2011 Board of Directors
Betsy Pursell
Board Chair
Betsy Pursell joined the board in 2006. She is Vice President for Public Education and Outreach at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization, where she has worked since 2006. Before joining HRC, Betsy was the Executive Director at a D.C. educational organization with a nationally-recognized bullying prevention program. A career educator and administrator prior to a career shift to the non-profit sector, Betsy served as Upper School Director at the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, MD for ten years and was a teacher, coach and Director of Admissions at Thayer Academy (near Boston, MA) for eight years. She is a member of the Advisory Board at Capital City Public Charter School, an Advisory Board member for Active Voice (an organization that works with community advocates, educators, policymakers and social entrepreneurs to turn compelling films into resources for positive action) and serves on the stewardship committee at St. Columba's Episcopal Church in Northwest D.C. Betsy holds a B.A. from Colgate University, an Ed.M. from Harvard University and a C.A.S. in Organizational Leadership from Teachers' College, Columbia University. Betsy lives in Silver Spring, MD with her partner and their twin daughters.
Mike Schwartz
Vice Chair
Mike joined the board in 2004 and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board as well as Chair of the Program Committee. Early in his career, Mike worked for 10 years on Capital Hill with Members of the House of Representatives. Mike left the Hill in 1986 to join Freddie Mac where he held several positions, including Director of State Government Relations, Senior Director of Federal Relations and most recently as Director of Community Relations. As Director of Community Relations, he managed Freddie Mac's corporate philanthropy funding and volunteer programs. Under his leadership, Freddie Mac's philanthropic giving program was recognized as the largest philanthropic funder in the Washington metropolitan area for four years. He created Freddie Mac's Hoops for the Homeless which raised over 3 million dollars for homeless shelter providers in VA, MD and the District. He created and directed countless iniatives including a collaboration with Habitat for Humanity resulting in building 51 homes on the Mall in two weeks and transporting them to Louisiana and Mississippi as part of the response to Hurricane Katrina. Mike also sits on the Board of Greater DC Cares and the Board of the Washington Regional Area Grantmakers. He holds an MPA from the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and a BA from the University of Arkansas.
Stacey R. Long, Esq.
Secretary
Stacey is the federal legislative director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the oldest national organization advocating for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. She has more than 20 years of public policy experience in nonprofit and government sectors. Stacey previously served as director of advocacy & community development at Bread for the City, a local nonprofit that assists low-income residents in Washington, D.C. Stacey has devoted herself to advancing women's issues and served as the first women's health officer for the state of Wisconsin. In May 2010, she was appointed chair of the D.C. Mayor's Commission for Women, which works to improve the quality of life for all women and girls in the District of Columbia. In addition, she is the board secretary of SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League), a service organization in the D.C. metro area dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Stacey has an A.B. in Africana Studies from Vassar College, a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a Nonprofit Management Executive certificate from the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute. She is originally from Queens, N.Y., and now lives with her partner in Washington, D.C.
Nadia Adly
Nadia joined the board in 2009. She serves on the Finance Committee. Nadia began her career in the financial services industry in 1983 as a Sales Assistant for four Financial Advisors at Merrill Lynch. Over her twenty six year career, she served her client base as a trusted Financial Advisor for fifteen years before entering into management at Morgan Stanley. Nadia's first management assignment in May 2000, was to establish a presence for the firm in the growing Reston marketplace. After three years, she was promoted to Complex Manager covering Alexandria and Reston, before being promoted to Area manager in 2003, overseeing almost all of the branches in Virginia and West Virginia with 167 Financial Advisors. In June 2007, Nadia joined Wachovia Securities (now Wells Fargo Advisors) as a Regional Brokerage Manager with the Wealth Brokerage Services group. In addition to numerous registrations with FINRA and the State Corporation Commission for Insurance, she holds a Masters of Business Administration/Finance degree from George Washington University. Nadia serves on the Wachovia Volunteers Board. She lives in Herndon Virginia with her partner and their two golden doodles.
Susan Butler
Susan joined the board in 2008. She serves on the Program and Development Committees. Susan has been involved with philanthropic activities as trustee and as grant maker. In 1977 she became the first director of the Best Products Foundation, a corporate foundation. Over her 15 years as director, she guided the giving program from $200,000 to over $1 million. The Foundation funding projects included women's rights, reproductive rights, voter registration, pre-collegiate education, several university scholarship programs, as well as support of museums, theaters, and dance companies. As Chair of the Board of The Studio Theatre, she helped that institution raise $13 million to expand its performance and conservatory spaces and most recently completed a capital campaign to provide housing for The Theatre's apprentices and out of town actors, directors and designers. She also serves on the Art Committee of the Phillips Collection and participates in a Giving Circle at the Washington Area Women's Foundation. In the past, she was President of the Washington Project for the Arts, and served on the Board of Overseers of the Corcoran Museum, the Board of Trustees of Washington and Lee University, Lowell School Board and on committees for Holton Arms School, Council on Foundations, National Network of Grantmakers, Georgetown Day School, and the ACLU in Houston.
