Board of Directors

Equality Maryland Opens Board of Directors Search

Announces Community Nominations Committee to Lead the Process

BALTIMORE, Maryland, July 15: Today, Equality Maryland announced a call for applications from people interested in serving on the Board of Directors. The organization expects to add ten to twenty new board members by the end of the summer.

The Nominations Committee for the search process will be chaired by Senator Rich Madaleno and Erin Leveton.  Other members of the committee are Lori Hollander, Kathleen Darden, Del. Mary Washington, MaryAnne Arnow, Mike Meller and Marvin Masterson.  Patrick Wojahn, Chair of the Equality Maryland Foundation board, will serve as the liaison with the current board of directors.  The Nominations Committee will be responsible for review of all applications, interview of applicants and development of a final slate of candidates for a vote by the current board.

“I am very pleased that each of these individuals has agreed to serve in this capacity” said Wojahn. “Increasing the board of Equality Maryland is a critical step towards further stabilizing this organization.  The people on this committee bring a fresh perspective and a variety of backgrounds to the selection process. I’m confident that their leadership will ensure Equality Maryland brings on highly qualified new board members to help govern the organization.”

Individuals with experience in nonprofit governance, fundraising, public relations, political advocacy, personnel management and financial management are strongly encouraged to apply.  Diversity of experience, opinion, background, geography and engagement will be considered and valued when developing the final slate of candidates. All first year board members must commit to attending meetings in Baltimore every two to three months, making a personally significant financial contribution to the organization, and with the support of board colleagues and staff, securing $3,000 through solicitation of others or personal giving. 

Nominations for the board has been extended to August 8. To apply for consideration by the committee, interested parties should read the Board Expectations document and submit a completed Board Application, including a resume and three references.  Questions and completed application packets may be directed to nominations@equalitymaryland.org

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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights group, with thousands of members across the entire state. Equality Maryland includes: a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that lobbies in Annapolis and across the state to create equal protection under the law for LGBT Marylanders and their families; a 501(c)(3) educational foundation that works to eliminate prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity through outreach, education, research, community organizing, training and coalition building; and Equality Maryland PAC, which exists to influence elections. For more information, visit www.EqualityMaryland.org.

On June 27th the boards of directors of Equality Maryland released the strategic plan the organization will use to guide its work through the end of 2011.  The boards are committed to embracing a new way of doing business in order to create a community supported organization.  By doing so, they will secure the necessary resources and leadership capacity to be an effective partner in bringing equality for LGBT people to Maryland in 2012 and beyond.

"Over the past two months, the remaining members of the board have undertaken a thorough process of self-evaluation," said Patrick Wojahn, Chair of Equality Maryland Foundation, which leads the organization's education efforts.  "Through individual conversations, over a dozen Listening Tour stops and more than 1,200 responses to our online survey, we have actively gathered input about what people want to see from their statewide equality organization.  We have coupled that input with the results of a comprehensive internal review and developed a strong six-month plan that will allow Equality Maryland to become the organization it must be in order to achieve legislative and cultural equality in our state."

CLICK HERE to access a PDF version of the Equality Maryland's 2011 strategic plan. 

BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 23 - Today, the boards of directors of Equality Maryland announced the creation of the strategic plan the organization will use to guide its work through the end of 2011.  The boards are committed to embracing a new way of doing business in order to create a community supported organization.  By doing so, they will secure the necessary resources and leadership capacity to be an effective partner in bringing equality for LGBT people to Maryland in 2012 and beyond.

Today, Equality Maryland is asking you to share your thoughts with us.  As we focus on the future of the organization, it is critical that we hear from folks who want to see equality for LGBT people and our families, people like you. 

CLICK HERE to fill out Equality Maryland's 2011 Supporter Survey.

For the past month, we've been on a Listening Tour across the state.  It is clear that the community wants more transparency in the organization and more input on the direction of the shared fight for equality.  We've already started incorporating this input into our planning.

This article was written by Lou Chibbaro for the Washington Blade. 

Equality Maryland’s board of directors turned down an offer by an anonymous donor to give the financially struggling group $500,000 in exchange for the board giving up its voting privilege and becoming an advisory body, with a new board to be selected by the donor.