Jun 22, 2007  |  By: ELIZABETH PERRY  | COMMENTS     

A national gay family organization headquartered in Washington is expanding its base of operations to Massachusetts.

``Family Pride, a non-profit organization dedicated to securing equality for gay parents and their families, will open a new office in Boston July 2. The organization will continue its national policy work and maintain its D.C. office.

“It was a strategic decision about how to best run the office,” said Jennifer Chrisler, the group’s executive director. “Our program percentage was 70 percent in 2005 and increased to 77 percent in 2006. That means 77 cents of every dollar we raise goes directly into the programs we run. We are committed and focused on using every contribution to the highest effectiveness.”

A number of professionals in the gay rights movement have either come from the Boston area or honed their skills there, including Chrisler, who was a political fundraiser before taking the helm at Family Pride. Other gay notables from the Bay State include Patrick Guerriero, former Log Cabin president and current Gill Action president; Hilary Rosen, CNBC and MSNBC business and political commentator and media consultant; Rosen’s partner Elizabeth Birch, a former HRC president and gay rights activist; and former broadcast journalist Mary Breslauer.

Chrisler’s partner Cheryl Jacques is a former Massachusetts State Senator, former HRC president and 2005 Fellow at Harvard University. Jacques now teaches at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management in Washington and is also of counsel at the Boston law firm Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten. The couple moved to Washington when Jacques was named to the HRC post. She lasted just 11 months and resigned under fire after the 2004 elections. The new Family Pride office means the couple can return to Massachusetts.

Chrisler said Massachusetts is the epicenter of the debate on gay marriage. She said the decision to open a Boston office was because Massachusetts is progressive on gay issues, especially with regard to gay families.

“It’s in our best interest to provide the friendliest possible environment for all of our staff and their loved ones,” she said.   

Chrisler said a “fair amount” of the operations will be run out of the Boston office. The program and development staff will be divided between the two locations, and she will be based in Boston, but travel between offices. The Boston office will focus on local initiatives, involving parenting groups and trainings for parents, social workers, schools and families.

The D.C. office will continue the national work the organization does with regard to families and parental recognition legislation.

ELIZABETH PERRY