CHANCELLOR'S COUNCIL
Richard D. Burns, Esq.
Kevin M. Cathcart, Esq.
Joan M. Garry
Lorri L. Jean
Charles R. Middleton
Joe Salmonese
Riki Wilchins
The Chancellor's Council is an advisory board of community leaders who recognize the importance of The Point Foundation's mission.
Richard D. Burns, Esq.
Executive Director, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, New York, New York
Richard Burns is the executive director of the New York City Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center. Under his tenure, the Center has become a vibrant resource fostering cultural, social, and political activity, and has grown into one of the nation’s largest institutions of its kind. Burns currently is leading the Center’s multi-million-dollar reconstruction plan. Click here to visit The Center website.
Richard explains that the Center has the opportunity to leave the next LGBT generation a legacy on which to build. The Center is certain to play a part in our community's future: to give shelter to our struggle and to participate in the shaping of our destiny, while memorializing and honoring our past. Richard looks forward to completing the renovations to the Center and providing a heart and home deserving of New York's lesbian and gay community, as well as confronting the political challenges presented to our communities in this and coming years.
In his own words:
“Just as the Center in New York is setting the foundation upon which our community can build opportunities for itself, The Point Foundation is giving our community greater knowledge and hope so that as we build these blocks of progress and greater freedom, we can count on the these efforts to be not in vein, but lasting cornerstones of our community's history."
Kevin M. Cathcart, Esq.
Executive Director, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, New York, New York
Kevin M. Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal since 1992, is a leading strategist and spokesperson in the movement to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, the transgendered, and people with HIV or AIDS. Cathcart has made Lambda Legal an unparalleled national force through its far-reaching litigation and public education. Under his leadership, Lambda Legal promotes security, respect, and fairness for lesbian and gay youth, families, and all people regardless of sexual orientation or HIV status.
Click here to visit the Lambda Legal website.
Click here to visit Kevin's biography.
Kevin explains that Lambda's recent groundbreaking success with the Supreme Court striking down state laws forbidding Homosexual Conduct is a perfect example of how we must prepare the next generation of LGBT leaders to ensure these recent successes and use them as a foundation for future gains. Kevin sees TPF as meeting this important next step for our future.
In his own words:
“When we improve LGBT legal protections, we improve life for all kids, all families, all communities. When we improve access to education and emphasize leadership and activism, there is a clear and direct effect on our ability to affect change in not only those around us but in society at large. The Point Foundation helps LGBT youth and future leaders become agents of change, especially in areas needing more attention like equal civil rights."
Joan M. Garry
Formerly Executive Director, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), New York, New York
GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
In her post-GLAAD career, Garry hopes to continue to use her voice to advocate for social justice and fairness. In that spirit, Garry recently became the first female singer of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.
The mother of two keeps a busy life both on the national LGBT scene as well as at home, staying in touch with the important role of preparing the next generation for all the opportunities and responsibilities the world has to offer. To Joan, The Point Foundation is the logical next step in our community . . . ensuring our future.
In her own words:
“The Point Foundation is meeting the important, necessary and logical next step of identifying, supporting and raising up our communities' best leaders to ensure that the history of gains in rights and equality for our community are a solid foundation for future gains, not short-lived successes that are eventually overturned."
Lorri L. Jean
Chief Executive Officer, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Community Center, Los Angeles
Lorri L. Jean returned to the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center as Chief Executive Officer in June 2003, after leading the organization as its Executive Director from 1993 to 1999. As Chief Executive Officer, she provides executive leadership, vision, and direction to ensure organizational and fiscal health and vitality. Click here to visit LA Center website. Click here to visit Lorri Jean's biography.
Lorri believes The Point Foundation is a natural extension to our community, an excellent way to identify and support leaders in our communities. Working with youth at the LA Center has put her in touch with many young members of our community who could reap huge benefits from the support TPF offers. Being an incredible leader in her own right, Lorri knows first hand the importance of establishing a solid education upon which one builds a life of success and fulfillment.
In her own words:
“Being a lesbian leader and activist I can see how my education prepared me for some of the most challenging situations I encountered in my career. If we as a community succeed at merging leadership with education, we can watch an entire new generation of leaders and activists succeed in area we never thought possible. The Point Foundation stands as a pillar of hope for all LGBT students that they can reach for greatness and be rewarded for it by their community."
Charles R. Middleton
President, Roosevelt University, Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois
Charles R. “Chuck” Middleton became President of Roosevelt University on July 1, 2002. He is Roosevelt’s fifth chief executive officer, and oversees a comprehensive University with two campuses and 7,500 students.
President Middleton is the first openly gay male University President in the United States. He was recruited, applied, interviewed and was hired as an openly gay man with a partner of 20 years, who was given the same respect benefits and rights as the past president's spouse. Click here to visit the Roosevelt University website. Click here to visit Charles Middleton's Biography.
Chuck believes The Point Foundation plays an important role in not only supplying money and guidance for LGBT youth but also as role model for young aspiring scholars. The fact that The Point Foundation even exists says to many generations of the community that we can strive for excellence and will be rewarded, that people out there care and want us to become better, to strive to make a difference.
In his own words:
“The Point Foundation is providing college students and aspiring high school scholars with a goal to reach for that they can call their own. They can openly be themselves, strive for excellence, achieve it and then be generously rewarded for it. So many times, LGBT youth must hide their intentions, their aspirations, their field of specialty for fear of being turned down for working either as an openly LGBT Scholar or studying disciplines associated with LGBT endeavors. The Point Foundation makes it clear from the beginning that we can all excel in the areas of academia that interest us, are meaningful to us and our constituents and we can do it and be rewarded for it as openly LGBT scholars."
Joe Solmonese
President of the Human Rights Campaign
Joe Solmonese brings to the Human Rights Campaign preeminent political, strategic and communications skills that have been tested in campaigns around the country where the work of EMILY’s List has led to the election of women to the United States House of Representatives, the Senate, to governor and to state legislatures.
As chief executive officer at EMILY’s List, Solmonese oversaw one of the nation’s most successful efforts to elect progressive candidates by reaching out to heartland and mainstream voters.
Solmonese’s strong relationships with members of Congress and political leaders across the country make him one of the most influential and knowledgeable people working in American politics today.
Solmonese has extensive experience on campaigns and in government. He held top fundraising positions at the 1992 Senate campaign of Les AuCoin and Barney Frank’s 1990 congressional campaign, beginning his career as an aide in the office of Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis.
A native of Attleboro, Mass., Joe is 40 and lives in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Boston University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications.
In his own words:
“The Point Foundation invests in the most important commodity for GLBT Americans: a new generation of leadership who will bring about equality and an even better America.”
Riki Wilchins
Executive Director, GenderPAC, Washington, DC
Riki Wilchins is the Executive Director of the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition (GenderPAC), the national organization working to end discrimination and violence caused by gender stereotypes. She is author of Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion & the End of Gender (Firebrand, 1997), and author/co-editor of Genderqueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary (Alyson, 2002). Her third book is, Queer Theory/Gender Theory: An Instant Primer.
In 2001, Time Magazine selected Riki as one of six community activists among their "100 Civic Innovators for the 21st Century." She is regular featured columnist on gender issues for The Advocate.
Riki maintains an active speaking schedule at conferences, corporations and colleges around the country. Her work strikes a common chord among professionals, students and activists around gender stereotyping issues. Click here to visit the GenderPAC website.
In her own words:
“The Point Foundation's mission is a critically important part of our progress towards ending discrimination and violence caused by gender stereotypes. TPF is educating individuals who are and will continue to be in positions of power and influence who will fight to end such injustices."