In just a few short weeks, our members will have the chance to vote on our new slate of member representatives to the Equality Federation and Equality Federation Institute Board of Directors.

I’m thrilled to introduce you to our current slate of member representative candidates: Amber Royster, Chris Sgro, Michael Nordman, and Monica Meyer! These incredible leaders will represent the interests and needs of our member groups on the board in order to better equip the Equality Federation to be the strategic partner to the state-based movement.

As leaders of our member organizations, all of our extraordinary candidates have a commitment to strengthening the Federation. You’ll get a chance to meet them at Summer Meeting 2014 (register now!). But in the meantime, get to know them a bit more right now!

Amber Royster is the Executive Director of Equality New Mexico.

Since joining EQNM in February 2013, Amber has worked to reorient and grow the organization to be a trusted advocate, partner, and ally for broad-based equality and justice issues facing the LGBTQ community. A committed activist and advocate for intersectional social justice movements, Amber has helped to frame and connect LGBTQ equality efforts to rights and causes beyond the LGBT community.

Prior to joining EQNM, Amber has worked for CHOICE Regional Health Network in Community Engagement and the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Following six years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Master of Public Administration degrees at The Evergreen State College. Amber grew up in Albuquerque and has family roots throughout New Mexico spanning six generations.

Amber’s vision for the Federation is similar to her vision for EQNM: we must commit ourselves to leading an intersectional movement.

It is imperative that we commit to this movement building, and reject the notion that once we've achieved these measures of legal equality that our work is done. The Federation has the opportunity to be a resource and voice of leadership in this regard, and I believe that doing so will help ensure the integrity, sustainability, and growth of what has become a well-resourced and highly visible equality movement.

Chris Sgro is the Executive Director of Equality North Carolina (ENC).

Through Chris' leadership and that of a phenomenal staff and board, ENC has seen its largest ever gala, finalized a 3-year strategic plan, and launched several key initiatives for 2014 and beyond.

Previously, Chris was Director of Economic Development for U.S. Senator Kay Hagan. Following roles with nonprofits like America Votes, an issue advocacy group, and CARE, an international development organization, Chris worked in management positions with two winning political campaigns, Kay Hagan for U.S. Senate and Don Vaughan for North Carolina State Senate. He is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. He lives in Greensboro, N.C. with his partner, Ryan.

According Chris, the Federation's most important impact on the state-based equality movement will be providing leadership on the way forward after marriage:

As marriage sweeps across the nation, including here in the South, in the next few years, I know the Federation is already providing leadership as we look at issues that we still face in most parts of country before we achieve lived equality. Whether it is through bringing national attention to issues like employment non-discrimination or connecting us to successful programs being run in other states around school safety, the Federation will play an important convening and connecting role in the years to come.

Michael Nordman is the Director of Development at Equality Illinois.

Since starting in 2012, Michael has helped the organization raise more than $2.8 million towards their fight for LGBT equality by mobilizing existing supporters and inspiring Illinoisans from all walks of life to join the movement. He is in charge of fundraising, organizing events, including the annual Justice for All Gala, which is the Midwest’s largest LGBT fundraising party, and identifying new sources of support for the growing mission of EQIL.

Prior to Equality Illinois, Michael raised $3.5 million in funds for winning progressive Democratic candidates in Illinois and Kentucky. Originally from Little Rock, Ark., Michael came to Chicago in 2010 after graduating Syracuse University and earning a graduate degree from George Washington University.

Michael believes the greatest impact the Federation can make is in the states — building sustainable and stronger member organizations.

Member organizations are the go-to resources for members of the LGBT community in each state, especially in more conservative areas. The Federation already does a great job of training and working with state leaders on the ground, and I hope that they will continue to develop those resources for organizations as we begin to achieve more victories on marriage equality and nondiscrimination across the country. We need to ensure that every state group can grow and be successful, and I see the Federation as being the foundation to making that happen.

Monica Meyer became the Executive Director of OutFront Minnesota in 2010, after serving as Public Policy Director for nine years.

Under Monica's leadership, OutFront Minnesota and Project 515 co-founded Minnesotans United for All Families, the campaign which defeated the proposed constitutional amendment to limit the freedom to marry in 2012 and won marriage for same-sex couples just seven months later.

The Minnesota Safe Schools for All Coalition was also founded under Monica's leadership, and successfully advocated for the passage of a comprehensive bullying prevention bill which was signed into law on April 9, 2014. Monica received her master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota, and her undergraduate degree from Hamline University.

Monica knows what the greatest impact the Equality Federation can make in in the next five years is:

To help achieve legal protections for LGBT equality in all 50 states and to continue to move our communities from accepting LGBT people and families to embracing them.

We’re thrilled to have these four leaders as potential additions to the Equality Federation Board!