Richard Bass - President/Chair

(He/Him)

Richard was a 35-year career educator with Los Angeles Unified School District as a high school teacher of French and Psychology for 25 years, followed by Assistant Principal, Secondary Counseling Services until his retirement in 1999.  During that time, he also worked part-time with the LGBTQ+ community as a licensed psychotherapist (MFT).  In 2014, Richard founded, along with Brian De Vries, Professor of Gerontology Emeritus, Planning Ahead for LGBTQ+ Seniors (PALS) and served as coordinator of the program until 2024. PALS is an educational program encouraging LGBTQ+ people to plan ahead before a health issue. Currently, Richard is aging well at Stonewall Gardens Assisted Living with care nearby when needed. Through aging and through his work with PALS, he has learned how important it is to have someone help coordinate care during a health issue and furthermore, how helpful is to plan for care before a health issue.