  Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director p. 617.502.8700 x 222 director@familyequality.org A seasoned advocate for LGBT rights, Jennifer Chrisler has extensive experience in all aspects of nonprofit management. She was a fundraising consultant for political campaigns and LGBT organizations and served as Finance Director for special election in the Massachusetts 9th Congressional District. She was honored for her work in the LGBT community in 2002 by the Massachusetts Freedom to Marry Coalition and in 2001 by the Human Rights Campaign. Jennifer also served as director of operations for SoftBank’s i-Group and as director of corporate communications for American Science & Engineering, Inc. She spent five years as a staff director in the Massachusetts State Senate. Jennifer and her spouse, Cheryl Jacques, reside in Weston Newton, MA with their twin sons. She earned her BA degree in Elementary Education from Smith College in 1992.  Nina Selvaggio, Director of Programs p. 617.502.8700 x 227 nina.selvaggio@familyequality.org Nina is an advocate who has deep experience with community organizing, professional development, operations management and strategic leadership; over the past ten years, she has built coalitions and worked with communities around issues of education and social justice. After earning a degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the  Kara Suffredini, Director of Public Policy p. 617.502.8700 x 230 kara.suffredini@familyequality.org Kara is an attorney and organizer with over a decade of experience working on LGBT legislation and policy. Most recently, she was the state legislative director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, where she partnered with state and local activists and organizations, elected officials, and corporations around the country to draft and pass hundreds of pro-LGBT laws and policies as well as to defeat anti-LGBT measures. She served on the board of directors of the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association for ten years, serving as chair in 2004, and currently is vice chair of the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity of the American Bar Association’s Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities. She started her legal career as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Joette Katz of the Connecticut Supreme Court before practicing as a trial and appellate litigation associate at Updike, Kelly, and Spellacy, P.C. in New Haven, Connecticut. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and the Boston College Law School and recently served as a Wasserstein Fellow at Harvard Law School as part of a program recognizing exemplary public interest lawyers. She is admitted to practice in her home state of California, as well as Connecticut and the District of Columbia, and she works out of Family Equality Council’s Boston office.  Dustin Kight, Assistant Director of Policy & Programs p. 617.502.8700 x 228 dustin.kight@familyequality.org A graduate of Vassar College, Dustin Kight holds a BA in Political Science. As an undergraduate, he spent three years as intern and then head intern at Blegen House, Vassar’s LGBT Center for the Study of Social Change. He has also worked for the Youth Pride Center, a small non-profit dedicated to the social and educational development of inner-city LGBT youth in Chicago, Illinois. In both capacities, Dustin served to build organizational capacity, develop innovative programming, and foster collaborative partnerships with other organizations.  Lisbeth Meléndez Rivera, Manager, Project Harmony l.melendez@familyequality.org Lisbeth Meléndez Rivera is a 20+ year veteran of the LGBT and Labor movements, Lisbeth has extensive experience organizing and training at the intersections of sexual orientation, gender identity and culture specifically as they relate to communities of color. Having organized with a variety of unions, from the Laborer's to UNITE-HERE! Lisbeth has crisscrossed the country training workers and community leaders in organizing, leadership development and community building strategies from a grassroots perspective. Lisbeth has served on the Boards of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health, the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, Pride @ Work & the National Organizer Alliance. She has also been a volunteer with Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), Haymarket People’s Fund, ASTRAEA Lesbian Foundation for Justice as well as many other organizations. A Puerto Rican Lesbian, who has been both NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Senior Organizer for the March for Women’s Lives and Freedom to Marry’s Mobilization Coordinator, Lisbeth was the former Director of Community Education & Training, for LLEGÓ, The National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organization. Under Lisbeth’s leadership LLEGÓ developed their first field mobilization and training department addressing non-health related issues. She also launched the first-ever Development Department at the National Stonewall Democrats. A biologist and sociologist by education is it her calling to social justice that makes her passions flare and her days move forward. Today Lisbeth lives in  Sara Leckey, Development & Administrative Associate p. 617.502.8700 x 223 sara.leckey@familyequality.org Sara Leckey received her BA in Government from Smith College, after which she worked at Smith Executive Education as a program assistant; running programs to help executive level women reach their potential. During her college career she was involved in the Student Government Association and Tangent, a group that worked on gender identity awareness within the Smith community.  David Jacques, eCommunications Coordinator p. 617.418.3226 david.jacques@familyequality.org David Jacques has a BS in Business Administration, concentration in Marketing. While attending Seton Hall University, David led a student movement for LGBTQ equality—awakening a lifelong commitment to progressive change. With a background in graphic and web design, David is blending the message of equality with the medium of technology. Prior to graduation, David interned at Planned Television Arts in New York City, and GLAD WORKS. He has been with the Family Equality Council team since July of 2006.  Kent Peacock, Manager of Business & Operations p. 617.502.8700 x 221 kent.peacock@familyequality.org Kent Peacock, originally from the suburbs of Detroit, MI, is a recent graduate of American University holding a BA in Sociology and American Studies. While at AU he also pursued his interests in the performing arts, obtaining a minor in music and participating in numerous theater productions. Academically, Kent focused on the classifications and stratifications of sex, gender and sexuality in American society with an emphasis on how they are presented in the performing and written arts. Kent is thrilled to be a part of such a progressive, forward-thinking, social-justice oriented organization as Family Equality Council and looks forward to all the successes there are still to come.  Daniel Robinson, Development Associate p. 617.502.8700 x 224 daniel.robinson@familyequality.org Daniel is a graduate of Bowdoin College where he majored in Biology and minored in Gay and Lesbian Studies. As Co-President of the Bowdoin Queer Straight Alliance and Student Director of the Queer-Trans Resource Center, Daniel worked throughout his college career to foster a sense of community amongst a growing population of queer students, faculty, staff, and alumni. He looks forward to working with Family Equality Council to continue the good work of building support for loving families of any and all constellations.  Ariana Flores, Program & Education Associate p. 617.502.8700 x 229 ariana.flores@familyequality.org Originally from  Kim Bergman (co-chair) Ken Manford (co-chair) Alan Bernstein Ken Blakeley (treasurer) Anthony Chiafullo John Dubrow, M.D. (secretary) Allison Bauer Gregg Cartagine Meg Columbia-Walsh Mark Corpron Alex Habib Ann Kaner-Roth Rob Keeling Fran Lichtman Tim Meyer Nick G. Scandalios Tommy Starling Ken Weissenberg Bill Zachs |
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