Category : Press Releases

By Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz

This is a joint announcement from the Co-Chairs of TransForm’s Board of Directors, Alice Chen and Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz.

We are so excited to announce that after a thorough and competitive search, TransForm will welcome Darnell Grisby as our new Executive Director beginning October 26. Darnell spent the last nine years as Director of Policy Development and Research at the American Public Transportation Association, where he has become a national thought leader pushing for more equitable and innovative transportation policy.

This is a huge moment for TransForm. We were looking for a leader who could help us meet the urgent transit and housing challenges we face with a strong anti-racist policy agenda. Darnell is ready to lead that effort with his deep knowledge of progressive transportation policy and a bold vision for TransForm’s role in making change. Staff and board alike are looking forward to having Darnell’s leadership and experience for the next steps in our journey.

The urgency has never been stronger for the bold solutions we’re known for — 2020 has made the need for systemic change painfully clear. Our core issues are on the line, yet with vision and determination, we have an opening to transform our communities for the better.

In fact, Darnell said it well in a CityLab piece he wrote in July titled, “To Fight Racism, Transit has a Key Role.”

“We have an opportunity to address the discriminatory systems endemic to our built environment, infrastructure investment decisions, organizations and industries. Our best shot to make progress on these challenges is right now.”

Darnell’s career and his lived experience have prepared him well for this opportunity. He grew up in Southern California, where limited transportation options, under-investment, and over-policing of Black and brown communities shaped his perspectives and centered his life-path. He went on to UCLA and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He served as a legislative director in California’s legislature, and a lobbyist in Sacramento, before working at a think tank devoted to smart growth, and then spending nine years at APTA, where he became a leading transportation industry expert.

At TransForm, Darnell will be able to apply his varied experience and collaborative leadership skills to advancing an intersectional, anti-racist vision and strategy for creating more just, healthy, connected communities.

“TransForm is well-positioned to chart a path towards anti-racist transportation, housing, and land use policies. Together, we can remake our built environment, protect our health, and confront the climate crisis before us. I can’t wait to get to work.”

– Darnell Grisby

We hope you will join us for All Aboard at Home on Wednesday, October 21 at 4pm, where Darnell will share a message with attendees and you’ll get a chance to meet him. After he formally starts on October 26, he’ll be reaching out to many supporters and partners of TransForm to introduce himself, listen and learn about our work in the past, and strategize for the future. He’ll be moving from Washington D.C. to the Bay Area shortly after starting the job.

Lastly, we’d like to extend our deepest gratitude to the many TransForm staff members who have stepped up in amazing ways over the course of a leadership transition that has been longer than we expected. That includes Jo Ann Prompongsatorn Farrant and Ann Cheng, who served as Interim Co-Executive Directors in 2019, and Jeff Hobson, who has been Interim Executive Director in 2020, as well as quite a few others who have taken on new responsibilities and leadership roles during this time. Thank you for keeping TransForm strong through it all. And thank you to Stuart Cohen for building this incredible organization that is now ready for a leader like Darnell!

Los Angeles, California — Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new Medical Advisor joining the Foundation’s team this October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Joining is Stephanie Graff, MD, an accomplished physician who is board certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Graff has a strong background in cancer treatment. She is a director of both Clinical Research and the Breast Program at Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at HCA Midwest, Associate Director of the Breast Cancer Research Program at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, and National Breast Lead for the Sarah Cannon

Cancer Network’s clinical programs. Dr. Graff received a Graduate Degree from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed a breast oncology sub-fellowship from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Dr. Graff plays an integral part in numerous programs committed to ending breast cancer and breast cancer treatment. She leads the BE AWARE & Breast Cancer Prevention Clinics at Sarah Cannon HCA Midwest Health, as well as the High-Risk Women’s Program both at Sarah Cannon HCA Midwest Health and for the Sarah Cannon Cancer Network. She serves on the American Cancer Society Kansas/Kansas City Area Board and The Research Foundation Board. She is active in the American Society of Clinical Oncology, serving on several committees, and is currently participating in the prestigious ASCO Leadership Development Program. She also writes as a contributor of KevinMD, and is a sought-after public speaker. Her clear dedication and success led her to receive the Frist Humanitarian Award for her extensive work in the community.

Dr. Graff is well known for passionately connecting with patients to provide personalized, comprehensive oncology care, advancing breast cancer research, and breast cancer prevention.

“The time that I spend with my patients is my time away from my family, and just like their family is what is most important to them, my family is what is most important to me. They become my family. I know the names of their grandchildren, I know where they’re going on vacation next month, I know when their daughter is getting married… being a part of that and sharing those memories and stories with my patients, and seeing them blossom in their life after cancer, is so powerful. I am thankful every day that that’s what I get to do for a living,” says Dr. Stephanie Graff.

