For Immediate Release: March 17, 2003

SAN FRANCISCO: The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) Board Chair Nicky McIntyre has today announced that long-time civil rights activist, lawyer and law professor Paula L. Ettelbrick has been named to head the twelve-year-old San Francisco-based human rights organization. Ettelbrick, whose tenure begins on May 1st, will succeed Surina Khan, who stepped down in December.

"We're delighted to have Paula's range and depth of experience as IGLHRC charts its next stage in building a global grassroots LGBT human rights movement against discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity," said the Board. "Paula's reputation and background in fighting for human rights will assist us in increasing IGLHRC's effectiveness within the United Nations and with other non-governmental human rights organizations around the world."

In accepting her new position, Ettelbrick is committed to using international law to secure the basic rights and freedoms due to all sexual minorities and people living with HIV and AIDS. "At this stage the fight for justice and human dignity must be fought on a global scale. As some countries have moved forward in securing rights for LGBT people so many others are openly abusive to sexual minorities. We need to make sure that international law- as well as the domestic laws of each nation- require all countries to protect the human rights of everybody," said Ettelbrick.

Ettelbrick's 25-year history in feminist and progressive movements includes senior positions within United States-focused LGBT organizations. As Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund's first staff attorney and subsequently as Legal Director from 1986 to 1993 Ettelbrick helped shape the community's national legal agenda and helped make Lambda the nation's leading LGBT legal advocacy group. Under her leadership Lambda's work grew to include a broad range of cases in states throughout the United States. Ettelbrick created an education and communications department to support the group's work, doubled staff and opened offices in Los Angeles and Chicago in addition to the New York headquarters.

In 1993 Ettelbrick became Public Policy Director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights and worked with the US Congress and other federal agencies to move forward a lesbian health and federal civil rights agenda.

In 1994 Ettelbrick joined the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York's statewide LGBT political group. As its legislative counsel she lobbied state and local governments for LGBT civil rights and funding for services. She also co-founded the Federation of LGBT Statewide Political Groups. Beginning in 1999, Ettelbrick served as family policy director for the Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, a post she held until late 2001. In recent years, she has also taught courses on sexuality and the law and marital and non-marital family structures at the University of Michigan, New York University, Columbia University, and Wayne State law schools.

"I am so pleased to be joining IGLHRC's staff and Board," said Ettelbrick. "The world may feel ominous right now, which is why a strong effort to protect human rights is most critical."

Paula Ettelbrick's first public appearance as IGLHRC's Executive Director will be at the Felipa Award ceremonies honoring Argentinian transgender activist Lohana Berkins in San Francisco on May 29th, and in New York on June 2nd. See IGLHRC's website (http://www.iglhrc.org) after May 1st for event details.

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