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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President, Adrian Shanker
Allentown
Current Position:
Organizer, Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ
Commissioner, Allentown Human Relations Commission
Affiliations:
- Vice President, Pennsylvania Diversity Network
- Board of Associates, Muhlenberg College
- Board of Trustees, Congregation Am Haskalah (Jewish Reconstructionist)
- Elected Committeeperson, Lehigh County Democratic Party
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Vice-President, Lisa Kustra
Current Position:
Lisa M. Kustra is the Founder and CEO of Plan4Demand
Affiliations:
- Plan4Demand among “10 Coolest SCM Boutiques”, ARC Advisory Group, “favorite group in planning space in N America”
- P4D named among Pittsburgh’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies
- Lisa received Community College of Allegheny County Legends in Leadership Award
- P4D named Tech 50 award winner by Pittsburgh Technology Council;
- Named Director, Pittsburgh chapter of Women in Technology
- Recognized among Pittsburgh Business Times Changemakers;
- Honored by the State of PA as one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women Business
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Treasurer, Kevin Wm. Bennett
Erie
Current Position:
Human Resources Manager, GE Transportation
Affiliations:
- Board & Treasurer: Erie Gay Pride
- Founder & Hub Leader; GE Transportation GLBTA
- Committee Lead; GE GLBTA Connections Committee
- Steering Committee: GE Transportation Diversity Counsel
- Society Of Human Resource Management
- North West PA Personnel Association
- Former Board: HAVEN (Hemophilia & VW Education Network)
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Secretary, Paul M. Nardone
Scranton
- Current Position:
Proprietor, It’s Outrageous, LLC
Adjunct Faculty, Misericordia University
Affiliations:
- Member, Diversity Institute @ Misericordia University
- Member, NEPA Pride
- Member, NEPA Diversity Education Consortium
- Board, First Friday Scranton
- Board, Arts Council of Lackawanna County
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Christopher L. Gatesman
Mechanicsburg
Current Position:
Practice Manager – Holtgate Podiatry, PLLC
Affiliations:
- Former Associate Director of Residence Life, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
- Former Coordinator, the LGBT & Ally Education Program, James Madison University
- Former President, Virginia Association of College and University Housing Officers
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Fiona Hensley
Meadville
Current Position:
A senior at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, with a double major of Environmental Studies and Women’s Studies
Affiliations:
- In 2009 campaigned with Ask Cleveland in an effort that won protective legislation for transgender individuals in Cleveland proper.
- Hensley has been the president of Allegheny's Queers and Allies group and is regularly on the College's administrative committees, including the strategic plan Diversity and Internationalization Implementation Team as well as the search committee to fill the newly created position of Associate Director of Gender and Sexual Orientation Initiatives.
- Having been the Student Network Across Pennsylvania (SNAP) chair for the Erie-West Region, she is now chair of SNAP itself.
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Adam Hymans
Philadelphia
Current Position:
Donor Engagement Officer at The Philadelphia Foundation (TPF).
Affiliations:
- He was awarded twice by the German Consulate for his excellence in German cultural and linguistic work.
- A 2011 Pennsylvania Political Leaders Fellow with The Center for Progressive Leadership.
- Serves on a number of boards including the statewide Pennsylvania Immigration & Citizenship Coalition and Philadelphia's William Way LGBT Community Center. A member of the Pyramid Club and Cornell Club of Greater Philadelphia, he serves on their Young Executives and Social committees.
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Mary Isenhour
Harrisburg
Current Position:
Partner, Isenhour Rooney Strategies, LLC
Board Member, Planned Parenthood of PA
Governor’s Community Service Advisory Board
Advisor to Governor Edward G. Rendell Political Action Committee
Affiliations:
- Former Executive Director, Pennsylvania Democratic Party
- Former PA State Director, Hillary Clinton For President ‘08
- Former Director, PA Victory ‘06
- Former Executive Director, PA House Democratic Campaign Committee
- Former National Caucus Director, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
- Former Chief of State, Kansas House Democratic Leader
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Dr. Rich Levine
Middletown
Current Position:
Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Penn State College of Medicine
Chief, Division of Adolescent Medicine and Eating Disorders, Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Affiliations:
- Fellow, Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine
- Fellow, Academy for Eating Disorders
- Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics
- Diplomat, American Board of Pediatrics, Subspecialty Certification in Adolescent Medicine
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Adanjesus Marin
Lancaster
Current Position:
Political Organizer & Executive Board Member, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
Chair, Lancaster City Human Relations Commission
Affiliations:
- Coordinator, Lancaster LGBT Organizing Committee
- Board Member & Advocacy Chair, Lancaster Pride
- Coordinator, Coalition to Defend Civil Rights in Lancaster
- Founding Member, SEIU Lavender Caucus Pennsylvania
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The Rev. Dr. Richard W. McCarty
Erie
Current Position:
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Mercyhurst College
Affiliations:
- Ordained Minister, the United Church of Christ
- Pastoral Assistant, Community United Church (Erie, PA)
- Carpenter Fellow, Religion and Sexuality Symposium
- Member, American Academy of Religion
- Chair, Faculty Development Committee, Mercyhurst College
- Faculty Advisory, Gay Straight Alliance, Mercyhurst College
- Board Member, Erie Gay Pride, Inc.