“We’re thrilled to have Dr. Stephanie Graff join the Foundation as a Medical Advisor. With her invaluable experience as a leading national expert on oncology care and breast cancer research, Dr. Graff will play an integral role in continuing to expand our global research programs and getting us closer to discovering an end to breast cancer,” says Susan Love, MD, MBA, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer at Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.

Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., September 15, 2020 — Linda McFarlane, a veteran advocate and JDI’s longtime Deputy Executive Director, will take over next month as the organization’s new Executive Director. McFarlane brings to the role her extensive experience leading JDI’s pathbreaking initiatives to prevent and respond to sexual abuse inside detention facilities, and her expertise from more than three decades of working with survivors of sexual assault.

“I am thrilled to announce that JDI’s Board of Directors has appointed Linda McFarlane as the organization’s next Executive Director,” said Russell Robinson, JDI’s Board Chair. “Linda has a nuanced understanding of JDI’s mission, an unrivaled track record of advocating for incarcerated survivors, and a clear-eyed vision for building on our many accomplishments. I have no doubt that our movement will continue to thrive, and grow even stronger, with her at the helm.”

“It is the honor of a lifetime to be named Executive Director of JDI, an organization that is at the forefront of the movement to end sexual abuse in detention and has long been a bedrock of support for incarcerated survivors,” said McFarlane. “As Executive Director, I look forward to building on JDI’s legacy, which includes human rights legislation, survivor-led awareness-raising campaigns, and policy initiatives to bring trauma-informed programs behind bars.”

McFarlane takes over as JDI celebrates 40 years since its founding as the world’s only organization dedicated exclusively to ending prisoner rape — a distinction that it still holds. JDI has secured many impressive wins for prisoners’ rights, including the landmark Prison Rape Elimination Act standards, which Linda helped shape as one of the experts relied upon by the bipartisan commission that drafted them. At the same time, sexual abuse is still widespread in detention facilities, and prisoners are especially vulnerable right now.

“People in detention are so often ignored and forgotten — a trend that has continued during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic, and the systemic, state-sanctioned racism that our nation is now reckoning with, affect prisoners acutely. These crises underscore the urgency of our work to protect the dignity and safety of all people in detention, and to ensure that when the government takes away a person’s freedom, it upholds its absolute responsibility to keep that person safe,” said McFarlane.

McFarlane succeeds Lovisa Stannow, who announced in February that she was stepping down after 16 years as Executive Director. When Stannow became Executive Director, JDI had one office with a small handful of part-time staff; today, JDI has 25 staff and offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Johannesburg.

Linda and Lovisa have worked together since 2005, when Linda was hired to run JDI’s then-new project to bring direct services to prisoners in California. In 2008, she was named a Deputy Executive Director, overseeing the organization’s domestic programs. “Linda is fearless, compassionate, and a true visionary,” said Stannow. “She pioneered programs addressing sexual abuse inside prisons that many thought would be impossible: confidential rape crisis counseling, inmate-led sexual abuse peer education programs, and human rights training for prison staff, to name a few — all of which have become national models. Linda has also led JDI’s collaboration with corrections officials inside some of the nation’s most troubled facilities, proving that culture change is possible. I can’t wait to cheer Linda and the entire JDI team on from afar as the organization reaches new heights.”

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Just Detention International is a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention.

June 25, 2020

The SAAF Board of Directors is pleased to share with you that Dr. Ravi Grivois-Shah has been selected and hired to be the next Chief Executive Officer for SAAF. Our search firm reached out to hundreds of candidates nationwide, and received fifty-four applications; six candidates proceeded to interviews. Ravi distinguished himself from this impressive field of strong leaders. He is clearly the right person at the right time to lead SAAF into our future. ​We all look forward to working with him.

Ravi has worked alongside SAAF for years in his current role as the medical director for Banner’s Alvernon Family Medicine Center and their Mobile Health Program. In 2019, Ravi received the SAAF Godat award for community innovator. As a health care provider, Ravi focused on expanding health care access for LGBTQ+ individuals and he has provided critical knowledge and compassion in his work. Ravi was also a leader and advocate in the process of banning conversion therapy of LGBTQ+ youth in Pima County. Moreover, Ravi is bilingual in Spanish and English. You can take a look at his resume here.

In accepting the position of SAAF CEO, Ravi stated, “SAAF is essential to our community here in Tucson and Southern Arizona. I’m excited about joining SAAF as its CEO so that, together, we can ensure that our family, friends and neighbors living with HIV; members of the LBGTQ+ community; or otherwise in need of help, have SAAF on their side.”

