Judy Shepard is passing the torch over at the Matthew Shepard Foundation and welcomes Jason Marsden as the new Executive Director:For the last ten years, I have served as both the President of the Governing Board and the Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Over the course of that time, the Foundation has grown enormously and changed from a small three person operation to an organization with national reach.
Today I am very happy to announce that Jason Marsden will be joining the Matthew Shepard Foundation as Executive Director July 1, 2009. He will be bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in the non-profit world as well as the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender communities. He has served as executive director for the last seven years of Wyoming nonprofit conservation advocacy organizations. He has also served as a statewide field director for the Wyoming Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign during a key U.S. Senate race and as a former political and environmental specialist for Wyoming’s statewide newspaper.
Jason was a leader and a public face for Wyoming’s gay and lesbian community. He has lobbied the Wyoming Legislature in 2007 and 2009, in opposition to a ban which would continue refusing to recognize out-of state gay marriages. He also served for nearly five years on the board of Wyoming’s 32-member progressive umbrella organization, in which conservation groups join with labor unions, civil rights advocates, educators, public employees, the progressive clergy, the trial-lawyer community, and the statewide LGBT organization, to further establish policy targets and educate candidates and lawmakers.
As you can see, he will be a great asset to our organization.
I will continue to serve as the President of the Governing Board and work closely with Jason, our Board and our staff as we continue our journey to Replace Hate with Understanding, Compassion, and Acceptance.
Please join me in welcoming Jason and as always, thank you for your tremendous support.
Judy Shepard
