Equality Maryland:
Staff and Board Biographies
Equality Maryland Staff
David Toth, Interim Managing Director
Prior to serving as Equality Maryland's Interim Managing Director, Dave was employed as the Payroll Administrator for the American National Red Cross in Washington DC. He has been working with state and local political leaders for six years on a wide range of issues from LGBT rights to community improvement concerns. A member of the Equality Maryland Board of Directors since 2005, Dave is attending the University of Maryland pursuing a major in Human Resource Management and a minor in Political Science. He lives in Columbia with his partner, Ken Bohon, his daughter Amber and son Brandon.
Kevin Walling, Director of Development
As Development Director, Kevin directs all fundraising efforts, working with individual donors and grant makers, along with crafting the organization's communications efforts. Before joining Equality Maryland, Kevin worked in development and finance for the New Organizing Institute, a progressive non-profit dedicated to expanding the base of trained staff focused on online organizing, new media and voter technology for the greater progressive community. Before NOI, Kevin assisted in fundraising efforts at both the Archdiocese of Washington and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Kevin also worked in the office of U.S. Senator Tom Carper of Delaware and currently assists in the re-election efforts of various public officials in Maryland, including Attorney General Doug Gansler.
Kim Miller, Office Manager
Kim brings over 20 years experience, ranging from human resources to finance, in both large and small organizations throughout the country. Her extensive experience includes administrative positions at a medical research laboratory and a business specializing in Native American art. Kim is thrilled to be a part of Equality Maryland and look forward to helping advance its mission of achieving equal rights for all LGBT Marylanders.
Mike Klein, Development/Communications Coordinator
Mike is a graduate of Fordham University and spent four years as a high-school physics teacher. He also has experience in radio marketing support and in the coordination of outreach efforts for the National Federation of the Blind. Mike, who lives in Anne Arundel County, has served as a volunteer for Baltimore Pride and has assisted with fundraising events for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore.
Equality Maryland, Inc. Board of Directors
Dana Beyer, M.D., Vice President
Dana is a retired eye surgeon who was a candidate for State Delegate in District 18 in Maryland in 2006 and will be again in 2010. She is currently Senior Adviser to Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg of the Montgomery County Council in suburban Maryland.
After graduating from Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, she practiced medicine and surgery in D.C., Miami, Mississippi, Africa and Asia, and has since become an advocate on health issues ranging from the effects of DES (diethylstilbestrol) and environmental toxins called endocrine disruptors on human sexuality and reproduction, comprehensive sex education in the Montgomery County Public School system, and a recent, unanimously-approved ban on trans fats in Montgomery County, the first such county-wide ban in the U.S. Dana is currently Vice President of Equality Maryland, former Executive Vice President of Maryland NOW, and a founding member of the Progressive Working Group, Maryland's newest progressive alliance. She is on the board of the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Transgender Equality, Keshet, the national Jewish LGBT organization, and Mobile Med, Montgomery County's premier provider of medical care to the uninsured, and is a nationally known advocate for gender rights. She helped manage a unanimously-approved Transgender Civil Rights Law in Montgomery County in 2007, and defended it against national right-wing forces trying to force it to a popular vote. She is a 2008 graduate of the Senior Executive Program in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Dana lives in Chevy Chase with her two children - David, recently graduated from Brown and a former intern with Senator Cardin and the Center for American Progress, and Jonathan, an EMT and a junior at the University of Maryland at College Park.
Scott Davenport, President
Scott recently retired from his position as Managing Vice President for Enterprise Risk Management at Capital One Financial Corporation to become Managing Director at Freedom to Marry. Scott joined the board in 2005, and previously served on the board of the Family Pride Coalition for 6 years, the last two of those as Co-chair of the Board. Scott is also a co-founder and organizing member of Equality Montgomery County. A resident of Bethesda, Scott has been active in GLBT parenting since the birth of his two children in the early 90s – the eldest of whom recently graduated from Walt Whitman High School.
Steve Haddad, At Large
Steve is a private consultant specializing in fund-raising and nonprofit management. For over a decade, Steve has helped catalyze revenue growth at a number of nonprofit organizations, in fields ranging from social services to higher education to the environment. Most recently, he served as Chief Development Officer at Big Brothers Big Sisters and, for six years prior to that, led fund-raising efforts for McDaniel College (Westminster, Md.), first as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and then as Associate Vice President of Development. Currently, he provides fund-raising and management consulting services to both nonprofit and private sector clients. A graduate of Indiana University (Bloomington, In.), he has served as an advisor and grant reviewer with the Corporation for National and Community Service and made numerous presentations across the country addressing the issues of community service and social justice.
Laura Hart, At Large
A resident of St. Mary's County, Laura retired after 34 years as civilian computer engineer and engineering manager for the Navy. Laura served as EQMD's District 29 Lobby Day Coordinator, was one of the most active volunteers during the Montgomery County anti-discrimination petition challenge, and has been active in assisting Basic Rights Montgomery. As a board member, she plans on working with Equality Maryland staff to raise transgender visibility issues with our state legislature in Annapolis.
