NLGJA
has appointed David Barre as the organization's
next Executive Director. Beginning
August 20, 2007, Barre will oversee
the National Office Staff and
the day-to-day operation of the Washington,
DC-based organization.
The
following week, Barre will take
part in "Breaking Stories,
Breaking Waves," NLGJA's 2007 National Convention & 4th
Annual LGBT Media Summit. The event
will provide the opportunity for
NLGJA members and friends to meet
the new Executive
Director and share their ideas
for the organization's future.
Barre was selected from a field of dozens of candidates during a
national search conducted by a volunteer committee of current and
former NLGJA leaders. He succeeds Pamela Strother, who left NLGJA
in October 2006 after 10 years with the organization, the last six
as Executive Director.
"I am very excited to have the opportunity to help lead NLGJA
through its next phase of development," said Barre. "It
is an honor for me to be able to
serve such a distinguished group
of journalists and communicators."
A Washington, DC resident, Barre brings extensive management, marketing,
communications, strategic planning and non-profit experience. Barre
comes to NLGJA from the Association of Corporate Counsel, an organization
with 20,000 members worldwide for which he was responsible for all
direct mail campaigns, event promotion, media relations, marketing
to members and external advertising, as well as developing an overarching
communications strategy.
For 10 years previously, he served in management positions at Greenpeace
and the National Minority AIDS Council. While at Greenpeace, he led
strategies for informing and engaging various constituencies on issue-based
campaigns. He developed and managed a $2 million communications budget
and managed staff in addition to helping lead the organization through
annual and multiyear strategic planning processes.
At the National Minority AIDS Council, Barre led all communications
and marketing campaigns; managed a national conference with primary
responsibility for fundraising, program development and marketing;
and gained significant experience in soliciting, managing and reporting
on financial grants from government, foundation and private sector
funders.
Barre brings strong, forward-thinking leadership and will concentrate
on a number of goals as NLGJA moves forward.
"I plan to focus much of my energy on continuing to expand
NLGJA's membership, and in particular, strive to increase diversity
among the members," he said. "I will also be looking
to diversify and expand NLGJA's
group of funders in order to help us
respond to the needs of members."
"NLGJA is fortunate to have found someone with such strong
credentials and an understanding of what is important to the news
industry, especially regarding issues involving the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities," said NLGJA National
President Eric Hegedus. "His professional skills and visionary
outlook will translate to organizational
growth that will both benefit our
members and raise awareness about
coverage concerns that face LGBT journalists every day."
Acting Executive Director Thomas Cashman Avila will resume his duties
as Deputy Executive Director when Barre joins the staff next month.
Avila will oversee all programmatic and communications elements of
NLGJA's mission work with a focus on the organization's outreach
to the next generation of journalists through NLGJA's ongoing journalism
education initiatives.
Search
and Transition Committee members
were Alan Flippen (Committee Chair),
Eric Hegedus, Karen Bailis, Geoff
Dankert, Ina Fried, Katia Hetter,
Margaret McElligott, Marshall McPeek,
Akilah Monifa, Court Passant and
David Steinberg.
