SAFEPLACE INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES VETERAN DIVERSITY ADVOCATES AS BOARD OFFICERS
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., UNITED STATES, March 11, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- SafePlace International, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to protecting and empowering doubly marginalized refugees around the world, today announced the appointment of Maggie Lower, an award-winning LGBTQ+ advocate, and Brandon Riker, Washington College board member and finance industry leader, as board chair and vice chair, respectively. SafePlace also welcomed accomplished attorney and social justice advocate Sarah Summerall as a board member.
Lower, who is assuming the board chair role from SafePlace founder Justin Hilton, is a seasoned modern marketer with more than two decades of executive leadership experience. Most recently as CMO at Hootsuite, Lower drove global brand success with a multi-award winning global rebrand. She has also led marketing, sales and customer teams at leading brands including Cision, TrueBlue, Aon Hewitt, and Bank of America. As Board Director at Grindr, she was part of the team that helped to take Grindr public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2022. Lower mentors in the U.S. Marketing Academy, fostering diverse talent and LGBTQ+ leadership. She has also been honored as one of AdWeek’s 20 Global PrideStars and is a member of the McKinsey Alliance, an LGBTQ+ executive forum. Lower received a BA in History from Hamilton College and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Lower was recently recognized for the sixth consecutive year by Involve and YouTube on their OUTstanding Top 100 LGBT+ Global Executives List; this is her third year in a row in the Top 20. The list honors LGBTQ+ executives, future leaders, and allies across global organizations for their work in driving global change.
Riker, SafePlace’s new board vice chair, has a diverse background in finance, politics, and philanthropy. Since 2017, he has served on Washington College's Board of Visitors and Governors as a member of the Advancement and Enrollment Committees. He previously served in senior roles at financial services organizations including ProShares and Teucrium Trading. Riker has also held significant roles in the highest profile Democratic campaigns, including senior positions on President Obama's 2008 primary and general election campaigns. In addition to a degree in economics from Washington College, Riker holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
Also joining the SafePlace board is Sarah Summerall, founder of Summerall Law, End Probate, and Essential Estates. Summerall Law's community initiatives focus on helping underserved communities in California, including a free Special Needs Trust program to assist families with disabled children. Summerall has advised SafePlace founder Justin Hilton since he launched the organization in 2017.
Other SafePlace board members include Treasurer Marnie Webb, Co-Founder of Tech Soup; Secretary Owen Harris, US Foreign Service Officer (serving in a personal capacity on the board); and Mr. Hilton.
“Our Board of Directors is a dedicated and passionate group of community leaders who understand that real and lasting social change can only come when it is led by those who have been silenced and oppressed within our current systems,” said Rachael LeClear, Executive Director of SafePlace International. “Our Directors bring a wide array of valuable experience and expertise to SafePlace and are committed to supporting emerging leaders from highly marginalized communities who are fighting every day to create a safer, more equitable, and joyful world for us all. We are excited to welcome Maggie, Brandon, and Sarah into the SafePlace community and are confident their deep expertise will help us further the execution of our mission.”
About SafePlace International
SafePlace International is a 501c3 organization focused on amplifying the voices of marginalized communities to build a world that’s safer, more inclusive, and filled with joy. We work with global and local partners to provide a foundation of safety and stability for LGBTQI+ forcibly displaced persons through access to safe housing, food, supplies, and critical information. The Dream Academy, our 10-week intensive virtual course led by members of the forcibly displaced LGBTQI+ community, paves the way for healing and growth with a holistic curriculum that equips leaders with the tools, capabilities, and relationships they need to assume roles of power and influence in their institutions and communities.
To learn more about or donate to SafePlace International, visit www.safeplaceinternational.org or find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
Lower, who is assuming the board chair role from SafePlace founder Justin Hilton, is a seasoned modern marketer with more than two decades of executive leadership experience. Most recently as CMO at Hootsuite, Lower drove global brand success with a multi-award winning global rebrand. She has also led marketing, sales and customer teams at leading brands including Cision, TrueBlue, Aon Hewitt, and Bank of America. As Board Director at Grindr, she was part of the team that helped to take Grindr public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2022. Lower mentors in the U.S. Marketing Academy, fostering diverse talent and LGBTQ+ leadership. She has also been honored as one of AdWeek’s 20 Global PrideStars and is a member of the McKinsey Alliance, an LGBTQ+ executive forum. Lower received a BA in History from Hamilton College and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Lower was recently recognized for the sixth consecutive year by Involve and YouTube on their OUTstanding Top 100 LGBT+ Global Executives List; this is her third year in a row in the Top 20. The list honors LGBTQ+ executives, future leaders, and allies across global organizations for their work in driving global change.
Riker, SafePlace’s new board vice chair, has a diverse background in finance, politics, and philanthropy. Since 2017, he has served on Washington College's Board of Visitors and Governors as a member of the Advancement and Enrollment Committees. He previously served in senior roles at financial services organizations including ProShares and Teucrium Trading. Riker has also held significant roles in the highest profile Democratic campaigns, including senior positions on President Obama's 2008 primary and general election campaigns. In addition to a degree in economics from Washington College, Riker holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
Also joining the SafePlace board is Sarah Summerall, founder of Summerall Law, End Probate, and Essential Estates. Summerall Law's community initiatives focus on helping underserved communities in California, including a free Special Needs Trust program to assist families with disabled children. Summerall has advised SafePlace founder Justin Hilton since he launched the organization in 2017.
Other SafePlace board members include Treasurer Marnie Webb, Co-Founder of Tech Soup; Secretary Owen Harris, US Foreign Service Officer (serving in a personal capacity on the board); and Mr. Hilton.
“Our Board of Directors is a dedicated and passionate group of community leaders who understand that real and lasting social change can only come when it is led by those who have been silenced and oppressed within our current systems,” said Rachael LeClear, Executive Director of SafePlace International. “Our Directors bring a wide array of valuable experience and expertise to SafePlace and are committed to supporting emerging leaders from highly marginalized communities who are fighting every day to create a safer, more equitable, and joyful world for us all. We are excited to welcome Maggie, Brandon, and Sarah into the SafePlace community and are confident their deep expertise will help us further the execution of our mission.”
About SafePlace International
SafePlace International is a 501c3 organization focused on amplifying the voices of marginalized communities to build a world that’s safer, more inclusive, and filled with joy. We work with global and local partners to provide a foundation of safety and stability for LGBTQI+ forcibly displaced persons through access to safe housing, food, supplies, and critical information. The Dream Academy, our 10-week intensive virtual course led by members of the forcibly displaced LGBTQI+ community, paves the way for healing and growth with a holistic curriculum that equips leaders with the tools, capabilities, and relationships they need to assume roles of power and influence in their institutions and communities.
To learn more about or donate to SafePlace International, visit www.safeplaceinternational.org or find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
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