Mark McLaurin, At Large
Mark is the Director of Public Policy for the Public Justice Center. Mark has been working in the field of public policy and legislative advocacy for nearly ten years and serves on the Board of Directors of CHAMP (Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project), is a board officer of the National Black Gay Men's Advocacy Coalition and serves as Chairman of the Board of the House of Manolo Blahnik (an entity which seeks to target the ballroom community with effective HIV prevention messaging). Mark is a graduate of the Catholic University of America, Human Rights Campaign's Youth College for Campaign Training and the Black AIDS Institute's African American HIV University. Previous stints include service as Senior Policy Advisor to United States Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Midwest Regional Director for National AIDS Education and Services for Minorities and Director of HIV Prevention Policy for Gay Men's Health Crisis.
Deborah Mizeur, Secretary
Deborah Mizeur has dedicated her professional career to public service. For the past ten years she has served as professional staff to the Committee on Ways and Means, senior health policy advisor to Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), and as policy director for Ascension Health, the nation's largest not-for-profit health system. In 2008, Deborah formed The Mizeur Group, a federal government affairs firm, with her partner, State Delegate Heather Mizeur. Deborah teaches health politics and health financing at Georgetown University. She received her undergraduate degree in Government from the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau. While completing her degree Deborah worked with the Alaska State Legislature. She moved to Seattle in 1995 and completed a Master of Health Administration degree at the University of Washington. In 1998 Deborah was selected the David A. Winston national health policy fellow which brought her to Washington, DC. Deborah was selected as a Modern Healthcare "Up and Comer" in 2002. She is currently President of the Board of World Arts Focus/Joe's Movement Emporium, in Mt. Rainier, Md., and a member of the board for the David A. Winston Fellowship.
Lisa M. Polyak, At Large
Cynthia Santiago, At Large
Originally from Brookly, N.Y., Cynthia is a former broadcast journalist. She has been teaching for the past six years and is currently an English teacher at National Cathedral School. Cynthia lives in Bowie, Md. with her partner Vidya Forrester, son Sanjay, Siamese cat Timber, and beta fish Bubbles. She has been an active volunteer with Equality Maryland for a few years, hosting a house party and chairing the Night Out for Equality Gala.
David Toth, Treasurer
Dave is employed as the Payroll Administrator for the American National Red Cross in Washington DC. Dave has been working with state and local political leaders for 6 years on wide range of issues from LGBT rights to community improvement concerns. Dave joined the Equality Maryland Board in 2005. Dave is attending the University of Maryland pursuing a major in Human Resource Management and a minor in Political Science. He lives in Columbia, MD with his partner, Ken Bohon, his daughter Amber and son Brandon.
Jim Walker, Fund Development Chair
Jim is a Vice President at EagleBank in Bethesda, Md. Most recently he has concentrated on assisting low and moderate income tenants in purchasing their apartment buildings and converting them into condominiums. His previously served as Managing Director of ESIC Realty Partners where he was instrumental in founding and growing a $300 million national investment fund for commercial real estate projects. He spent four years on Capitol Hill as legislative assistant to Congressman Barney Frank focusing on LGBT issues as well as banking and budget legislation. He is currently Chairman of the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Leadership Committee of Manna, Inc. a non-profit housing developer in Washington, DC. He received his BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Columbia University. He is a 25 year resident of the Washington area and grew up in Miami, Fl. He lives in Chevy Chase with his partner of 11 years, Lee Rubin.
Equality Maryland Foundation Board of Directors
Charles Butler, Esq., At Large
Steve Haddad, Secretary
Steve is a private consultant specializing in fund-raising and nonprofit management. For over a decade, Steve has helped catalyze revenue growth at a number of nonprofit organizations, in fields ranging from social services to higher education to the environment. Most recently, he served as Chief Development Officer at Big Brothers Big Sisters and, for six years prior to that, led fund-raising efforts for McDaniel College (Westminster, Md.), first as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and then as Associate Vice President of Development. Currently, he provides fund-raising and management consulting services to both nonprofit and private sector clients. A graduate of Indiana University (Bloomington, In.), he has served as an advisor and grant reviewer with the Corporation for National and Community Service and made numerous presentations across the country addressing the issues of community service and social justice.
Margaret Lancaster, Esq., At Large
Sandra J. Schmidt, Vice President
Sandra lives in Silver Spring with her partner, Rita, and their daughter.
David Toth, President
Dave is employed as the Payroll Administrator for the American National Red Cross in Washington DC. Dave has been working with state and local political leaders for 6 years on wide range of issues from LGBT rights to community improvement concerns. Dave joined the Equality Maryland Board in 2005. Dave is attending the University of Maryland pursuing a major in Human Resource Management and a minor in Political Science. He lives in Columbia, MD with his partner, Ken Bohon, his daughter Amber and son Brandon.
Patrick L. Wojahn, Esq., At Large
Patrick lives in College Park and is a staff attorney with the University Legal Services in Washington, DC, advocating for individuals with mental illness with cases of abuse and neglect in the mental health system in Washington, DC. He has a long history of LGBT civil rights activism, previously serving on the Board of Directors for Action Wisconsin, a state-wide LGBT civil rights group, and as co-chair for the National Queer Student Coalition. He and his partner, Dave Kolesar, are plaintiffs in the Maryland lawsuit for marriage equality.