Cheryl S. Clarke
Cheryl S. Clarke joined the board in 2011 and is also the Chief Executive Officer for the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP), a nonprofit organization that preserves and collects oral histories of accomplished African American elders to unite the generations and create a blueprint for the leaders of tomorrow. Prior to joining NVLP in April 2008, Clarke worked for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) in several senior management positions. Her recent position was senior director of the Freddie Mac Foundation Investment and Programs area where she oversaw the investment of $30M annually in the Washington, DC metropolitan region and nationally. Other positions included director of communications in Community Relations, director of Diversity, and director of Human Resources and Business Support Services in the Atlanta and Dallas operations. In these roles she built infrastructure, led high-performing teams, cultivated organizational, board and external relationships, and developed successful strategies to achieve business and organizational goals. Clarke spent seven years as a director and teacher at a D.C. public school special education satellite program of the Bundy Crisis Intervention Center for emotionally and behaviorally challenged boys in Washington, DC. Clarke serves on the boards of the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP); The Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and is a member of Leadership Greater Washington. Ms. Clarke is a graduate of the American University in Washington, DC with a BA in Psychology. Cheryl is the proud mother of two fine young men.
Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich joined the board in 2009. He serves on the Buildings and Grounds, Development and Finance Committees. Paul is a Principal with Ehrlich Strategies which strategic advice on constituent activation and solicitation strategies for Fortune 500 companies. Prior to founding Ehrlich Strategies, Paul was Director, Legislative Affairs for Schering-Plough Corporation, a global innovation-driven, science-based health care company with leading prescription pharmaceutical, animal health and consumer health care products where he worked for over 20 years. Paul has lectured on corporate grassroots and political involvement to national audiences including the Public Affairs Council. Prior to joining Schering-Plough, Paul worked on Capitol Hill and the British Parliament. Paul is a graduate of The American University in Washington, DC where he graduated with University Honors and holds a B.A. in political science. He resides in Washington, D.C. where he is Secretary/Treasurer of his Homeowners Association and has volunteered for Friends of 10th Street Park.
Billy Fettweis
Billy Fettweis joined the board in 2011. He is the Manager of Volunteer Outreach and Development at Greater DC Cares, the largest and leading coordinator of volunteerism in the DC region. In that role, he oversees all hands on and community-based volunteer programs, which account for approximately 32,000+ volunteers annually. In addition to volunteer outreach, leadership development and recognition, Billy also develops and leads volunteer management and other professional development trainings for volunteer managers across the region. Billy is originally from Randolph, NJ and now lives on Capitol Hill. A graduate of George Washington University, he also serves on the Board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of DC and the Local Advisory Board for LIFT-DC.
Donna Greenfield
Donna Greenfield joined the board in 2010 and is a principal at Greenfield Belser Ltd., which provides a full range of services from strategic communications planning through creative implementation in print and on the web, to hundreds of professional service firms, Fortune 500 corporations, large trade associations and publishers. The firm also has provided pro bono services to numerous schools and other non-profit organizations. A pioneer in the field of professional services marketing, Ms. Greenfield and her partner, Burkey Belser, helped to set the standards for promotional materials for professionals. In 1989, she was voted "Creative Legal Marketer of the Year" by the California Lawyer in recognition of the body of work produced for law and law-related firms for over a decade. She is a recognized authority on professional services marketing, and has spoken and written on marketing communications topics to audiences such as the American Bar Association (ABA), the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), and the Legal Marketing Association (LMA). As a principal in Greenfield Belser Ltd, Ms. Greenfield has served in many capacities: managing client projects, participating in the creative development of the clients' work, handling all of the firm's legal work, and since the mid 1990s, she has been responsible for the overall operation of the business.
Robin Katcher
Robin Katcher joined the board in 2009. She serves on the Program Committee. Robin is the Deputy Director and Senior Consultant at the Management Assistance Group (MAG), a national organization that strengthens visionary organizations that work to create a just world. Robin joined MAG in 1999 and provides organization development consulting services to nonprofit organizations in areas such as board development, strategic planning, and managing and structuring staff. She also coaches leaders and has led customized capacity-building programs for networks of organizations. Groups that she has assisted include: the American Civil Liberties Union, Hope House, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues, Equality Maryland, Equal Justice USA, Citizen Action Wisconsin, Alliance for Children and Families, and Land Trust Alliance. She is Lead Author of the MAG publications Boards Matter and Advancing Your Cause Through the People You Manage. Before joining MAG, Robin held a variety of leadership positions across a range of social justice issues, including Legislative Director at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and Trainer in a Gill Foundation program providing board development and fundraising workshops for LGBTQ community organizations. She has served as a Founding Board Member for Jews United for Justice, Board Member of Bet Mishpachah (a synagogue serving the LGBTQ community), volunteer sex health educator for Whitman-Walker Clinic, and community ally of HERE Local 27, the DC parking lot attendants union.
