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Taking the helm of the Human Rights Campaign in the spring of 2005, Joe Solmonese journeyed to 22 states and 35 cities, logging 115,000 miles in his first six months. His vision for equality is clear: taking the fight for equality not only to the floor of Congress, but to the kitchen table, to factory floors and to church pews.
Committed to making clear that nobody has a monopoly on religion, Joe launched HRC’s new Religion and Faith program. The program provides resources for GLBT and straight-supportive people of faith while combating those who use religion as a weapon.
With a younger generation that’s more supportive of equal rights than ever before, Joe has directed staff resources toward building and strengthening relationships with youth. He’s met with hundreds of students, including those at historically black colleges. Most recently, Joe began an initiative for mobilizing straight supporters to help build a broad coalition of voters who support fairness.
Before coming to HRC, Joe was chief executive officer of EMILY’s List, overseeing one of the nation’s most successful efforts to elect progressive candidates by reaching out to heartland and mainstream voters. He led a national staff of 85 political, communications, fund-raising and grassroots professionals with smart and effective management. He managed a $40 million budget, strategically investing in key political efforts and elections and raising money for the organization’s mission.
From launching the Religion and Faith Program to adding expertise and resources to our workplace, family and coming out projects, Joe is committed to educational work that changes public opinion and ultimately reaches all the way to the ballot box. Since joining HRC, he’s worked with corporate leaders across the country and helped guide influential businesses, including Microsoft, to take strong public stances for fairness. He’s met with families across the country and advocated for the rights of same-sex couple. He recognizes the need for people to come out, stay out and speak out about equality and has strengthened the coming out project to do just that.
A native of Attleboro, Mass., Joe is 40 and lives in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Boston University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications. | 