Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.
Debbie is an active volunteer with the Humanist Fellowship, managing the HFSD presence on the web, Meetup.com, and Facebook. She is also a member of the Programming Committee which coordinates educational and social events. She assumed the presidency of HFSD from Michael Summers in April of 2011.
During the summer of 2009 Debbie organized the San Diego Coalition of Reason, and still serves as it's director. For the past two years she has served as the co-facilitator of Recovering from Religion (along with HFSD board member Gary Linscott), and she recently reestablished the San Diego Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and serves as its president. She is also a Humanist Chaplain, and officiated at her first wedding on December 2nd.
Prior to joining the Humanist Fellowship Debbie was a devoted volunteer at her synagogue, serving on the board of directors and as chair of several committees. Debbie is "retired" from a career as a psychotherapist in private practice and investigator in neuropsychological research at the UCSD School of Medicine.
Debbie loves the beach, has trouble dragging herself off a dance floor, and will always be an active participant in any debate. She is happily married to an understanding and generous man who is patient with all of her commitments to the secular community.
If you want to know what I believe, watch what I do ~ Debbie
Wilfredo Perez, Vice President
Wilfredo Perez was born in the Philippines and is the oldest of four children. His father joined the U.S. Navy and Wilfredo and his siblings were raised as a “Navy brats” in Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pensacola, Florida. Wilfredo is an alumnus of San Diego State University and earned a B.A. in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration degree from SDSU. He also has a law degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Wilfredo has worked for the County of San Diego for 25 years and is a manager in the Public Health Department. He is a strong advocate of critical thought, separation of church and state, science and civil rights.
Wilfredo was sent to a fundamentalist Baptist Sunday School and church as a boy and later attended a Catholic church. Much to the chagrin of his parents, his religious schooling had the opposite of the intended effect. Most of Wilfredo's relatives are religious, but he has been a Freethinker for well over two decades. He says he is a member of a rare species: Filipino Freethinkers.
Wilfredo’s hobbies include reading, particularly about history, evolution, nature and philosophy; watching independent and foreign films and nature documentaries; hiking; fishing; international travel and attending Freethought events and SDSU football and basketball games. He has traveled extensively in Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and Latin America and believes that international travel provides one with an education that cannot be obtained in any classroom. One of his favorite quotes is from Mark Twain: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
Wilfredo strongly believes in the “First Commandment of Freethought”: Think for yourself! He resides in east Chula Vista with his wife Marites ("Tess") and their four cats.
Michael E. Summers
Michael held a variety of management positions with Cox Communications; Westfield Corporation; the San Diego Opera Association, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. He sat on and chaired numerous boards and committees for the telecommunications industry, the Arts community, and the cities of San Diego, La Mesa, and El Cajon.
He earned BA degrees in Psychology and Biblical Studies from Wheaton College (Illinois) and an MBA from National University. Michael served in the Armed Services twice: as an Avionics Technician in the Marines and as an Engineer Officer (Airborne/Ranger qualified) in the Army.
Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Michael moved to San Diego 24 years ago after separating from the Army in Fort Hood, Texas. He is the father of three beautiful and talented daughters: Brittany, Laura, and Amanda.
James Zimmerman
James Zimmerman, Secretary
James is currently a Country Specialist for China (Refugees and Business) with Amnesty International (AI). He holds a M.Phil in History from Yale University with a concentration in Chinese history. James was a Yale Fellow in East Asian Studies as well as a Research Fellow for the Institute of Humanistic Studies at Kyoto University, Japan.
In 1996, he created the first China website for AI. He has also worked with AI groups throughout the country for the release of prisoners including Tegexi, Jigme Sangpo, and Wei Jingsheng. James has spoken at numerous public forums, and conducted many interviews with the media. He has worked with numerous organizations including the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. James has been particularly active in political asylum cases, and has testified in person or in writing at more than a dozen immigration hearings. In 2008, he participated actively in AI's campaign for the Olympics. He has also prepared criticisms of U.S. government documents, including the annual State Department Human Rights report.
James reads Chinese, Japanese, French, and German. He lived in Japan for nine years and lectured at Shoin University in Kobe for five of those years. James has also lived in Taiwan for a year and has frequently traveled to Hong Kong, mainland China, and throughout other areas of Asia as well as Europe.
James is the founder of Kongo Associates, an intercultural consulting firm.
Gary Linscott, Treasurer
Gary Linscott was born and raised in Oregon. but as an adolescent moved with his family to San Rafael, California, where he graduated from high school. His family had for generations been devout, active members of the Church of Christ, and many of his relatives served as ministers, elders, deacons, Bible teachers, and missionaries. Due largely to the influence of two uncles who were gospel preachers, Gary became a ministerial student and graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.A. in Religious Studies. He later earned a teaching credential from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Gary dedicated 32 years to Christian ministry, serving primarily as a Spanish-speaking evangelist in San Juan (Puerto Rico), Los Angeles, Miami, and San Diego. For 25 years he also taught English as a Second Language, Spanish, and American Citizenship classes at adult schools within the Sweetwater Union High School District, primarily in National City.
Gary eventually became disenchanted with Christianity, and came to realize how divisive and potentially harmful all religions can be. After considerable study and reflexion, he became a Humanist, and in 2007 founded a local group that in time came to be known as San Diego Secular Humanist Outreach. He was invited to become a member of the Humanist Fellowship's Board of Directors in 2009, and has also served as an Co-Organizer for the local chapter of Recovering from Religion.
Susan Reed
Susan Reed
A California native, Susan was born in Berkeley, but raised in the San Diego area. She attended San Diego State University, studied in Heidelberg, Germany for her junior year of college, and graduated from SDSU with a BA in languages (German).
Susan went on to earn a teaching credential and taught high school in San Bernardino. She married soon afterward and returned to the San Diego area where she continued teaching for a number of years. In addition to teaching German, Susan also worked in such diverse areas as computer programming, bookkeeping, sales, and clerical.
Susan’s volunteer work spanned a variety of organizations, including the American Association of University Women and Zero Population Growth. She has been an active member of the San Diego Humanist Fellowship for over 12 years.
Madeline Cohen
Madeline Cohen
We are thrilled to welcome our newest board member! Madeline promises to introduce herself soon...but she's already busy planning fun events for members of the Humanist Fellowship!
