Garden State Equality is New Jersey’s largest advocacy organization. Since Garden State Equality's founding in 2004, New Jersey has enacted 210 laws at the state, county and municipal levels to advance the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. That's more LGBT civil rights laws enacted in less time than in any other U.S. state – ever. A 2009 year-end study by www.eQualityGiving.com ranks New Jersey as #1 in the United States for LGBT civil rights, tied with California, Iowa and Vermont. In 2008, Garden State Equality became the first statewide civil rights organization in America to be showcased in an Academy Award®-winning film. "Garden State Equality has run the most effective grassroots campaign New Jersey has seen in years," the Star-Ledger has written. Next we will win a marriage equality statute to replace our state's failed civil union law. So welcome to Garden State Equality, a movement making history. We're glad you're here.
Garden State Equality’s Board of Directors consists of 86 LGBT and straight leaders from across New Jersey and is one of the largest and most diverse Boards in the country. The Board’s considerable size reflects Garden State Equality’s massive boom in membership. With more than 66,000 members, Garden State Equality is the state’s largest civil rights organization.
The Board includes an Executive Committee comprised of:
Chair and CEO Steven Goldstein
Vice Chair Jeff Gardner
Vice Chair Rev. Robert Kriesat
Vice Chair Lucy O’Brien
Vice Chair Luanne Peterpaul
Vice Chair Robert S. Powell
Vice Chair Thomas H. Prol
Vice Chair Mary Theroux
Also on the Board of Directors are:
Steve Alterman
Will Aubrecht
Tom Basgil
Patricia Bell
John Berrier
Linda Berrier
Ronnie Billini
Toni Bonjavanni
Ron Botelho
Dr. Stacy Brodsky
Denise Brunner
Rev. Gil Caldwell
Joan Caputo
Salena Carroll
Sheila E. Carson
Rev. Richard Cash
Rev. Matt Cimorelli
Emilia Colon
Kevin Costello
Jenny Crumiller
Rev. David DeSmith
Rev. Bruce Davidson
Jack Denelsbeck
Rev. L.L. DuBreuil
Rosi Efthim
Rev. Rusty Eidmann-Hicks
Leslie Farber
Marty Finkle
Marty Goldstein
Rev. John Graf
Rev. Rose Hardy
Rev. Alicia Heath-Toby
Richard Ho
Rev. Janyce Jackson
Veronica Hoff Kairos
John Keating
Suzanne Kinzler
Shannon Kirk
Patrick Kirwan
Tom Laurita
Doug Laverty
Patrick Lenahan
Harriet Leyden
Felice Londa
Mellissa Longo
Jimmy Madden
Richie Madden
Ed Mather
Thomas Mannix
Steve McIntyre
Juan Melli
Rev. Manish Mishra
Mill Montejo
Joe Morelli
Joey Novick
John Otto Jr.
John Otto III
Kim Otto
Kevin Pilla
Trevor Powell
Becky Redington
Rey Redington
Jim Ringwood
Craig Ross
Steve Rother
David Sgro
Marsha Shapiro
Kelly Smith
Jason Springer
Robert Stein
Elder Kevin E. Taylor
Rev. Earl Teasley
Myra Terry
Saundra Toby-Heath
Louise Walpin
Shari Weiner
Vicki Wu
Rev. Jeff Ziegler
Garden State Equality’s staff members include:
Steven Goldstein, Chair and CEO. Steven founded Garden State Equality in 2004. For Steven’s biography, click here.
Troy Stevenson, Statewide Field Manager. Bio forthcoming.
Joey Falduti, Managing Director for Operations. Joey is a lifelong resident of Nutley. He received a B.Mus. from Montclair State University and an MM in Music Theatre from NYU. His joining Garden State Equality came from his passion for politics and civil rights. He began as a volunteer for the organization and then joined the staff. He has taught as adjunct faculty at NYU and as a substitute teacher here in New Jersey. He also worked for Liz Robbins Associates, which further fueled his interest in politics. He is an avid Facebooker and believes in the power of Twitter and YouTube. His favorite political commentator is Bill Maher and he is a major fan of CNN’s brilliant Candy Crowley. Joey is excited for his home state to exert its tradition of being a leader in fairness and equality.
Amanda Inderbitzen, Deputy Field Manager. Bio forthcoming.
