Veteran fundraising professional Thomas Leavitt has joined the staff of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders as Director of Development.

“We are thrilled to have Tom join the GLAD team at this critical time for our community,” said Lee Swislow, GLAD’s Executive Director.  “After the phenomenal gains of the last few years, we are looking to our supporters to re-invest in the important work of fighting discrimination, and Tom’s the perfect person to lead that effort.  His experience is both deep and varied, and he is passionately committed to our work.”

“GLAD has been incredibly successful, but our work is far from done,” said Leavitt. “I’m happy to be here to make the case for our critical mission, as we continue to raise the bar and not settle for marriage equality as the end point. We still need to create an equal world for everyone in our community – youth, transgender people, people living with HIV, everyone.”

With more than three decades of experience leading private and non-profit organizations devoted to social change, Leavitt is known to many in the non-profit world as the founder and force behind Arcadia Press, which specialized in serving the unmet printing needs of area non-profits.  He ran Arcadia Press for twelve years, with clients including the Boston Living Center, JRI/Sidney Borum Health Center, the AIDS Housing Corporation, YWCA-Boston, Family and Children’s Services, the Pine Street Inn, and GLAD.

As a result of his professional ties to the non-profit world, Leavitt transitioned to development work in 2001 when he became the Chief Development and Communications Officer at Fenway Health.  He has also held senior executive leadership and development roles with Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus, Woodruff Arts Centre’s Alliance Theater, and the Brain Tumor Society.

Leavitt has served on the boards of Boston Ballet Overseers, Freedom House, Fenway Health, Massachusetts College of Art and Design Foundation, Greater Boston Business Council, Copley Society, Horizons for Youth, and was a co-founder of the Harbor to the Bay Ride and a previous Boston Pride Grand Marshall.  He currently serves on the board of trustees of his temple, Beth Avodah in Newton.

Leavitt first worked in Washington, DC for the late Honorable Gerry E. Studds.  He is a magna cum laude graduate and Commonwealth Scholar of the University of Massachusetts Honors program in Amherst.