Equality Maryland Exec Director Fired

In the wake of a legislative session in which Maryland's same-sex marriage bill and transgender nondiscrimination bill were tabled for future sessions, Equality Maryland's board of directors has fired executive director Morgan Meneses-Sheets. In a statement, Matthew Thorn, the group's development director, has announced that he is resigning in protest over Meneses-Sheets's dismissal.

"This past Sunday, the Board of Directors of Equality Maryland, in executive session, voted to remove her from her position, essentially telling the organization's staff, volunteers, supporters, funders and general community that the organization will now move in a different direction," Thorn said in his statement. "I fear that the direction that the board seeks to take is one that will not be a beneficial path for the community, for the organization, for the staff and especially for the organization's funders, and that's why, effective today, I am resigning from my position as director of development of Equality Maryland."

"It is with heavy heart that I share that today will be my last day as the executive director of Equality Maryland," Meneses-Sheets wrote in an e-mail to the organization's volunteers. "While it is not my choice to leave, it is my choice to make my voice heard as I exit."

Board members declined to comment on what they described as a personnel matter. But MetroWeeklydescribes the dismissal as following "a tumultuous four-month period in which tense, behind-the-scenes disputes surfaced between board members and Meneses-Sheets over strategy in the group's unsuccessful effort to pass same-sex marriage and transgender non-discrimination bills, according to sources familiar with the organization."

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