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Joan Garry
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Joan M. Garry has a nonprofit consulting practice focused on crisis management,executive coaching and building strong board and leadership teams. She is also recognized as one of the most vocal, passionate and effective civil rights leaders in America with nearly a decade of service as the Executive Director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Garry also served as the Co-Chair of the National LGBT Finance Committee for Obama For America 2008. She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communications where she focuses on nonprofit media strategy and media advocacy.

She can be reached at www.joangarry.com

During her tenure at GLAAD, Joan persuaded the NY Times to include gay and lesbian couples on its wedding pages, she created a national debate about the homophobic words of radio host, Laura Schlessinger and even debated Jerry Falwell about whether Tinky Winky was gay.

She is also the first woman in the state of New Jersey to legally adopt her partner’s biological children and the first female singing member of the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus.

Blog Entries by Joan Garry

When Is It Time for An Executive Director to Move On?

(3) Comments | Posted May 14, 2013 | 12:53 PM

I asked the following question to a group of nonprofit Executive Directors on LinkedIn.

'OK, you're an executive director. You just suggested a team building exercise for your upcoming staff retreat involving a piñata of your board chair. Perhaps a clue it's time to move on? Other clues?"

I was...

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Terrified of Fundraising?

(1) Comments | Posted December 10, 2012 | 10:05 AM

I do fundraising trainings with nonprofit board members, some of whom are bigwigs and have big day jobs -- who might take major risks on stocks or who put together multi-million dollar deals. Some of them literally dive off of cliffs. For fun!

But then I ask them for a...

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Good Organizations Scramble; Great Ones Plan

(0) Comments | Posted November 12, 2012 | 7:47 AM

Caryl Stern and I go way back. Caryl and I worked together when she was at the ADL and I was at the helm of GLAAD. She was a champion for LGBT inclusion in the work of the ADL. I admire her greatly. She...

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Queer Ride for the Straight Guy

(1) Comments | Posted October 24, 2012 | 2:28 PM

A straight private-wealth manager from Bergen County, N.J., might seem like an unlikely candidate to get involved in a charity bike ride to benefit New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. When my 17-year-old daughter first emailed him, I'm not entirely sure he...

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Lance Armstrong est un héros

(5) Comments | Posted October 23, 2012 | 9:00 AM

J'ai tout entendu en ce qui concerne la polémique Lance Armstrong/Livestrong (son association de lutte contre le cancer). Je suis consultante au sein d'une organisation à but non lucratif qui aide les organisations à se sortir des situations les plus problématiques et j'estime que...

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It's Time for Lance Armstrong's Next Tour

(140) Comments | Posted October 20, 2012 | 12:55 PM

I've swallowed everything about the Lance Armstrong/Livestrong controversy whole. I am a nonprofit consultant that helps organizations find their way out of big messes. I find that messes are always symptomatic of larger illnesses (please forgive the pun) and that they are often opportunities to rethink and figure...

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Take That Governor Christie!

(85) Comments | Posted June 29, 2011 | 9:58 AM

As an openly gay American, it will not surprise you that Governor Andrew Cuomo is my very favorite governor (we call him the Cuomo-Sexual at our house). As an openly gay resident of the state of New Jersey, it will not surprise you that Governor Chris Christie is my least...

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Six Things the President Could Have Said to the Gay Community

(169) Comments | Posted June 24, 2011 | 10:24 AM

I am not on the fence. Barack Obama is my president. There will be no suspense in 2012. I will vote for him again. He is the best thing to happen to the gays since (insert your own answer here ____).

So of course, I was rooting for him to...

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The Kids Are All Right? No Way!

(114) Comments | Posted July 26, 2010 | 1:13 PM

I was beyond excited. A major motion picture. Two big celebs. We would finally have cultural shorthand during introductions. Like this past weekend when we dropped our fifteen year old son Ben off at camp. "Hi I'm Joan and..... I tell you what -- let me make this easier for...

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Pride Pictures That Tell the Whole Story

(44) Comments | Posted June 28, 2010 | 6:13 PM

Well the New York Times did not disappoint us. Its Pride Parade coverage included an amazing photograph of an extraordinarily agile woman. A pole dancer. Dancing while on a moving bicycle. Let's not underestimate the skill involved here. I mean no disrespect.

Nor should we underestimate the...

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Google Images of "Gay Pride March"

(11) Comments | Posted June 24, 2010 | 8:33 AM

I was curious. I was actually looking for an image for a post on a different subject. I wanted a huge crowd of gay people to make a point about straight allies. You'll understand when you read the post I write tomorrow. I'll leave you in suspense (albeit a modest...

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"Charge" Elena Kagan With Her Qualifications

(39) Comments | Posted May 10, 2010 | 7:59 AM

OK. So people think I know who is gay and who isn't. They think that, as a gay rights activist, I have access to "the directory." They think that my 'gadar' is of the highest possible caliber.

It is not as finely tuned as you may think. I mean,...

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Quinn "Edwards" in 2025

(15) Comments | Posted January 21, 2010 | 12:44 PM

My name is Quinn. I'm a teenager. You might remember that my name was in the news about 15 years ago because of my father. Actually he doesn't really deserve the title "father." His name is John Edwards.

Back in January 2010, he admitted that he was my...

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Kevin Jennings Is Highly Qualified for His Job

(95) Comments | Posted October 16, 2009 | 12:54 PM

Kevin Jennings is an Assistant Deputy Secretary in the Department of Education and he runs the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. His credentials and his commitment to student safety are impeccable.

Anyone who tells you that Kevin Jennings is not qualified for his job:

1....

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If I Were Obama's Big Gay Speechwriter

(37) Comments | Posted October 9, 2009 | 9:04 AM

Here's the deal. Tomorrow (10/10), the President will address the national dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay political advocacy group. Several thousand people hanging on his every word. A couple of reporters thrown in for good measure. And more than a few bloggers.

The...

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I Got a Highly Qualified Ambassador for My Birthday

(7) Comments | Posted October 8, 2009 | 10:53 AM

I was thinking that a personal trainer might make a nice gift. Or a guarantee that my memory wouldn't fail me. Or maybe some kind of assurance that our twins would graduate from high school in one piece. Actually I guess I mean two pieces. But I got a highly...

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Facebook Status: I Dare You. Say What's Really on Your Mind!

(6) Comments | Posted July 28, 2009 | 9:14 AM

My partner Eileen says she is sick of reading Facebook profiles about what people are eating. "Delicious soft shell crabs with Bobby" or "Try the bison burger at Ted's." She thinks it is stupid. She doesn't really care that much about what other people eat. She cares a lot about...

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Who Knew? Saving is Now Popular

(1) Comments | Posted July 8, 2009 | 11:31 AM

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"Now that savings is POPULAR?" My partner and I opened the paper to find this ad. The catering company should be very pleased (and relieved) that I blocked out the company name. I am simply trying to make a point.

One quick thing before...

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"A President Who Fights With You and for You"

(92) Comments | Posted June 30, 2009 | 11:09 AM

I know what he meant. He meant that together we would fight for full equality and that he would advocate for us to get there. But the line is also true if you look at it the other way. Over the rest of his first term (this is how I...

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What the President is Missing on Gay Rights

(248) Comments | Posted June 9, 2009 | 9:45 AM

I know it seems odd. Ironic even. I was listening to the president's speech to the veterans on Omaha Beach, commemorating the anniversary of D-Day and it hit me. Funny I know. I was listening to him address military veterans and I realized what is missing in the president's approach...

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