San Diego Pride is excited to announce that Leane Marchese (she/her) will serve as the organization’s new Executive Director. Leane, a San Diego native and accomplished non-profit leader, brings a deep commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and a passion for social change to her new role. With a career dedicated to fostering community engagement and building strategic partnerships, Leane is no stranger to San Diego Pride, having previously served on the Board from 2006-2008 and as an ongoing volunteer.
Leane expressed her enthusiasm for her new role, stating, “San Diego Pride is more than a celebration—it’s a powerful movement for visibility, acceptance, and change. My focus is to honor this legacy and ensure that Pride remains a beacon of strength, resilience, and celebration for future generations.”
Before joining San Diego Pride, Leane served as the Founding Executive Director of Life Science Cares San Diego, where she successfully united the Life Science Industry to address poverty and inequity. Her leadership has also extended to executive roles at the YMCA of San Diego County and ElderHelp, where she spent over a decade as Executive Director.
State Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins praised Leane’s appointment, emphasizing that her thoughtful and inclusive leadership comes at a crucial time for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The search for the new Executive Director was a community-driven process led by San Diego Pride’s Board of Directors, with support from Blair Search Partners and input from community members, volunteers, and key stakeholders.
San Diego Pride extends its deepest gratitude to Interim Co-Executive Directors Jen LaBarbera (they/them) and Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her) for their leadership during the transition. Both Jen and Sarafina will continue to serve San Diego Pride in their previous roles as Director of Education and Advocacy and Deputy Executive Director, respectively.
As San Diego Pride looks to the future, planning for next year’s celebrations is already underway. The organization will soon begin a strategic planning process that will include opportunities for community input and engagement with Leane Marchese as she steps into her new role.
Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting new chapter together.
San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.
