Press

Kerry Lobel, executive director of The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) announced the appointment of Rebecca Isaacs as Political Director, a new position, and Sonya Shields as Development Director.

Rebecca Isaacs comes to the Task Force from People For the American Way, where she was Director of Public Policy. As Political Director, Isaacs will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of NGLTF's programs including field organizing, public advocacy, media and the work of the Policy Institute. She has had considerable professional experience in public policy and media work. Before taking the position at People For the American Way where she was responsible for legislative and public policy advocacy, Isaacs was Communications Director for Rep. Roybal-Allard, D-Ca.

Isaacs is also an attorney who has worked as Associate Director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, a San Francisco-based organization. She also served as a Director of the Battered Women's Alternatives Legal Advocacy Program in Contra Costa County, California.

Isaacs has published several articles including a piece of political analysis which she co-authored, entitled "A Turn to the Right: A Guide to Religious Right Influence in the 103rd/104th Congress." She was also an editor of OUT/LOOK, a lesbian and gay quarterly.

"I'm excited about this move to NGLTF," Isaacs commented. "The Task Force has tremendous capacity to support the work of local and state organizers and to do pro-active thinking which will bring our movement forward to the next decade. I can't wait to be part of this important team," she added. Lobel noted that "Rebecca is a tremendous addition to our staff. She has considerable respect in the public policy and legislative community and will bring a wealth of talent to the Task Force."

Sonya Shields assumes the position of Development Director after a year as Associate Director of Development. The responsibilities of the position of Development Director include creating strategies and formulating proposals to increase support for NGLTF. She was hired by the Task Force in 1994 as the Director of Membership in charge of raising $1 million annually. She remained in that position for two years before her promotion to the position of Associate Director.

For the past 10 years, Shields has worked in the area of public relations, marketing and fundraising for a number of non-profit organizations including the American College of Physicians where she held the position of Public Relations Associate from 1987 to 1989. She then moved to the International Eye Foundation to become the Public Affairs Associate for the next two years. In 1991 Shields began work at Physicians for Social Responsibility as Membership Development Manager. She remained in that position for three years before joining the Task Force in 1994.

A graduate of Howard University, Shields serves on the board of directors of the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum and the HIV Services Council Committee for the office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

"Sonya's ability to attract funding to the Task Force has been a critical factor in increasing our membership, and bringing new foundation and corporate resources to our organization," said Lobel. "I am confident that she will continue to successfully cultivate development sources as she takes on her new responsibilities," she added.

"The appointment of Shields and Isaacs puts us in a position to move into the next century with a clear and coherent political and development strategy," Lobel concluded.

Headshots of Isaacs and Shields are available by calling the Media Department of the NGLTF.

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The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis and Cambridge.