

The 2013 Stein Executive Committee represent both new and long time Stein members from across the District. Their vision for 2013 is to strengthen DC's voice for LGBT Democrats by expanding Stein's role in community advocacy, and ensuring that LGBT people are represented at all levels of DC government.


Martín Garcia - President

Martin Garcia head shot

Martín is currently an account manager at a progressive political consulting firm in DC, The Campaign Workshop. With the firm he has worked on candidate campaigns, ballot initiatives, and independent expenditures across the country. Prior to that, he spent 3 years with the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute, the nation's leading organization working to elect openly LGBT candidates and officials. As a member of Victory's political team, Martín coordinated the endorsement process, and advised and provided resources to campaigns throughout the country at all levels of government. For two years he managed the Victory Institute's highly acclaimed candidate and campaign trainings. He ran successful field programs to help elect the first LGBT people to the Ohio House of Representatives and the Denver and Charlotte City Councils.

Martín graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and Theatre Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a Sagittarius, a California native and (according to Myers-Briggs) an ENFP.



Angela Peoples - Vice President for Legislative & Political Affairs

Angela Peoples head shot

Angela Peoples currently serves as a Policy Analyst at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau where she works to increase consumer protection for student loan borrowers. Prior to joining the Bureau, Angela was the Policy and Advocacy Manager for Campus Progress, the youth organizing arm of the Center for American Progress. In her role at the Center for American Progress, Angela coordinated issue campaigns on the national, state, and local levels covering a range of issues from gender neutral housing to increased funding for need based student programs. Angela also served as legislative director for the United States Student Association where she worked with consumer groups to enact student friendly program integrity and college affordability policies on the federal level. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University where she studied Political Science and Africana studies.



Vincent Paolo Villano - Vice President for Administration

Vincent Paolo Villano head shot

Vincent Paolo Villano is the director of communications at the National Center for Transgender Equality, responsible for the organization's media strategy and brand management. Vincent joins NCTE from the Center for American Progress where through the youth organizing arm, Campus Progress, he executed over 150 political, cultural, and advocacy events that advance progressive policies in higher education, climate change, immigration, and LGBT equality.

Vincent is a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and 2008 graduate of the American University School of Public Affairs, where he received a high honor for his research on LGBT youth and intergroup relations. As a past board member of the DC Youth Pride Alliance, he launched the Wanda Alston scholarship fund for Metro DC LGBTQ youth. Vincent is a 2009 New Leaders Fellow at the Center for Progressive Leadership, and a 21st Century Fellow with the Pipeline Project.


Barrie R. Daneker - Treasurer 

Barrie resides in Ward 5 and served 4 years as a Commissioner in ANC5C.  He is currently an Ex-Offico member of DC Democratic State Committee and has served as the Finance Chair, since first being elected in 2009.  Barrie is originally from Rhode Island where he attend the Wheeler School before attaining his B.S. in Finance from Marist College in New York where he worked with Lee Miringoff the director of the Marist Poll, a well know nationwide political and public opinion polling group. He is an accountant and financial services executive with over 25 years experience in banking and financial systems working for various Fortune 500 firms such as American Express, Fleet Financial Group and Putnam Investments.   

Since moving to the District in 2005, he has spend the last 8 years in the affordable housing sector working for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and now the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development where he manages financial and grants systems. Besides working for various democratic candidates in New York, Rhode Island and here in the District, he is also the founder of BarDel International, LLC; a high quality lighting company whose clients include the W Hotel, Washington DC; Hip-Hop producer, Russell Simmons; and many others. 


Jimmie Luthuli - Secretary

Jimmie Luthuli, Head ShotJimmie Luthuli is the Operations Manager at a health care advocacy non-profit organization that seeks to build alliances between businesses and labor in the process of implementing the Affordable Care Act. She is serving her second term as Secretary of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club. Originally from Texas, Luthuli participated in Houston Stonewall Young Democrats and volunteered her time phone banking and canvassing for LGBT equality in Texas. Jimmie worked for the Texas Legislature as both a Policy Analyst and the Chief of Staff for State Representative Dora Olivo.

Following her move to the nation's capital city after working her third session in the Texas Legislature, Luthuli immediately became active in the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club and Women's Information Network (an organization for pro-choice Democratic women). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Pomona College in Claremont, California and a Master of Public Affairs degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.