Emerit Board & Committees

Our Emerit Board members are those who formerly served on our Board of Directors and remain deeply committed to our work. While this is an honorific title in recognition of their past participation and contributions, these emerit members have also agreed to stay connected with the organization in an advisory capacity, given their continuing interest in the organization. Family Equality is deeply grateful for the commitment, expertise and dedication of our Emerit Board members.

Emerit Board

Alabama

  • Karen Hammond, D.N.P., C.R.N.P.

California

  • Stuart Bell
  • Kim Bergman
  • Alan Bernstein
  • Kenneth Blakeley
  • Casey Bloys
  • Chris Caldwell
  • Scott Davenport
  • Shahin Ghadir, M.D.
  • Joey Gonzalez
  • Erica Horton
  • Andre Jacinto
  • Bradley Kolb, M.D.
  • Judy Kolb
  • Rosie Llewellyn
  • David Lowe
  • JR McGinnis
  • John Nicoli
  • John Norian, M.D.
  • Amity Pierce-Buxton
  • Guy Ringler, M.D.
  • Judi Schaim
  • Victor Self
  • David Spector
  • Tommy Starling
  • Brenda Strong
  • Tom Swan
  • Beth Teper
  • Jeff Titterton
  • Richard B. Vaughn, Esq.
  • Sonny Ward
  • Rachel Wininger
  • Damon Wolf
  • Bill Zachs

Connecticut

  • Penny Bamford
  • Karen DeMeola

D.C.

  • Talisha Bekavac
  • Wayne Schwandt

Delaware

  • David H. Wall

Florida

  • David Bloom

Georgia

  • Ken Manford

Illinois

  • Jay Paul Deratany
  • Gabriel Fontes de Faria
  • Frank Golden
  • Daniel Ryan

Massachusetts

  • Richard Backer
  • Allison Bauer
  • Jamie Bergeron
  • John Dubrow
  • Joyce Kauffman
  • Sunnie Kauffman-Paulman
  • Aimee Gelnaw
  • Lauren Marder
  • Alan Penzias, M.D.
  • William Sherr

Maryland

  • Tim Fisher
  • Lisa Henderson

Minnesota

  • Tim Meyer

New Jersey

  • Melissa Brisman, Esq.
  • Meg Columbia-Walsh
  • John R. Green
  • Denise Hinds
  • Joy Lewin
  • Fran Lichtman

New Mexico

  • Will Halm
  • Malina Simard-Halm

New York

  • Natan Bar-Chama, M.D.
  • Valerie Brown
  • Gregg Cartagine
  • Anthony Chiafullo
  • Mark Corpron
  • Chris Daniel
  • Jason Feldman
  • James A. Grifo, M.D. Ph.D.
  • Joseph Hayden
  • Jamie Marks
  • April Martin
  • Patricia Mendell, L.C.S.W.
  • Isabel Rose
  • Nick Scandalios
  • Denise Seidelman, Esq.
  • Brian Sheerin
  • Bradley Trivax, M.D.
  • Ken Weissenberg

Pennsylvania

  • Andrea Braverman, Ph.D.
  • Brent Monseur, M.D.
  • William Petok, Ph.D.

Tennessee

  • Brian Copeland

Texas

  • Steve Brister
  • Bryan Carr
  • Sue Marriott

Virginia

  • Rob Keeling

Washington

  • Kirk Fordham

Executive Committee

Board Members:

  • Scott Gatz, Co-Chair
  • Alexis Kantor, Co-Chair
  • Weston Charles-Gallo, Secretary
  • Don-Hribek, Treasurer
  • Beck Fineman, Co-Vice Chair
  • Alex Habib, Co-Vice Chair
  • Douglas London, Development
  • Alvin McCray, Governance
  • Nancy Lyons, Chair Emerit  

Staff:

  • Jaymes Black, President & CEO
  • Lisa Van Ness, Director of Executive Support

DEIB/Catalyst Committee

Board Members:

  • Alexis Kantor, Chair
  • Beck Fineman
  • Alvin McCray 

Staff:

  • Liz Neuenschwander, Associate Vice President of Finance
  • Nikhil Vashee, Director of Education Law and Policy, Senior Policy Council
  • Brandon Gill, Vice President of Operations

Communications Committee

Board Members:

  • Weston Charles Gallo, Co-Chair
  • Scott Gatz
  • Vanessa Leon
  • Adair Curtis
  • Alvin McCray

Non-Board Experts:

  • Dana Rudolph
  • Kent Love-Ramirez
  • Derrick Jones

Storytelling Liaison

  • David Sigal  

Staff:

  • Tonya Agnew, Vice President of Communications and Marketing
  • Alexis Corona, Digital Communications Associate

Development Committee

Board Members:

  • Doug London, Chair
  • Carolyn Berger
  • Adair Curtis
  • Don Hribek
  • Jim Obergefell

Staff:

  • Matthew Ramsey, Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic Partnerships

Finance Committee

Board Members:

  • Don Hribek, Chair  

Emerit Board Members

  • Bryan Carr (emerit) 
  • Scott Davenport (emerit) 

Non-Board Experts:

  • Mark Franczyk 
  • Brian Curran 
  • Mat Rosswood 
  • Cesar Stewart-Morales  

Staff:

  • Matthew Ramsey, Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic Partnerships
  • Brandon Gill, Executive Vice President of Operations
  • Kim Simes, Executive Vice President of External Affairs
  • Jaymes Black, President and CEO
  • Liz Nueunschwander, Associate Vice President of Finance

Governance Committee

Board Members:

  • Alvin McCray, Co-Chair
  • Alex Habib, Co-Chair
  • Don Hribek
  • Alexis Kantor
  • Scott Gatz 

Emerit Board Members

  • Kirk Fordham, Chair Emerit
  • Nancy Lyons, Chair Emerit 

Staff:

  • Jaymes Black, President & CEO
  • Lisa Van Ness, Director of Executive Support

Emerit Board Ad Hoc Committee

See list above.

Board Members:

  • Alex Habib

Program/Policy Committee

Board Members:

  • Tony Hynes, Co-Chair
  • Vanessa Leon
  • Carolyn Berger
  • Beck Fineman

Staff:

  • Luce Remy, Vice President of Public Policy
  • Matthew Ramsey, Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic Partnerships