I am writing to share some important changes afoot at Funders for LGBTQ Issues.

After long tenures at Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Andrew Wallace and Rebecca Wisotsky will transition out of the organization in early August and late July, respectively. Rebecca will join Wellspring Philanthropic Fund as a Program Officer. While Andrew is stepping out of his role leading our Research and Communications team, he will continue on with us in a consulting capacity until the end of the year as a senior advisor, providing support in our research activities, helping to onboard our new communications officer, and participating in strategic planning.

They will both be deeply missed, and while I am sad to see them go, I am so excited to witness their brilliance within the sector and beyond. You can read more about their tenures and contributions to Funders, as well as other staffing developments, in this announcement.

Looking toward the future, I take hope in the incredible leadership within our team. Our work is needed more than ever – and we have everything we need to realize our vision. To that end, we are announcing some exciting shifts and promotions that will strengthen our core capabilities and position us for growth.

I am honored to share that Alexander Lee, our Interim Vice President of Programs, is now Funders’ inaugural Deputy Director. A former Soros Justice Fellow, Alex is a lawyer, cultural organizer and filmmaker. In this new role, Alex will support our strategic growth, while continuing to lend his expertise overseeing programming and philanthropic organizing.

Longtime staff leader Marvin Webb is now our Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Marvin guides groundbreaking work to build human resources systems centering radical inclusion and generosity that continues to be a model for the philanthropic sector and beyond. His work has strengthened the organization’s financial direction.

The promotions of Alex, Marvin, and other core team members utilize our most powerful resource: our staff. Our team holds deep roots in movement work, organizing, and the philanthropic sector, and is profoundly committed to the mission. You can read about other team promotions in this post.

Our leaders will ably guide Funders during this period of transformation informed by our next strategic plan, to be finalized at the end of this year. This is a season that offers us an opportunity to collectively grapple with the strategic questions this moment demands.

Over the next several months, we’ll be focused on sharing the findings of our 2019-2020 Tracking Report, supporting the critical work of the Trans Futures Funding Campaign alongside our partners, and celebrating our 40th Anniversary at the 2022 Pride in Philanthropy event on September 29th in New York City (save the date)! I’m excited to be in conversation with all of you as we continue to collectively build the world we so richly deserve and need.

On a personal note, I am enthused to have the privilege of meeting with our members in person. Over the next several months, Funders will host a series of receptions and listening sessions across the country. We invite our members to join us in Seattle on July 18th, and in New York City on July 27th.

Until then, if you have any questions about our transition, please feel free to reach out. I would love to hear from you. We are grateful as always for the deep solidarity and commitment of our membership and look forward to the next forty years with you.