Kelly Watson - Treasurer

(She/Her)

Kelly Watson attended UCLA’s Dental School and Graduate School of Microbiology and Immunology. Her first career was as a research scientist in academia and then in the pharmacology industry.

Changing careers to follow her interests in substance abuse and mental health, Kelly opened a residential mental health/substance abuse center for women. Later she also served as Executive Director of outpatient mental health treatment centers in Prescott, Sedona, and Phoenix. She remains active in the recovering community as a mentor and is active in assuring access to health services for the Lesbian community by serving on the Lesbian and Queer Women’s Health Committee.

Kelly previously served on the Advisory Board of the L-Fund, a nonprofit charity for Lesbians in the Coachella Valley.  She was also Chairwoman of the L-Fund Arts Committee. Currently she serves on the Board of PALS (Planning Ahead for LGBTQ+ Seniors) a nonprofit corporation based in Palm Springs, Ca.  PALS provides no-cost educational programs, tools and resources that help LGBTQ+ adults and friends effectively plan ahead before a health or other life-altering situation arises.

Additionally, Kelly is a Board member of the ICRC (Inland Caregiver Resource Center) which serves Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Interests in the arts and women’s issues led Kelly to becoming an Executive Director of documentary films telling empowering women’s stories. These films include the award-winning Letter to Anita, The Passionate Pursuits of Angela Bowen, Kitty Tsui: Nice Chinese Girls Don’t and Miss Lillian-the Lillian Carter Story. Following this work, she and her wife, Dr. Ronni Sanlo, formed their own production company, Strait Knot Productions, which supports women in the arts as well as women’s recovery and health needs.

In all her various roles Kelly sees the need for better culturally appropriate care and services to address the needs of the LGBTQ community.  The discrepancy in health care outcomes for the LGBTQ community is caused in part by the lack of agencies which guide clients to safe and affirming providers.  TCM will be that agency.