MassEquality executive director Gortikov stepping down

After six years with the organization, Scott Gortikov has announced his July departure.

Scott Gortikov, who has served as the executive director of MassEquality for one year, announced that he will be leaving the LGBT advocacy organization effective early July 2010 to pursue a greater balance between work and family life.

"Working for MassEquality has been a privilege and the most satisfying professional and personal experience of my life," Gortikov said. "But I am a family man with two young kids and like many people, I am looking to create a better work-life balance and need to explore new professional avenues."

Gortikov served as MassEquality's development director from 2004 to April 2009, at which point he became executive director. During his tenure with the organization, Gortikov raised over $15 million to help secure marriage equality in Massachusetts; assist same-sex marriage campaigns in neighboring New England states, including New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine; and assist in the election of pro-equality candidates to office.

For Gortikov, his departure is carefully timed. "I've decided to step down at this time because I think MassEquality is on really solid footing," Gortikov said, giving three reasons for his confidence in the organization. "One, MassEquality is now fully staffed. We have a political director, a development director, communications support, [and] field support.

"The second reason is this board of directors is really engaged in...the organizational development of MassEquality, the fundraising of MassEquality, and an interest in programming and strategic planning.

"Finally, financially, I feel as though the organization is on really solid financial footing. It's not as though we've raised our money for the year -- of course we have important fundraising gaps to bridge as anybody does midway through the year -- but I have to say that donors continue to support us, individuals and granters are supporting us materially, because they value the program work and goals that we set up."

The program work and goals Gortikov spoke of were some of those that enabled the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to become the first state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004, a triumph Gortikov won't soon forget. "I can't get out of my head that moment in the State House when hundreds of pro-equality supporters sat in a common room along with dozens of anti-equality supporters watching the video feed of the Constitutional Convention," Gortikov said. "And when the final vote was cast, the roar of joy from our supporters was deafening. ...It's a moment in time I'll remember for the rest of my life of having worked so hard and finally achieved our goal -- it was so satisfying."

Gortikov will depart the organization in July of this year in pursuit of consultation opportunities, utilizing his 12 years' consulting experience in the areas of planning, organizational development, fundraising, campaign work, and major donor work.

"We are grateful for Scott's leadership at MassEquality and his passionate commitment to LGBT equality over these past six years," Sue Hyde, board chair of the MassEquality Education Fund, said in a public statement. "Scott stepped up to lead our organization through its transition from a single-issue, marriage-only focus to its present mission to secure full equality for LGBT people in our state, an intricate process that benefited from his steady hands on the wheel."

MassEquality's board of directors has started a nationwide search for Gortikov's replacement by utilizing search firm McCormack & Associates.

"This is an exciting step for us to take at this point in MassEquality's history," board chair Sara Whitman said in a statement. "Despite the significant advances MassEquality has already made, there is crucial work to be done: securing transgender equality, winning marriage in Rhode Island and Maine, and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community, such as LGBT seniors, youth, and victims of violence. The board of directors is committed 110 percent to hiring the strongest and most qualified candidate to help us fulfill our mission."

Gortikov hopes that his successor will be able to reach a varied audience. "I think there are vast numbers of individuals and organizations, granters and leaders, who support LGBT civil rights, and are just waiting to be asked [to] help and focus their contributions," he said. "I hope that this next person is going to take the next step in their outreach to a wide, diverse group of supporters and granters and enroll them in this important work."