GLAAD Announces Dave Montez as Chief of Staff

GLAAD yesterday announced Dave Montez as the organization’s new Chief of Staff. Montez will be working closely with GLAAD President Herndon Graddick on the organization’s development, operations and programs departments which work for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. He will be based in the New York office and is scheduled to start work with the organization in January 2013.

“Dave’s strong relationship with advocates in the LGBT equality movement along with his experience building bridges between the LGBT and Latino communities will strengthen GLAAD’s culture-changing work,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “He will be integral in continuing to create a new GLAAD where our dedicated staff builds national impact through campaigns that raise the visibility of LGBT people and issues as well as hold anti-LGBT activists accountable.”

Montez most recently served as senior program officer at the Gill Foundation, one of the nation’s leading funders of LGBT advocacy efforts. He oversaw the foundation’s Latino Initiative, which is designed to build lasting alliances between LGBT people and Latinos. He also worked with the Director of Allies and Institutions with the goal of building broad support for LGBT equality. Previously, Montez managed a portfolio of grants to state-based LGBT organizations working to achieve policy change at the state and local level.

“Dave has been an outstanding leader for the Gill Foundation. We’re excited that his talent and commitment will continue to benefit the LGBT movement in his new role,” said Tim Sweeney, President and CEO of the Gill Foundation. “Dave has a unique ability to build coalitions where diverse communities recognize their shared values and common goals. He also understands the important role that research plays in learning how to communicate more effectively.”

Before joining the Gill Foundation, he was a research development officer at the University of Colorado, Denver, where he researched and reviewed funding opportunities, grant proposals, and funding contracts for faculty members. He also worked for the Latino/a Research & Policy Center as the events and publications coordinator, where he planned, coordinated, and implemented all center-sponsored events.

Montez speaks Spanish and holds a BA in journalism/public relations from Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is a gubernatorial appointee to the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) in the Denver Metro Area, which oversees an average of $40 million in grant funding annually. He is also a graduate of Leadership Denver, where he helped raise money and resources to remodel Urban Peak, a youth homeless shelter in Denver.

“I’m really excited to join the GLAAD family,” said Montez. “I’ve long respected GLAAD as an organization and Herndon as a leader. GLAAD has an incredibly talented leadership team, and I look forward to working with these colleagues to achieve full equality for all LGBT people.” The move has been applauded by leaders of LGBT and Allied organizations:

“This is a great pick for GLAAD and for our movement. At the Gill Foundation, Dave has been an invaluable partner and catalyst in building the relationships and helping identify research-based approaches within Latino communities that led to our creation of Familia es Familia and other important Freedom to Marry initiatives. Dave is talented, sensible, and adept at bringing people together, and all of us at Freedom to Marry look forward to doing even more great work together now that he is with our friends at GLAAD.”

Evan Wolfson, President of Freedom to Marry

“This is a great match that brings together a respected LGBT movement organization moving into its next chapter of greatness with one of the movement’s great young leaders. Dave is a bridge builder and experienced strategist who will be a very strong addition to GLAAD’s new leadership team. This is terrific news for GLAAD and for the LGBT movement at a critical moment in our journey to full equality.”

Patrick Guerriero, Civitas Public Affairs

“Dave’s smarts and passion for this work are going to be a phenomenal asset to GLAAD. In his time at the Gill Foundation, Dave has established himself as a leader committed to innovative thinking and building forward-looking partnerships across social justice movements. MAP is excited to continue our collaborations with him in his new role at GLAAD.”

Ineke Mushovic, Executive Director of the Movement Advancement Project (MAP)

“This is a real loss for LGBT philanthropy but a great boost for GLAAD. Dave knows our movement inside out and is smart, organized and deeply committed to securing equality and justice for all LGBT people.”

Matt Foreman, Director of gay and immigrant rights programs at the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund in San Francisco

“In his work at Gill, Dave has placed a premium on broadening the coalition of Americans who prioritize making our country a more accepting place for gay and transgender people. His willingness to challenge orthodoxy and adeptness at navigating LGBT issues in a way that speaks beyond the progressive base to those in the middle will enable him to carry out GLAAD’s mission with exceptional efficacy and impact.”

Jonathan Cowan, President of Third Way

“NCLR, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the country, congratulates our friend Dave Montez on his new position as the Chief of Staff at GLAAD. As a key partner within the Gill Foundation, Dave was instrumental in supporting NCLR’s efforts to not only advance equal rights for LGBT Hispanics across the country, but to bring communities together in a deeper way that would make positive social change for everyone. NCLR looks forward to continued collaboration together to advance equal opportunity.”

Eric Rodriguez, VP for the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, National Council of La Raza

“Dave will bring a fresh, energetic and diverse perspective to GLAAD as the organization continues to build effective coalitions with other communities.”

Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials

“Dave Montez has been an exceptional leader in connecting different communities in their common struggle for fairness and inclusion; not just GLAAD but the entire progressive community are fortunate to have Dave working on these critical issues.”

Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of MALDEF

“In supporting our Maryland collaboration between immigrant and LGBT communities, Dave has been unwaveringly focused on achieving the ultimate outcome of joint power building to create more rights for all. GLAAD is lucky to get him and we look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role.”

Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA de Maryland

“During his tenure with the Gill Foundation and the Four Freedoms Fund, Dave Montez helped advance a paradigm shift in Colorado and nationally in terms of how we think about social justice movement and alliance building. Dave’s strategic vision and ability to connect resources and relationships yielded unprecedented gains for immigrant and LGBT equality in Colorado. In his new capacity, Dave will have the opportunity to build on these incredible successes, and we look forward to being a close, continued partner with Dave and GLAAD in the struggle.”

Julien Ross, Executive Director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition

“Dave Montez has been a friend and a coach to my organization as we’ve taken steps to explore the nature of oppression and the intersection of immigrant and LGBT rights. He has been encouraging and patient as we’ve charted new territory, fostering an organizational culture that fully affirms all people and promoting constructive dialogue about heterosexual privilege with members of an ethnically and religiously diverse coalition in the South. We are incredibly grateful for Dave’s support and leadership while at Gill Foundation, and are thrilled to know that GLAAD will now be benefiting from his many talents.”

Stephen Fotopulos, Executive Director of the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition