FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Contact:
Cathy Renna, Renna Communications, 917-757-6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com
Simon Aronoff , Renna Communications, 202-510-6705, simon@rennacommunications.com

Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler Named
Rockwood 2008 Fellow in LGBTQ Community and Advocacy

Prestigious Fellowship to Advance the Council’s Work Towards
LGBTQ Family Equality

Boston , MA — The Family Equality Council is pleased to announce that Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler has been named a 2008 Fellow in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Community and Advocacy by the Rockwood Leadership Program.  Only 23 individuals were accepted into the program nationwide.  The nationally-recognized Rockwood Leadership Program specializes in delivering the best practices and methodologies in leadership development to the non-profit community.

“I am pleased and honored to be named a 2008 Fellow by the Rockwood Leadership Program,” said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of Family Equality Council. “It is a wonderful opportunity to build skills that will move family equality forward.  This prestigious and rigorous training program will further equip the Family Equality Council to offer effective and impactful services and advocacy for our LGBTQ-headed families.  I look forward to learning and sharing ideas with my fellow colleagues in Rockwood’s LGBTQ Community and Advocacy program.”

In October 2008, Chrisler will attend Rockwood’s “Art of Leadership Training” in New York State along with 23 leaders from a wide range of social change organizations.  The Program will also work with Chrisler to provide leadership support throughout her entire Fellowship year.  Through coaching, building peer relationships and other strategic support, Rockwood will assist Chrisler in achieving her leadership goal during the fellowship.  As a Rockwood Fellow, in early 2009, Chrisler also will be attending the organization’s Advanced Training and Dialogue Gathering, where she will meet with previous years’ fellows from 2007 and have an opportunity to build on the skills learned at the Art of Leadership Training.

 About the Family Equality Council
Family Equality Council is proud to be the national non-profit organization dedicated to securing family equality. We recognize and believe that the laws, provisions and ordinances that hurt LGBTQ-headed families also hurt so many others-single parents, blended families, families of color, etc. To that end, Family Equality Council is standing strong to defeat anti-family legislation and promote pro-family legislation.  For more information, please visit www.familyequality.org <http://www.familyequality.org> .

About Rockwood Leadership Program
The nationally-recognized Rockwood Leadership Program specializes in delivering the best practices and methodologies in leadership development to the non-profit community.  Since 2000, Rockwood has trained more than 1500 leaders from thousands of organizations in the United States and Canada .  Our Leadership programs are led by nationally and internationally-recognized thinkers, educators and activists who are experienced in sharing the most in-depth, leading insights on leadership development, collaboration and capacity-building.  For more information, please visit http://rockwoodleadership.org.