Chad Griffin Photo by Bill Wilson
Chad H. Griffin was appointed today as the next president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, by the organization’s Board of Directors.
Griffin, a national communications and policy strategist, has been credited as the driving force behind the federal lawsuit to overturn Proposition 8, the overturn of which is pending an appeal.
Griffin will assume his new responsibilities on June 11, 2012. Current HRC president Joe Solmonese will continue to lead the organization until that time.
Joe Solmonese welcomes President Obama to HRC dinner in October , 2009 Photo by Bill Wilson
The founding partner of campaign firm Griffin|Schein, Griffin has led ballot initiative campaigns including Proposition 87: California’s Clean Alternative Energy Initiative; the Proposition 10 campaign, which generates $600 million a year for early childhood education; and Proposition 71, which secured billions of dollars for stem cell research despite the Bush Administration ban.
Griffin is a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), and will remain on the board of directors of AFER.
Chad Griffin (left) and Ted Olson listen as David Boies responds to reporters questions. Photo by Bill Wilson
“I’m honored by the board’s confidence in my ability to lead HRC. While there’s no doubt that we’ve made tremendous progress on the road to equality, we must not forget that millions of LGBT Americans still lack basic legal protections and suffer the consequences of discrimination every day,” Griffin said in a statement.
“Today’s generation of young people, and each generation hereafter, must grow up with the full and equal protection of our laws, and finally be free to participate in the American dream. As HRC president, I’ll approach our work with a great sense of urgency because there are real life consequences to inaction.”
SF City Attorney Dennis Herrera applauded Griffin’s appointment in a statement, saying Griffin “is a visionary leader, a brilliant strategist, and a remarkably effective consensus-builder.”
“Chad’s boundless energy and passion for justice will be enormous assets to the LGBT community and its allies in the struggle for equality,” Herrera said.
Joe Solmonese Photo by Bill Wilson
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