Former GALA director accused of embezzling nonprofit funds
LGBTQ+ nonprofit’s ex-director allegedly stole funds for personal use
– The Gala Pride & Diversity Center in San Luis Obispo announced this week that its former executive director is accused of embezzling funds from the organization.
A letter from the center’s board of directors, copied below, stated that they discovered on Oct. 2 that Dustin Colyer-Worth, who previously led the San Luis Obispo County LGBTQ+ nonprofit, allegedly transferred the organization’s money into his personal accounts during his tenure:
Dear Community,
It is with open and vulnerable hearts that we reach out to share a disturbing discovery our Board of Directors made last week regarding the disgraceful and illegal behavior of the Gala Pride & Diversity Center’s former Executive Director, Dustin Colyer-Worth.
In June 2024, Mr. Colyer-Worth moved from a full-time role as Executive Director to a part-time role, as the organization worked to transition him out completely at the end of the year. Between June and September, we encountered persistent challenges in gaining access to essential systems, processes, and banking information, which hindered our ability to maintain oversight. Due to these ongoing issues, the Board decided on September 22, 2024, to fully cut ties with Mr. Colyer-Worth. On October 2, 2024, the Board begun to uncover evidence that Mr. Colyer-Worth had diverted organizational funds into his personal accounts.
Beyond being appalled by such behavior, we are deeply saddened to discover that a trusted leader of our organization would betray our LGBTQ+ community and attempt to profit from your generosity to our mission. We are committed to addressing this betrayal with transparency and integrity. We are working closely with legal counsel and local authorities to conduct a full investigation, including a forensic audit, to determine the full extent of this financial misconduct. We are also implementing stricter financial and operational oversight measures to ensure that such actions can never happen again.
We want to thank you for being a supporter of this organization. We know that this news may impact your trust in us, and we are committed to rebuilding that trust. To help rebuild our connection with the community, we will be hosting a Q&A session in the coming weeks where we encourage you to share your questions, thoughts, and concerns. We will announce details on our website and social media, and we welcome your participation.
The critical support and resources we provide—whether through advocacy, support groups, or family-friendly events—will remain a steadfast priority. As an organization, we feel appalled at the risk of harm that these services were put under. Despite this setback, we are more determined than ever to honor our mission of empowering people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions throughout the Central Coast.
Thank you for standing by us. This betrayal has been horrifying to uncover, and we are grateful for your understanding as we navigate this difficult time. We pledge to keep you informed throughout this process, and to bear witness to your grief as you process alongside us. Together we will rebuild and reaffirm our commitment to the community.
In Humble Gratitude,
The Gala Pride & Diversity Center Board of Directors
