FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FAMILY EQUALITY COUNCIL BOARD ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE OF JENNIFER CHRISLER
CHRISLER TO JOIN SMITH COLLEGE IN MARCH, NATIONAL SEARCH PLANNED FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Boston, MA – (Jan. 9, 2013) –The Board of Family Equality Council today announced the departure of Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler following her successful eight-year tenure as leader of the national organization that supports, represents and connects the nation’s one million families with LGBT parents.
Chrisler will join Smith College in March as Vice President for Alumnae Relations and Executive Director of the Alumnae Association of Smith College (AASC).
Family Equality Council Board Chair Alan Bernstein said the Board will initiate an aggressive national search for a new Executive Director. Chrisler will remain Executive Director through March 15th and will help ensure a seamless transition.
Bernstein congratulated Chrisler on her new endeavor and thanked her for her outstanding stewardship of the Family Equality Council.
“Jennifer Chrisler has been an incredible advocate for the one million parents in our country who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and their two million children,” said Bernstein. “In the past eight years, her leadership has propelled the organization into becoming the foremost national advocate for family equality. With a supporter base of 100,000 members, a robust annual revenue stream that tripled in size during her tenure, the largest and most experienced staff in the organization’s history, and a growing national political and media profile, Family Equality has truly taken a position of prominence on the national stage. While we are sad to see her go, she leaves with our utmost gratitude for her visionary service to the organization and the movement. We are excited that she will have the opportunity to use her formidable skills and talents in support of another great cause that she’s passionate about – preparing young women to lead the world through education.”
Bernstein added, “The search for our new Executive Director presents an incredible opportunity for Family Equality Council which is now at the strongest point in its 30-year history. From Capitol Hill to the Coasts, through America’s Heartland and across the South, the organization has become the leading national voice for issues relating to LGBT families. It continues to change laws, policies, hearts, and minds to ensure full equality for all American families.
Chrisler said her departure comes at a time of real strength in the organization.
“It’s with a mix of sadness and satisfaction that I announce my departure at this point in my life and the history of the organization and the movement,” said Chrisler. “I will indeed miss the wonderful support and dedicated work of the staff, board, donors, and partners who have helped me grow the Family Equality Council into the vibrant and effective organization that exists today. But I am excited to embark upon a new role that is close to my heart. I leave this organization and the movement for LGBT equality in extraordinarily competent hands and look forward to being a part of the great work that Family Equality Council and its partners in the movement will achieve over the next few years.”
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CONTACT: Steve Majors | Dir. Communications
202.664.0079 | smajors@familyequality.org