Heather Kaye
Heather Kaye joined the Board in 2011. Heather is the CEO of InVision LLC, a consulting and leadership coaching firm. InVision works with socially responsible organizations in developing their leadership. InVision ensures leaders thrive, offer tangible value, and get results. Heather is an organizational consultant and certified coach devoted to providing customized, practical solutions that strengthen employee engagement and return bottom-line results. She is an accomplished consultant and facilitator with an ear for hearing what is not said, tackling unexpected challenging situations, and galvanizing leaders behind over-arching goals. Heather is also the founder of The Leadership Sanctuary, a yearlong program for nonprofit leaders. The program offers a safe space for leaders to deeply explore how to be more effective, strategically work through roadblocks, advance the organization's mission, and make breathing space for themselves in these demanding times. In the course of her career, Heather has facilitated numerous offsite retreats, lead leadership programs, taught training courses, developed corporate wide mentoring programs and coached hundreds of executives. She holds a Master's degree in organizational development from The American University, is an ICF certified coach, and previously served on the faculty of Newfield Network Coaching School for seven years.
Jeffrey Nelson
Jeff joined the Board in 2006. He serves on the Development Committee and chairs the ad hoc Marketing Communications and Advisory Board. Jeff is the Executive Director - Corporate Communications for Verizon Wireless, where he is responsible for Verizon Wireless' national positioning and reputation, and directs communications of the company's public affairs initiatives. Prior to joining Verizon Wireless, Nelson was Director of Communications at CTIA-The Wireless Association, and held senior legislative, communications and crisis management positions on Capitol Hill and in the private sector. He served on the senior staffs of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (OR) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX), has managed Congressional races and represented diverse public affairs clients, from organized labor to the plastics industry, advocated for inclusion of gays in the military, and promoted minority participation in the health care professions. A native of Rockford, Illinois, Nelson is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee. A former board member of the D.C. Hotline crisis center, Jeff and his husband Rob Cogorno live in Washington, DC and New Jersey.
Rhodes Perry
Rhodes Perry joined the board in 2011 and also serves as the Associate Director of Policy and Programs at Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National, where he has worked since 2008. Before joining PFLAG, Rhodes worked for the White House Office of Management and Budget, focusing on federal benefit programs and policies that provide assistance to low-income communities. He has also worked for the Ali Forney Center (AFC), a New York City LGBT homeless shelter, where he designed and managed a street outreach program aimed at reducing the inordinate rates of substance abuse and sexually transmitted infections amongst LGBT youth.
Todd Peterson
Todd joined the board in 2000, but began his service to SMYAL as a program volunteer in 1999. He serves on the Governance Committee and has previously served in a variety of leadership positions including Secretary, Vice Chair and Chair. Todd received a Bachelor's degree in Computer and Information Science from Elizabeth City State University and worked for 10 years as an IT consultant for Northrop Grumman and Accenture. In 2008 he shifted his professional focus to the non-profit sector. For 2 years, he presided over the technology unit at Equal Justice Works, providers of the nation's leading public interest law fellowship program. Currently he serves as the Director of Technology Services at 501cTECH, the only non-profit that provides IT support and consulting services to non-profits in the DC metropolitan area. An active volunteer in the LGBT community, Todd has served as lead for the LGBT employee resource group in Accenture's Washington, DC office and as a Regional Council Member of the local chapter of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates.
Elizabeth Rose
Elizabeth Rose (Liz) is the Communications Director for the Campaign for America's Future. Liz creates and implements communications strategy for public interest groups. Her recent clients include: the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Consumers Union, the Save Darfur Coalition and NARAL Pro-Choice America. Rose served as the Director of Public Affairs of the Federal Communications Commission. Before her tenure at the FCC, Liz was a Public Affairs officer at the Labor Department under Secretary Robert Reich. Liz was also the Media Relations Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum when it opened in 1993, and before that she served as a press secretary on Capitol Hill for Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV (D-WV) and Rep. Thomas J. Downey (D-NY). A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Liz received a BA from the University of Wisconsin at Madison then moved to Washington, DC in 1983 and lives in Chevy Chase, DC with her husband Richard Jerome and their two daughters Rachel and Diana and a yellow lab named Daisy.