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Equality Advocates Pennsylvania Names New Board Members

Launches Advocacy-Based Organization Equality Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA- Equality Advocates Pennsylvania today announced several new members of the Board of Directors and the formation of Equality Pennsylvania, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization whose purpose is to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Pennsylvanians through legislative and policy reform. Newly elected Equality Advocates Pennsylvania board members are from the Philadelphia, Scranton, Bloomsburg, and Pittsburgh areas.

“I am excited that such talented and committed individuals from across Pennsylvania have joined the Board of Directors,” said Lynn Zeitlin, Executive Director of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania. “Their profound dedication to seeing this organization grow, and the skills each new board member brings to the table is humbling and exciting, and will benefit the thousands of Pennsylvanians we reach each and every year.”

The first statewide board meeting was held on Saturday 26, 2009 in State College during the ground-breaking Pennsylvania Equality Summit. New members recently voted for the formation of Equality Pennsylvania, an umbrella 501(c)(4) organization that will allow staff, volunteers, and donors to have more state-wide influence and directly advocate for legislative and policy priorities for LGBT Pennsylvanians. Jake Kaskey has been named the Policy and Programs Director forEquality Pennsylvania and Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, and will lead and direct legislative and programming activities for both organizations. Mason Lane, recent graduate of Emory University, has been named Eastern Pennsylvania Field Organizer for Equality Pennsylvania.

Plans are underway for the opening of Equality Pennsylvania field offices in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg in 2010 to engage activists at a local-level and increase involvement in coalition-building and advocacy campaigns.

“Forming Equality Pennsylvania allows us to spend greater time and resources directly advocating for LGBT policy priorities in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania,” said Zeitlin. “We have launched an exciting new organization that will continue to build on the widespread coalition and organizing work for which we are known.”

Equality Advocates Pennsylvania is pleased to announce our newly elected members to the Board of Directors:

Brian K. Sims, Esquire (President), Staff Counsel for Policy & Planning for the Philadelphia Bar Association; Mark L. Usry (Vice President), Associate Professor of Legal Studies at Bloomsburg University; Ann T. Loftus, Esquire (Treasurer), Partner at Zateeny Loftus LLP in Bala Cynwyd; Jay K. Meadway, Esquire (Secretary), Member of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC; Jeff Brauer, Tenured Associate Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Advisor of OPEN/Gay-Straight Alliance at Keystone College in La Plume; Thomas C. Waters, Director of New Media, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy; and M. Saida Agostini, MSW, Targeted Case Manager Supervisor for the Family Shelter Support Team in Philadelphia.

Photos of the newly elected board members can be found at http://tinyurl.com/equalitypaboardpics

Equality Advocates Pennsylvania is dedicated to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians through direct legal services, education and policy reform.