[DENVER] (May 23, 2006)  The Gill Action Fund, a new political organization that advocates for equality for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression, announced today that prominent Republican leader Patrick Guerriero will serve as its first executive director.

Guerriero was elected three times to the Massachusetts legislature and twice to serve as mayor of Melrose, MA. He served as deputy chief of staff to Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift, who selected him as her running mate in 2002.

Since 2003, Guerriero has headed Log Cabin Republicans, a national organization dedicated to advancing equality for people regardless of sexual orientation.  Under his leadership, Log Cabin dramatically increased membership, quadrupled its budget, and served as the leading conservative voice that helped defeat the anti-family Federal Marriage Amendment in the U.S. Congress in 2004.

Tim Gill, founder of Gill Action, said Guerriero will bring outstanding political skills to the work of building Gill Action. The new organization, with a 501(c)(4) tax designation, will engage in significant work in American political and policy arenas, and support key political organizations across America.  As the chief spokesperson for Gill Action, Guerriero will be responsible for developing overall strategies, building operational structure, establishing strong relationships with local and national gay and lesbian organizations, and developing tactical partnerships with a broad range of Republican and Democrat political organizations to help Gill Action succeed.

"Patrick Guerriero has proven himself a skilled candidate who has never lost an election, as well as a coalition builder who has worked effectively with Democrats and other gay and lesbian organizations," Gill said. "We believe that his leadership will help us develop successful bipartisan strategies to win full equality for all Americans."

Gill Foundation Executive Director Rodger McFarlane said Guerriero brings the right combination of skills needed to build the new organization. "We were looking for the best candidate in the nation and we believe we found that in Patrick Guerriero," he said.  "He's a leading voice for freedom and fairness in the Republican Party and we believe he'll build Gill Action into a powerful force for equality across the nation."

As President of Log Cabin Republicans, Guerriero became a sought-after public speaker who has appeared on numerous network television shows, and been quoted in major newspapers across the country. He has addressed corporations, conventions, nonprofit organizations, and college classes on issues of diversity, civil rights, and the need for inclusion in the GOP.

Guerriero said building the Gill Action Fund offers exciting opportunities to continue the work toward equality.  "During my political career, I have proudly advocated for full recognition and protection of gay and lesbian families, HIV/AIDS funding, anti-hate crimes legislation, and the Employment Nondiscrimination Act," Guerriero said. "The Gill Action Fund offers the most exciting opportunity in the nation to build a strong bipartisan coalition to advance the work of civil rights for all Americans."

He starts work at the Denver-based Gill Action Fund in September. 

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