Leadership
Equality North Carolina has a professional staff and dedicated team of interns working for you.
Our Staff
With over 20 years of experience in the public and non-profit sector, including over eight years in management positions, Stuart Campbell is a seasoned professional whose mission-focused and collaborative leadership style has successfully expanded the capacity of several leading organizations. Campbell‘s non-profit experience includes advocacy and lobbying on disability and anti-poverty issues with the National Disability Rights Network, Brain Injury Association and Coalition on Human Needs in Washington, D.C., ultimately serving as Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs from 1998 to 2003.
Melissa Cartwright began her work with Equality North Carolina in March 2013. In her current role, Melissa manages the organization's fundraising efforts, including creating innovative fundraising programs, managing grants, and shepherding major gifts campaigns.
Ben Church joined the Equality NC staff in January 2013 as its first Deputy Director of Organizing. Ben cut his teeth in grassroots organizing during North Carolina's Amendment One battle until May 2012. In June 2012, he traveled to Minnesota and worked as staff with Minnesotans United For All Families, becoming the first campaign to successfully defeat a referendum banning same-sex marriage. Ben is excited to be back home in North Carolina, and is passionate about volunteer leadership and development.
Jen Jones joined the Equality NC staff in March 2011 as the organization's first Communications Director. Working closely with Equality North Carolina’s organizing and development staff, Jen plays a leadership role in all facets of Equality NC's communications efforts, including traditional and social media engagement and project promotion.
T. Shawn Long joined the Equality NC staff in August 2006 as administrative coordinator. He now works as the office manager and handles general questions and requests, processes donations and bills, maintains the member database, handles the financial accounts, and coordinates event registration.
Chris Speer joined the Equality NC staff in July 2012 as its Director of Organizing. Working closely with Equality North Carolina’s communications and development staff, Chris plays a leadership role in programming, outreach and organizing strategy, focusing on grassroots activism in both major metropolitan areas and rural hubs to work for LGBT equality throughout North Carolina. Most recently she acted as the Director of Campus Organizing for the coalition effort to defeat Amendment One, Protect All NC Families and as a field organizer for the Human Rights Campaign.
Josh Wynne began his work with Equality North Carolina as a graduate-level intern in 2007, continued in 2008 as it's first Organizing Fellow, returned in 2011 to become a Community Organizer and Volunteer Manager, and joined the team again in 2012 as Development Associate. In his current role, Josh manages the monthly donor program and donor acknowledgment system, assists with drafting grants, proposals, and fundraising solicitations, and plays a key role in fundraising events, including the annual Equality Gala. As a community organizer, Josh played a lead role in building public support for the historic LGBT-inclusive School Violence Prevention Act.
Our Boards
Our boards set organizational policy and goals, ensure the fiscal stability and success of the organizations, and select and supervise the Executive Director. We seek to maintain boards that represent the diversity of the community in terms of geography, race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, age, disability, religion, and partisanship. CLICK HERE to view our Equality NC Foundation Staff and Board.
Equality NC Board
| Elaine Martin |
Chair |
Chapel Hill |
| Don Davis |
Vice Chair |
Durham |
| Sarah Ford |
Secretary |
Raleigh |
| Rick McDermott |
Treasurer |
Charlotte |
| Greg Fitch |
|
Chapel Hill |
| Andrew Gerschutz |
|
Chapel Hill |
| Jerri Goldberg |
|
Asheville |
| Dan Gurley |
|
Raleigh |
| Lorraine Johnson |
|
Apex |
| Brandon Major |
|
Concord |
| Julie Merricks |
|
Raleigh |
| J. Wayne Riggins |
|
Fayetteville |
| Chris Sgro |
|
Greensboro |
| Justin Smith |
|
Durham |
Equality NC Action Fund Working Group
| Calvin Allen |
|
Raleigh |
| Don Davis |
|
Durham |
| Dan Gurley |
Chair |
Raleigh |
| Sean Kosofsky |
Treasurer |
Raleigh |
| J. Wayne Riggins |
|
Fayetteville |
| Cris Rivera |
|
Durham |