Press

Head of Nation's Largest Statewide GLBT Political Advocacy Organization to Take Task Force Helm in May

NEW YORK, APRIL 4, 2003 - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) today named Matt Foreman as executive director. Foreman, the current executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda in New York is a long time activist in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community. He will take the helm from movement veteran Lorri L. Jean after her contract expires in May, and after they have worked together for two weeks to facilitate a smooth transition. Foreman inherits an NGLTF in the strongest financial and programmatic position in its 30 year history. The Task Force is strategically positioned to continue to play a vital role in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community's struggle for total equality.

"I am incredibly proud to be joining the Task Force team," Foreman said. "Lorri and the talented NGLTF staff and board have worked hard to position this organization in such a way that my job becomes that much easier. The Task Force is strong and focused and it has been enormously successful in advancing the cause of freedom, justice and equality for GLBT people, especially at the state and local level. Their extremely effective programs are inspiring. I'm looking forward to continuing the legacy that so many Task Force leaders have created."

"Matt and I are committed to ensuring a smooth transition of executive leadership for this vitally important organization," said Jean, "and Matt's dedication to social justice issues fits perfectly within the mission of the Task Force. No other organization is doing the work the Task Force is doing, few are achieving the kinds of results that NGLTF has achieved, and as a long-time fan and soon to be former employee of NGLTF, I am excited by Matt's leadership and the many successes I know he will help to achieve. We're also very happy to announce that we have received notice of a $1.1 million dollar anonymous gift in support of our field work. Clearly, this is a tremendous vote of confidence in the work of the Task Force and in Matt's leadership. Of this, $500,000 is earmarked for the new NGLTF Community Impact Fund to be re-granted to community organizations over the next two years. It's a great way to welcome Matt to the helm!"

"We interviewed a diverse pool of very strong candidates and felt Matt was exactly what the Task Force needed. We're thrilled he'll be joining us," said Margaret Burd, co-chair of the NGLTF Board of Directors. "He is a dynamic activist, a proven manager and an effective fund-raiser who is supremely dedicated to our cause and has enjoyed extraordinary success working on behalf of GLBT people. We believe that Matt has all the qualities that will make him both an effective national leader and a stellar NGLTF Executive Director."

"Matt Foreman and I have worked together through the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA)," said Moonhawk River Stone, now Chair of the Board of the International Foundation for Gender Education, one of the oldest transgender organizations in the country. "I anticipate both continuing and deepening that working relationship with Matt during his tenure as Executive Director of NGLTF. I am confident Matt will successfully build upon the strong foundation of transgender inclusiveness which Lorri Jean and Kerry Lobel have established at NGLTF."

Clarence Patton, Acting Executive Director of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, praised Foreman's skills saying, "Matt Foreman is a high caliber Executive Director and leader. Best of all, he has a commitment to progressive politics and grassroots organizing that is critical for any leader of the Task Force. I'm really looking forward to working with him in his new capacity."

Electronic photographs of Matt Foreman and Lorri L. Jean are available. Foreman, Jean and Burd are available for media interviews. Contact National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Director of Communications Sheri A. Lunn at the above number for photos or to schedule interviews.

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Following is the biography of Matt Foreman:

Matt Foreman has worked for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights for 25 years.

He was appointed Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the nation's largest statewide lesbian and gay political advocacy and civil rights organization in 1997. During his tenure, the Pride Agenda was the driving force behind: a statewide law banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (2003); a law increasing penalties for hate-motivated violence, including crimes against LGBT people (2000); a law repealing the consensual sodomy statute (2000); four laws extending equal benefits to surviving domestic partners of those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks (2002), and the state appropriating $11.8 million specifically for LGBT (non-HIV) health and human services (unique in nation) (1998-2002). Other accomplishments include leading the creation of the "September 11 Gay & Lesbian Family Fund" which raised and distributed $378,000 to surviving domestic partners (2001-2002); winning equal NYS Crime Victims Board benefits for all surviving domestic partners of homicide victims (2002); negotiating one of the nation's most comprehensive domestic partnership laws (New York City - 1998); and local non-discrimination laws in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties.

From 1990 to 1996, Mr. Foreman served as Executive Director of New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), building it into the nation's leading LGBT crime victim assistance agency. Foreman used aggressive case advocacy and street activism to focus attention on hate violence, organizing anti-violence marches and demonstrations in all boroughs of the city. His leadership has been credited with galvanizing the community's response to a surge in hate violence in the early 90's and forcing the police department to devote significantly greater resources to the crisis. AVP also led the Hate Crimes Bill Coalition, a diverse coalition of more than 100 organizations working to pass a meaningful Hate Crimes law in New York State.

Prior to joining AVP, Foreman worked in prison policy and administration for 10 years, including service as Assistant Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Corrections, Executive Assistant to the New York City Correction Commissioner, and as director of a medium/minimum security facility on Rikers Island.

Foreman is a founder of Heritage of Pride (organizers of NYC's lesbian and gay pride events), where he originated many hallmarks of the annual celebration, including the lavender line down 5th Avenue, the moment of silence in memory of those lost to AIDS, and the annual "Dance on the Pier" and fireworks display. He also served for many years on the board of Dignity /NY, an organization of LGBT Catholics.

He is a 1982 graduate of New York University School of Law, where he was President of the Student Bar Association and a lead organizer of the 1979 national conference "Law and the Fight for Gay Rights." He graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1976, where he was president of the student body and an anti-strip mining activist.

Foreman has been recognized for his work by many groups, including Out, HX and New York magazines, the Anti-Violence Project, the Log Cabin Republicans, Gay & Lesbian Independent Democrats, The New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims, the Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Greater New York, Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and the Greenwich Village Chamber of Commerce. He was male Grand Marshal of New York City's annual LGBT Pride March in 2001. In October, 2002, Foreman was appointed to the New York City Commission on Human Rights by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Foreman lives with his partner of 13 years, Francisco De Leon, in Manhattan. His parents reside in Ten Sleep, Wyoming.

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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.