“Dave’s strong relationship with advocates in the LGBT equality movement along with his experience building bridges between the LGBT and Latino communities will strengthen GLAAD’s culture-changing work,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “He will be integral in continuing to create a new GLAAD where our dedicated staff builds national impact through campaigns that raise the visibility of LGBT people and issues as well as hold anti-LGBT activists accountable.”
Montez most recently served as senior program officer at the Gill Foundation, one of the nation’s leading funders of LGBT advocacy efforts. He oversaw the foundation’s Latino Initiative, which is designed to build lasting alliances between LGBT people and Latinos. He also worked with the Director of Allies and Institutions with the goal of building broad support for LGBT equality. Previously, Montez managed a portfolio of grants to state-based LGBT organizations working to achieve policy change at the state and local level.
“Dave has been an outstanding leader for the Gill Foundation. We’re excited that his talent and commitment will continue to benefit the LGBT movement in his new role,” said Tim Sweeney, President and CEO of the Gill Foundation. “Dave has a unique ability to build coalitions where diverse communities recognize their shared values and common goals. He also understands the important role that research plays in learning how to communicate more effectively.”
Before joining the Gill Foundation, he was a research development officer at the University of Colorado, Denver, where he researched and reviewed funding opportunities, grant proposals, and funding contracts for faculty members. He also worked for the Latino/a Research & Policy Center as the events and publications coordinator, where he planned, coordinated, and implemented all center-sponsored events.
Montez speaks Spanish and holds a BA in journalism/public relations from Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is a gubernatorial appointee to the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) in the Denver Metro Area, which oversees an average of $40 million in grant funding annually. He is also a graduate of Leadership Denver, where he helped raise money and resources to remodel Urban Peak, a youth homeless shelter in Denver.
"I'm really excited to join the GLAAD family,” said Montez. “I've long respected GLAAD as an organization and Herndon as a leader. GLAAD has an incredibly talented leadership team, and I look forward to working with these colleagues to achieve full equality for all LGBT people."
The move has been applauded by leaders of LGBT and Allied organizations. Read their statements after the jump.