Ravi’s first day with SAAF will be Monday, September 28th. Patti Caldwell has agreed to continue serving as Interim Executive Director until Ravi starts.

We hope you share our excitement and anticipation in welcoming Ravi as SAAF’s next CEO!

Palm Springs, CA, June 15 – McCormack + Kristel, the nation’s first openly gay-owned executive recruiting firm when it was established 27 years ago, praised today’s Supreme Court ruling extending protections to millions of LGBTQ workers nationwide by a 6-3 decision.

The firm was founded by veteran search consultant, Joseph A. McCormack as McCormack & Associates on April 1, 1993, in response to the AIDS pandemic, when emerging service providers for the LGBTQ community were in desperate need of professional leadership. For the first five years, service providers and research and policy organizations like amfAR, Housing Works, and AIDS United were the core of the firm’s practice. In time they began to recruit CEO’s and C-suite executives for a broader spectrum of LGBTQ organizations like the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Trevor Project, Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund, Lambda Legal, PFLAG, the Point Foundation, and numerous others.

The historic nature of the firm’s founding was reflected in its coverage by the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press, and an interview with Joe McCormack by the New York Times for the Sunday, June 27, 1993 Business Section. This led to a flood of resumes from LGBTQ executives and others seeking help with their job searches.  McCormack & Associates found its niche with mission-driven nonprofits, expanding its practice over time to include clients such as the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Amnesty International, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, J. Paul Getty Trust, Natural Resources Defense Council, and numerous others. Throughout its history, McCormack has aligned with clients whose values, particularly a prioritization of diversity, equity, and inclusion, are shared with those of the firm.

Managing Partner Michelle Kristel joined with McCormack in 2013.  Kristel is the former executive director of In the Life Media (ITLM), a nonprofit organization that produced a documentary series for public television on issues related to gender, HIV/AIDS, and LGBT rights.

In response to today’s Supreme Court ruling, Kristel said, “Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court extends significant protections to millions of employees nationwide. This incredibly important ruling affirms the basic civil rights of LGBT workers. As a firm that recruits diverse candidates to leadership positions across the country, we are assured to know all the executives we place will be afforded federal workplace protections.”

McCormack + Kristel has offices in California, New York and Washington, DC. The firm, which is owned by a veteran and a woman, is a certified LGBT enterprise and its principals are members of the Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants (NNSC).

May 14, 2020 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL- Today, the Board of Directors of CenterLink announced that they have appointed longtime staff member Denise Spivak as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Stacie Walls, CEO of LGBT Life Center and CenterLink Co-Chair of the Board of Directors says, “Denise has been an integral part of what makes CenterLink so special. Her leadership during her interim CEO tenure has been stellar, particularly through this pandemic. We are thrilled to have Denise at the helm of this agency while we move through our new strategic plan and into the future of developing strong LGBT centers and leaders.”

In partnership with McCormack+Kristel, a national leader in providing diversity-focused executive search consulting services, the Board of Directors conducted an exhaustive nationwide search utilizing leading edge equity-centered recruitment, screening, and interviewing practices.

“CenterLink’s CEO candidate pool was incredibly impressive, included a wide sector of our community, and represented a diverse cross-section of LGBTQ community centers,” said Lance Toma, CEO of San Francisco Community Health Center and Chair of the CEO Search Committee. “After concluding our rigorous and comprehensive search process we are confident that Denise’s talent, leadership, and passion for LGBTQ centers will continue our movement’s forward momentum.” 

Spivak, a graduate of Gettysburg College, most recently served as CenterLink’s Interim CEO. Spivak has served in a number of roles at CenterLink over the last nine years including Director of Member Relations and External Affairs, Senior Director of Programs and Outreach, and Deputy Director. Over the last thirty years, Spivak’s career has refined her expertise in C-Level talent acquisition, organizational management, and broadcast communications.

Robert Boo, CEO of The Pride Center at Equality Park and CenterLink Co-Chair of the Board of Directors said, “Over the last nine years I have watched Denise grow into an incredibly strong, sensitive, and strategic leader. She has the vision and tenacity to lead the CenterLink team in the continued growth of the community center movement.”

Spivak will oversee a Ft. Lauderdale-based national organization serving more than 250 LGBTQ community centers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and China. Most recently, the Board of Directors adopted an ambitious three-year strategic plan to enhance organizational equity and inclusion, expand centers’ leadership development opportunities, increase funding pipelines for member centers, and strengthen communications across center networks.

 “I am honored to have been selected as the new CEO of CenterLink, and excited to continue working with our talented, committed staff, and amazing network of LGBTQ community centers,” says Spivak.

