Jay Brown has officially been named HRC Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training leading a team of professionals who manage HRC Foundation programs that aim to ensure equality for LGBTQ people at every intersection of their identities and lives. He officially assumes the role after serving as Acting SVP of Programs, Research and Training for 7 months. 

“Jay Brown has spent more than two decades working to ensure equality for LGBTQ people at every intersection of their identities and lives, and I couldn’t be more confident in his ability to lead our foundation team as they continue their essential work during this pivotal moment in our history,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Jay’s accomplished history at HRC has earned him the admiration and trust of his colleagues, both in the building and in the broader equality movement. I couldn’t be more proud to have him take on this essential leadership role.”

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity at this critical moment in our movement to lead some of HRC’s most important efforts in ensuring that all LGBTQ people in the U.S. and around the world are treated equally under law, and embraced in their communities and homes,” Brown said. “And while our programs are truly life-saving, we still have much work to do to address racism and sexism that have systematically shut out far too many from the spaces in which we work. I am committed to reaching more people and bringing new voices to the table as we tackle the hard work ahead, together.”

Brown, who has a long history with the LGBTQ movement and with HRC -- most recently as Deputy Director of Programs, Research and Training, will oversee efforts spanning a range of issues, including the workplace; children, youth and families; health and aging; HIV and AIDS; religion and faith; campus engagement; and the global LGBTQ movement.

A longtime advocate for transgender equality and an out transgender man, Brown has helped shape HRC’s approach to generating research and education campaigns aimed at enhancing the lives of all LGBTQ people. These efforts include a recent groundbreaking nationwide survey on the lived experiences of more than 12,000 LGBTQ youth, and ongoing efforts to document the epidemic of violence targeting transgender women of color.

Brown’s distinguished history with the organization includes serving as Director of Communications, in leadership roles at the HRC Foundation and --  at the start of his career in advocacy -- managing communication strategies around the defeat of the Federal Marriage Amendment, advancing understanding of transgender people, and building support for hate crimes prevention legislation and the repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” among many other issues. Brown has also served in senior communication and marketing roles at Carnegie Mellon University and Reading Is Fundamental.