January 23, 2009

GLAD Announces New Board Officers and Members

Rick McCarthy to be Board President

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) will begin the New Year with some major changes to its Board of Directors.  On December 15, the Board of Directors met and held elections for the 2009 Board Officers. Rick McCarthy is President; Dianne R. Phillips is Vice President; the Treasurer is Sandy Anderson and the Clerk is Renda Mott

All are board veterans who have helped to grow GLAD’s community networks and secure funding for the organization’s groundbreaking legal work.  Board President Rick McCarthy previously served as the board’s Vice President, and is a Senior Vice President at Bank of America in their global financial services sales organization. He brings over 25 years of banking experience calling on Fortune 500 companies to the position. 

“This year GLAD will unveil some very exciting initiatives that will mobilize our community and broaden our reach throughout New England and beyond.  Momentum is building towards our ambitious goal of “6 by 12,” as GLAD forges a path to full legal equality,” he said.  “Obviously we are all concerned about the current financial climate, but support for GLAD is still very strong.”

GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow anticipates the board will flourish under McCarthy’s direction.  “Rick McCarthy combines his long history with the GLAD Board with his professional experience in the private sector,” said Swislow.  “He is focused on outcomes and results, challenging both the Board and staff to say what we want to achieve and then find a way to get there.  Rick will bring an unlimited amount of energy and excitement to the Board, inspiring everyone to match his enthusiasm.”

Vice President Dianne R. Phillips is partner in the Boston office of Holland + Knight, where she practices regulatory, energy, and environmental law. She co-chairs the firm’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Workgroup, whose mission is to develop and promote GLBT lawyers. The group has participated in GLBT-focused activities such as pro bono representation of HIV positive asylum seekers and led the firm to sponsor the annual Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network “Respect Awards.” She also previously served as co-chair for the 2008 Annual Spirit of Justice Award Dinner.

Treasurer Sandy Anderson is a Vice President & Director of Marketing at GE Healthcare in Boston. Having worked in the field of healthcare IT since 1984, she has held customer focused senior leadership roles in service and implementations as well as marketing. In her current role she is responsible for strategies centered on growth of revenue and market share through marketing operations, strategic marketing, and channel management.

Clerk Renda Mott is a Principal Consultant and implementation manager at Eagle Investment Systems, a subsidiary of the Bank of New York Mellon. She has more than 12 years of experience in the investment management software industry, has an MBA and Bachelor of Science degrees. She is a past co-chair of GLAD’s Spirit of Justice Dinner, and previously served on the Board of Governors of the Human Rights Campaign and Fenway Community Health.

The board of directors also saw two new additions, Marianne F. Monte and Richard J. Yurko.

Marianne F. Monte, a resident of Providence, is Director of Human Resources for Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, MA.  She is a graduate of Providence College, and she received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.  She brings over 15 years of Human Resources experience to the board.  She currently serves as Secretary of the Board for The Genesis Center in Providence, RI.  She is also a former member of Out and Equal and published a piece for the Northeast Human Resources Association titled, “Best Practices for GLBT Employees”.

Richard J. Yurko is the President and Managing Shareholder of Yurko, Salvesen & Remz, P.C, a business litigation boutique operating in the Boston Area.  He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, and he received his J.D. from Harvard Law School where he served as the Senior Projects Editor for the Harvard Civil Rights – Civil Liberties Law Review.  He brings over 2 decades of professional experience in higher education and legal practice to the board.

The election of the new team of officers marks the end of a proud period under the leadership of outgoing Board President Johanna Schulman, who has a long history of commitment to the organization.  In reflecting on her time at GLAD, Schulman was humble about her accomplishments. “I take no personal credit for the phenomenal victories GLAD has achieved during my time on the Board in general or over the past three years while I had the privilege to serve as president,” said Schulman.  “GLAD’s victories belong to our incredible staff, our courageous plaintiffs, and our generous donors whose ongoing commitment to GLAD allows us to pursue our work.”

Schulman’s departure is bitter-sweet, according to Lee Swislow.  “Since beginning her term as president, Johanna has been focused on moving the GLAD Board along the continuum from good to great,” said Swislow.  “She has consistently provided incredible vision and leadership, ensuring that the GLAD Board provides the support and oversight the organization needs to continue our work to achieve our mission.”