 About CenterLink

CenterLink was founded in 1994 as a member-based coalition to support the development of strong, sustainable, LGBTQ community centers. A fundamental goal of CenterLink’s work is to help build the capacity of these centers to address the social, cultural, health, and political advocacy needs of LGBTQ community members across the country. CenterLink plays a vital role in addressing the challenges centers face by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity, access public resources, and engage their regional communities in grassroots social justice movements. Through ActionLink – the Center Action Network, CenterLink is a nationally recognized advocacy force that enables LGBTQ centers and the people they serve to act as a powerful shared voice on issues of social justice and equity.  www.lgbtcenters.org

By Lambda Legal

MARCH 28, 2019

Today, Lambda Legal announced its search for the organization’s next CEO. McCormack + Kristel, the nation’s first and most experienced LGBTQ retained search firm, in collaboration with WB&B, an executive search firm focused on diversity and inclusion, will assist Lambda Legal’s Board of Directors.

“Lambda Legal’s Board of Directors knows how critical the CEO search is to our community, especially in times like these, so that the organization remains vigilant and a leader in the movement,” said Board Chair Anne Krook.  “One of the most essential elements of this search is a diverse pool of candidates. We will conduct a thorough and thoughtful process to find the ideal candidate for the position.”

Lambda Legal has engaged McCormack+Kristel, executive search consultants for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations with an emphasis on diversity recruiting, in collaboration with WB&B, an executive search firm also focused on diversity and inclusion, to facilitate the search. Since its founding in 1993, McCormack+Kristel has completed more than 400 searches for CEOs, board members and C-suite executives for large and small nonprofit organizations across the country. Clients have included the ACLU, the Equality Federation, GLAD, Liberty Hill Foundation, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, MassEquality, Outserve/SLDN, PFLAG, Planned Parenthood, SAGE, and the Tide Foundation. WB&B has been recognized as the nation’s leading minority-owned executive search firm. Established in 1973, its founding bylaws ensure an inclusive slate of qualified candidates for each client engagement. Since 2011, the firms have partnered on several high-profile CEO searches including AIDS United, AIDS Foundation of Chicago and Amnesty International.

“McCormack+Kristel and WB&B are dedicated to developing an inclusive list of candidates with the skills to drive the next chapter of Lambda Legal’s work. We are honored to be working with a pillar of the LGBTQ movement during such a critical time in Lambda’s and our country’s history,” said Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner of McCormack+Kristel.

“Lambda Legal is in court on behalf of transgender people in the military, winning on behalf of transgender high school students, and taking on Social Security on behalf of LGBT seniors, and we are looking for an experienced leader and strategic thinker to join us in this fight on behalf of our community’s most vulnerable,” said Richard Burns, Interim CEO. “We are looking for someone ready to ensure that Lambda Legal’s vision of full recognition of the civil rights of the LGBT community and all who experience discrimination is realized.”

With the assistance of the search firms, staff, and stakeholders, the board will develop a job profile that highlights the various skill sets required of a new president. The final job profile will be announced and will be available on lambdalegal.org.

December 19, 2018 – Executive search firm McCormack+Kristel has been selected by Metro Wellness & Community Centers in Tampa to lead its search for a new chief financial officer. Managing partner Joseph McCormack and partner Michelle Kristel are leading the assignment.

Reporting to the CEO, the CFO directs the finance functions of the organization and is responsible for the fiscal management of all federal, state and city grants, said McCormack+Kristel. The individual in the role will be charged with supervising a finance team inclusive of accounting, billing, bookkeeping and payroll staff. The CFO will oversee an operating budget of more than $21 million.

The ideal candidate will be expected to have non-profit and healthcare experience in a community health center or a federally qualified health center with a 340b pharmacy program. McCormack+Kristel said that the successful candidate will have “at least 10 years’ progressively responsible accounting experience, preferably with an organization that receives federal funds.” Candidates should have demonstrated excellence in managing finance, accounting, budgeting, controls and reporting, ideally in the healthcare sector.

In addition, the ideal candidate will have a collaborative and flexible leadership style and will be enthusiastic about working in a mission-driven environment, said the search firm. Prospects should also be strong in character and integrity.

Established in 1993, Metro Wellness & Community Centers provides health and wellness services that are inclusive, relevant, supportive and represent the lifetime continuum of the diverse people in Florida’s Tampa Bay community. It is one of the largest HIV/AIDS service organizations and nationally known LGBT community centers. With active community center locations throughout the Tampa Bay area, Metro provides comprehensive HIV services and medical care, social activities, classes, support groups, counseling, health and fitness programs, youth programs, substance abuse programs, older adult programs, behavioral health services and free HIV testing.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media