When I started working at Equality Federation in 2012, there were five of us on the team. In the past 11 years, we have grown not only in size but also in mission, programs, and capacity. We are no longer the scrappy organization we once were. 

One of my goals when I became executive director in 2021 was to build the infrastructure of this organization so we could better serve our state partners and the movement at large. I am proud to say that Equality Federation is now an organization of 17, with the plan to have a staff of 20 by the end of the year.

As the national partner to 46 state-based organizations advocating for LGBTQ+ equality, we knew we had to grow as our state partners' needs developed. Our programs and state support have changed dramatically over the years, and now we are hiring more folks to manage even more new and urgent work. 

With the addition of our five new team members, we have significantly increased not only in number but also in skills and expertise among the team. We now have folks with experience working for reproductive rights, racial justice, gun violence prevention, electing candidates, and LGBTQ+ direct service organizations. We have team members who have been in their careers for decades and those we are just starting theirs, bringing wisdom and fresh perspectives alike. 

Please join me in welcoming:

• Mario, he/him/his, Donor Relations Manager
• Sheila, she/her/hers, Vice President of Programs
• Rashanna, she/her/hers, State Policy Analyst
• Sami, she/her and they/them, Digital Communications Manager
• Eric, he/him/his, Director of People and Culture

We can only build movement capacity and infrastructure if we have the organizational infrastructure to support our team. That’s why we have a brand new Operations Department serving as the engine of our organization, keeping the day-to-day running smoothly so that our other departments can do the work that sustains us and advances our mission. Mel directs this team as our Vice President of Operations, promoted to this position after serving the organization in various capacities over the past seven years! Also on the new Operations team is our systems and analytics genius, Skye, now our Data Manager, ensuring we have all the information we need to succeed. 

Our Development Department is now led by Joellyn, who received a promotion after leading our donor and corporate relations work for the past five years. She currently manages a team that includes new, dedicated positions for grants management and donor relations. 

With our expanded team and shifted structure, we are a new and improved Equality Federation. We are still that scrappy organization at heart, but with a lot more resources, expertise, and people power to do the work that needs to be done.

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