Date: Fri, Jun 23, 1995 9:31 AM From: "Charles Zweig" FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GLAAD NAMES WILLIAM WAYBOURN AS MANAGING DIRECTOR Los Angeles, CA & New York, NY -- June 22, 1995 -- The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today announced William Waybourn as its new managing director. Waybourn is a well-known national activist and former newspaper editor and until recently, served as executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee. Waybourn will assume responsibilities effective July 1, 1995 "In this, the tenth anniversary year of GLAAD, we are fortunate to have someone with William's grassroots and media experience to solidify GLAAD's role as our community's media watchdog," said GLAAD co-chair Will Halm of Los Angeles. "Additionally, William will provide us with an opportunity to enhance GLAAD's role as a pro-active organization and advance our community's image," Halm added. "Our search for a new leader focused on finding the individual who could best bring together GLAAD's national offices, chapters, staff and volunteers after our merger last year into a single organization," commented New York co-chair Peggy Brady. "We were impressed with William's skills on an organizational level, as he has considerable experience with networking and making coalitions function effectively," Brady said. "His media background will serve him well as GLAAD's chief executive and we are excited by his vision to strengthen GLAAD's infrastructure," Brady and Halm said in a joint statement. "We were impressed with his determination to take GLAAD to a new level of involvement," they said. Waybourn succeeds Ellen Carton, who was acting executive director of GLAAD. The national offices will remain in Los Angeles and New York, and staff will continue to be located in various cities, including the field office in Portland. All aspects of the operation will report to Waybourn. GLAAD maintains chapter operations in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington, DC. In addition, GLAAD is initiating or has chapters or outposts in 25 other cities across the US. "I am excited at the possibilities of working side by side with GLAAD's members from around the country as we dispel the stereotypical representations of lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals." Waybourn said. "GLAAD has built an impressive grassroots framework to educate the public about the important roles gays and lesbians play in our society, and I look forward to expanding that network and bridging new alliances as the crucial next phase of GLAAD's development," Waybourn said. "We plan to move aggressively to counteract the impression most Americans have of our lives and show the true diversity of our community," Waybourn said. Waybourn leaves the Victory Fund after having founded the organization four years ago and turning it into the nation's largest gay and lesbian political action committee and the 15th largest independent PAC in the nation. Under Waybourn, the Victory Fund has distributed more than $1 million to recommended candidates and has succeeded in more than tripling the number of openly lesbian and gay elected and appointed officials. He served as a daily newspaper editor for ten years and has extensive experience in media relations, public affairs, association management and marketing. He is the past president of the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance and was instrumental in founding various organizations, including the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Community Center; the nation's first lesbian and gay credit union and credit card; an AIDS research clinic; a food pantry; and a young adults'group. In addition, he has served on numerous boards and commissions and has been active in gay and lesbian and AIDS-related work since 1979. Founded in 1985, GLAAD works for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. ### Editors: For more information, contact: Peggy Brady (212) 302-5100 Will Halm (310) 273-9222 For more information or a photograph, contact (until 6/30/95): William Waybourn (202) 842-8679 (office) (202) 462-0290 (residence) For more information regarding GLAAD, contact: Donald Suggs (212) 807-1700