CHICAGO, IL – Cooper Coleman LLC, a nationally recognized executive search firm specializing in nonprofit and social impact organizations, is pleased to announce that Darra Gordon has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Family Equality. Gordon’s appointment concludes a successful nationwide search, led by Johnny Cooper, Founder + CEO of Cooper Coleman.
With more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience, Gordon has dedicated her career to advancing social justice, strengthening nonprofit organizations, and championing LGBTQ+ rights. She brings expertise in advocacy, operational leadership, and fundraising, positioning her lead Family Equality through its next era of growth and impact.
Gordon most recently served as Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer at GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization. There, she led a period of unprecedented growth that tripled the organization’s operating budget and fundraising goals while expanding its DEI initiatives and implementing two consecutive strategic plans. Previously, she spent 15 years at the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), where she led national expansion efforts for the nation’s oldest and largest LGBTQ youth service organization.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Darra at the helm,” said Scott Gatz, Co-Chair of Family Equality’s Board of Directors. “Her experience in transformational leadership and her unwavering dedication to social justice make her uniquely qualified to lead Family Equality into its next chapter. She has a clear vision for the future, and we are confident that she will guide the organization to new heights while also tackling the challenges ahead.”
Johnny Cooper, Founder + CEO at Cooper Coleman, added: "Darra’s decades of leadership in the LGBTQ+ movement is an achievement, itself. Her ability to drive strategic growth, build strong coalitions, and inspire those around her makes her the right person to lead Family Equality into its next 30+ years of advocating for the rights of families across America. We are proud to partner with Family Equality on such a defining search and look forward to the immeasurable impact she will bring to this role and to all families the organization represents.”
Gordon’s leadership has been widely recognized, earning her the BMW Woman of Xcellence award, the Stonewall Honors for LGBTQ leadership, and the Outstanding Alumni Award from Lycoming College, in Pennsylvania.
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About Family Equality
Since 1979, Family Equality has been at the forefront of the fight for legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to form them. Through policy change, advocacy, and community-building, the organization envisions a world where every LGBTQ+ family is recognized, protected, and valued. Family Equality continues to lead national efforts to ensure that all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or family structure, have the right to form and sustain a loving family.
To learn more, visit www.familyequality.org.
About Cooper Coleman LLC
Cooper Coleman LLC is a full-service retained executive search firm partnering exclusively with nonprofit organizations, foundations, and research and academic institutions to drive meaningful growth. With headquarters in Chicago, IL, and offices in Cincinnati, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, its team moves nonprofit organizations forward by placing the right leaders in the right roles at the right time and helps to strengthen their leadership and fundraising capacity to amplify their mission and impact.
Cooper Coleman's diverse client portfolio spans a wide range of social impact areas, reflecting its commitment to serving the entire spectrum of the social impact sector. Its clients are focused on a variety of causes, such as civil rights, health equity, the performing arts, adoption and foster care, LGBTQ+ advocacy, tech for good, and more.
Founded by CEO Johnny Cooper, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the social sector, Cooper Coleman prioritizes making essential executive search services accessible to organizations across the social impact sector. With a team of experienced consultants and a commitment to providing first-in-class search services to its clients, the firm has established itself as a leader in the field and is ranked among the Top 65 Nonprofit Executive Search Firms by Hunt Scanlon and among the TOP 250 Executive Search Firms nationally. Cooper Coleman is also proud to have co-founder William B. Coleman, Jr., a veteran executive search consultant with over 25 years of experience in the field, as part of its leadership team. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table and are dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and other social impact organizations.