- Author, The End of Sexual Virtue (forthcoming 2011); “Facilitating Dialogue on Religion and Sexuality Using a Descriptive Approach,” New Directions Journal (Spring 2009)
- Contributor, Human Rights Campaign Religion and Faith Program, “Out in Scripture”
- Former Moderator, Holy Relationships Group and Conferences
- Former Convener, Faith Leaders and Scholars of Religion for Marriage Equality (Amicus Brief to the Iowa Supreme Court)
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Rick Naughton
Philadelphia
Current Position:
Associate at the Philadelphia-based consulting firm, Sellers Dorsey.
Affiliations:
- An active member of the Liberty City Democratic Club, and has served on the Board of Directors of Equality Forum.
- Rick possesses a law degree from Penn State University's Dickinson School of Law, a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and dual undergraduate degrees in History and Political Science from the University of Scranton.
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Jessica A. Rothchild
Scranton
Current Position:
Graduate student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at The University of Scranton
Affiliations:
- Founder and President of Scranton Inclusion, the university’s first LGBT organization, which she now helps as a mentor.
- She served as a student representative on the Scranton Inclusion Initiative Steering Committee and the Northeastern Regional Chair of Equality PA’s Student Network Across Pennsylvania (SNAP) program.
- She received the 2011 Outstanding Student Leadership Award from the NEPA Rainbow Alliance and was selected for the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges honors program.
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Michael J. Testa
Pittsburgh
Current Position:
CEO/President, Testa Consulting Services, Inc.
Affiliations:
- Vice-President, Philadelphia Chapter, TechServe Alliance
- Board Member, TechServe Alliance
- Chair of GLEC Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh’s LGBT Professional Networking Organization
- Community Advisory Board Member, WQED Pittsburgh
- President, Pleasantview Estates Homeowners Association
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The Reverend Deryck Tines
Pittsburgh
Current Position:
Proprietor, HOBO Fashion Thrifts, Inc.
Pastor, ONEChurch Pittsburgh
Affiliations:
- Board of Directors, Afro American Music Institute
- Board of Directors, Pittsburgh Black Gay Pride
- Board of Elders, Living Waters International
- Member, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s LGBT Advisory Council
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History and Expectations:
19 years ago The Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights began to offer legal services to the LGBT community in Philadelphia (and occasionally beyond Philly). The name was changed to Equality Advocates Pennsylvania a few years ago when the organization decided that some advocacy work (Harrisburg) was necessary to influence legislation that was impacting the clients they were serving.
This past spring the decision was made by the board (all attorneys and all from Philadelphia) to become the statewide LGBTA voice and to begin actively working statewide in cooperation with local groups to educate, motivate and influence positive legislation on behalf of the LGBTA (A=Ally) Community. To that end we began to recruit new board members from around the state after most of the former board resigned to make room for board members statewide.
We are working to create a board that will be diverse – geographically, racially, by gender/identity, by faith, politically, gay/straight, etc. We are getting there.
Duties:
- Attend quarterly board meetings – the next one is January 31 in Harrisburg
- Serve on one committee – outreach, political/policy, development, personnel, etc (these may meet monthly via conference calls)
- Host one friendraising event annually
- Support one or more of the major events sponsored by the organization – one each annually in - Pittsburgh, Philly, Harrisburg
- A commitment to give/get $2,500 per year for the organization
Lots of exciting news about the organization is happening and I would be happy to share that with those who might be interested in serving. We ask for a 3 year commitment, renewable.
Our process is this: one board member makes the initial contact with the person, a second board member follows up and then if things go well on both sides of the discussion the second board member requests a resume and that is then forwarded to the entire board
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