About Us

Pauline Miriam
Founder/Event Promoter

Hot Flash is the brain child of Pauline Miriam, a political organizer from the 70's (anti-war, gay liberation, lesbian liberation, the 70s women's movement).  Finding herself unexpectedly single at age 50, Pauline found her options for meeting women her own age were extremely limited.  With necessity being the mother of invention, Hot Flash Dance Parties was created.  

Thirty-six years of volunteer political movement work and leadership positions beginning at age 12 (President of my Phila. B'nai B'rith Girls Chapter) laid the foundation for Pauline to begin Hot Flash and the rest is history.

Now in its sixth year, Hot Flash has grown beyond the wildest dreams of Pauline, with dances in Washington State, Oregon, Arizona and California.

Voted "Best Women's Dance Regardless of Sexual Orientation" in Best of Seattle 2008 Magazine, Pauline hopes to continue producing some of the best retro women's dances in the country. 

And, by the way, after eight years of independently fierce living, Pauline has settled into quiet domesticity with her loving sweetheart, Joyce, who she met at a Hot Flash dance.

Joyce Schiltz
Hot Flash Boi Friday

As our in-house accountant, Joyce's attributes are razor-sharp.  Her acumen with our records is met by her incredible social skills.  Found close by Pauline on most occasions (or otherwise on the dance floor), Joyce is the woman whose shoulders are the broadest as she is tactful, thoughtful and always finds a way to calm and control any situation.  You'll find an easy smile and welcoming shoulder with Joyce.  

Jennifer Meyer, Tribute Web Design
Web Designer and Administrator

Jennifer joined us with the redesign of our new website. She owns her own web design business (Tribute Web Design) in Eugene, OR, where she lives with her partner of 28 years. She's also a writer and photographer. Before moving to Eugene, she spent 12 years as managing editor of Matrix, a feminist newsmagazine, in Santa Cruz, California. (And yes, the tiger is real!)

Azure Jones and Trina Maltos
Phoenix Site Manager & DJ

Azure and Trina come to us as a couple of several years who have found the perfect synthesis of work versus play in Inferno Phoenix. They have successfully partnered with lesbian entrepreneurs in Arizona bringing to Inferno Phoenix a special blend of social and professional networking.  Azure is our site manager and Trina keeps the floor hopping as our monthly DJ.

Cari Boatright Cagle
Eugene Site Manager

Formerly of San Francisco by way of Eugene, has been active member of ACT UP!, a group of individuals committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. Additionally, she is an RN, a former director of two free clinics serving the medically indigent, a builder, a published author, a former professor, and a photographer. She is committed to LGBT causes and is especially active in working towards legalizing marriage for same-sex couples and ending DOMA. She is excited to be working with Eugene Hot Flash Dances and making it the premier once-a-month hot spot for the Eugene Lesbian community.

Kelcie Kopf
San Diego Site Manager

Kelcie is originally from Texas and moved to San Diego three years ago.  She started a social group for lesbians that now has over 430 members and is growing everyday.  In addition to organizing the social group, she has been active as an organizer for the Dyke March, a member of the Women's Advisory Council for the LGBT Center and is the volunteer coordinator for San Diego Indie Fest.  She's heading up San Diego Hot Flash Dances and has had a blast with all the ladies so far and is looking forward to expanding the Hot Flash inter-generational community in San Diego!

Lisa Lake (right)
Facebook Marketer & Las Vegas Site Manager

Lisa is originally from Southern California and is currently residing in Southern Utah, where she is working on her Master’s in Business Administration. She brings a wide range of experiences to Hot Flash including owning and operating 3 of her own businesses, working as a manager for an international company and over 10 years working in the social services field. She started and runs a lesbian networking group in Southern Utah and was previously on the board of Southern Utah Pride. She is excited to be bringing Hot Flash to Las Vegas and hopes to bring it to Salt Lake City, UT in the near future.

Lorie Clark (left)
Las Vegas Staff Photographer

Lorie has 30 years experience in the printing/graphics industry. She dabbles in art and photography and is the photographer for the Las Vegas Hot Flash Dances.

Marlene Andrejco
Portland Staff Photographer

When she isn't behind the lens of a camera, Marlene Andrejco can often be found in front of a film screen. Photography and film are lifelong passions for Marlene, who landed in Portland after stints in Los Angeles (Hollywood, of course) and Washington DC, where she marched alongside "a bunch of gay Texas cowboys" during the 1993 Gay March on Washington. She is a member of Portland's New Space Center for Photography and has a long time involvement with the Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. As the Portland Hot Flash photographer, Marlene captures the fun, energy, and friendliness of these events.

Dawn Kowalewski
Portland Staff Photographer

Dawn Kowalewski travels from Portland to Eugene to photograph the warm and wonderful ladies (and many new friends) at Hot Flash events—and loves it!  She is a foreign patent paralegal by trade but hopes to someday shoot weddings and portraits (especially for the LBGT community) full time.  When she isn’t slaving in the corporate environment, you can find her shooting and processing hundreds of photos, cycling and dancing with her wife Monika, cooking elaborate vegan meals, or out walking their five dogs.  Pink Dawn Photography is available to capture your portrait and wedding/commitment ceremony anytime & anywhere.

Aurea Astro
Seattle Staff Videographer

Kathy Jo (Tex) Sullivan
Olympia Staff Photographer

By day our Oly photographer is a 20 year public servant with the Washington State Department of Ecology. Our intrepid butch works diligently spreading queer visibility and as a Development Analyst for the Air Quality Program. By night, this extraordinary mom, wife, and friend spends her time with family; playing, cooking, and remodeling their 60-year-old south Oly home.

Jennifer Durham
Seattle Staff Photographer

Jennifer is very happy to join the women of Hot Flash!  She recently relocated to Seattle from Los Angeles where she has been a professional photographer producing beautiful images of all kinds for over 20 years. She is as comfortable in the studio as on any location. She has worked on big sets and small sets shooting everything from food to products of all shapes and sizes to people of all shapes and sizes. You can see more of her portrait work at www.portraits.jenniferdurham.com and some of her fine art work at www.jenniferdurham.com. Jennifer can be reached at info@jenniferdurham.com.

Our DJ's

	Wildfire Portland, OR Eugene, OR Seattle, WA Olympia, WA		Trina Phoenix, AZ
	Fast Layne Eugene, OR		Lauren Portland, OR
	Stacey Seattle, WA		Muse San Diego, CA
	DJ T Olympia, WA