February 8, 2010, Los Angeles, CA – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced that the Board of Directors has elected four new Board Members: Sheri Fults of Los Angeles, Michael Lammons of Atlanta, Humberto Maca of Ecuador and John Stephens of Los Angeles.
"One of the strengths of GLAAD is the diversity of our Board of Directors who work with staff to raise awareness, funds and, with GLAAD’s Programs team, help bring inspiring stories of our community to the world," said Susan Mindell, Co-Chair of GLAAD’s Board of Directors.
Sheri Fults is a literary manager, specializing in emerging screenwriters and directors. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Sheri had a corporate communications practice in Austin, Texas. While in Austin, Sheri's community service included development and media communications work for AIDS Services of Austin, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, HRC and serving as the founding president of the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. She began her partnership with GLAAD by joining the Leadership Council and subsequently serving two years as Co-Chair, as well as Co-Chair for the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles in 2009 and 2010. She also works with Outfest, most recently as Co-Chair of the Legacy Awards. She received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Michael Lammons is a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in Atlanta where he serves clients in the life, accident and health, and property and casualty insurance and healthcare industries. Michael also serves as PwC Atlanta's Community Relations Partner and as Chairman of PwC's National GLBT Partner Advisory Board. Michael is one of 10 partners who created PwC's National LGBT affinity programs in 2004. PwC is currently ranked number 3 for LGBT employees by Diversity Inc. Michael also serves a number of non-profits including the Georgia Center for Non-Profits (Board Chairman), CHRIS Kids Rainbow Advisory Board serving homeless LGBT youth in the Atlanta area and the AID Atlanta Cotillion Fundraising Committee. Michael earned his B.A. from Samford University and his MBA from The University of Alabama.
Humberto Mata resides in Guayaquil, Ecuador and is founder and president of Fundacion VIHDA, a non-profit organization that works on HIV/AIDS prevention in the city. VIHDA works to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, through education campaigns at the largest maternity hospital, in public schools and the mass media. He founded Fuerza Ecuador, a grassroots political organization promoting involvement of young people in politics, with whom he was a candidate for Prefect of Guayas Province in 2000 and 2004. Since 1997, Humberto has run his family business, Tracto-Partes, a supplier of parts for construction and transportation. He graduated from Harvard University and received his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
John Stephens is a Partner at Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP based in the firm's Los Angeles office. John focuses his practice on media and entertainment litigation, intellectual property licensing and transactions. He handles matters for a diverse client base including media entities, magazines, television and radio stations, production, on-line content and live entertainment companies. John is Chair of the Intellectual Property Committee and Chair Elect of the Diversity Committee for the Tort Trial and Insurance Section of the ABA. He is also a Trustee on the San Fernando Valley Bar Association Board of Trustees, active in Lawyers for Human Rights and on the Steering Committee of Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN). John received his B.S. and J.D. from Rutgers University.
"The media landscape is changing and so is GLAAD,” said Co-Chair John Hadity. “As GLAAD shifts our advocacy work towards digital initiatives and assisting local organizations amplify the diverse voices of our community and allies, our Board Members' expertise helps advance this culture changing work.”
