Elizabeth Birch is among the most visible gay leaders in the country. She has been the keynote speaker in a great variety of settings, in corporate America (IBM, Disney, General Mills, Fleet Bank, Apple, and Citigroup to name a few), and to associations (Working Women, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Emily's List, Religious Action Center) and on many U.S. campuses and universities. Birch has been one of the most visible women in corporate America and certainly one of the key gay leaders of our time.
Birch has been trusted by many organizations to help guide them through various challenges or simply to inspire an institution to take the next step.
Birch began serving as the President and Executive Director of the Human Rights Campaign - the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization - in January 1995. Under Birch's leadership, the institution has grown dramatically, from 100,000 members in 1995 to a combined total of 1.1M supporters (600,000 members and 500,000 on line supporters) by January, 2004. The budget grew from $6.5M to almost $30M in 2004. In 2003, Birch led the effort to open the first GLBT national headquarters in Washington D.C. The Human Rights Campaign Building, a $30M project, won the design award for the Nation's Capitol in 2003 and boasts 21st Century capabilities that will allow HRC to keep pace with its substantial opposition.
Birch has been credited with bringing gay and lesbian issues into the living rooms of America in a new, fresh and creative way. While other advocacy organizations talk to their own, Birch talks to America. She has allowed million more Americans to understand gay lives in a fresh way.
During Birch's tenure, HRC has also grown into one of the largest and most respected mainstream advocacy organizations. HRC has become a model in the nonprofit world often studied by other advocacy organization for its professionalism and cutting edge communications and advocacy techniques. During her tenure, Birch has built an outstanding senior management team and 100-person staff. Birch launched the HRC Web Site, widely acknowledged as one of the best in the country, a magazine, a Youth College and a variety of other innovative programs. The HRC Foundation, HRC's educational arm, is trusted to bring the best counsel on issues facing GLBT people to the media, corporate America, families and individuals. With an annual budget that has grown to more than $30 million, HRC is regarded as one of the most effective mainstream advocacy organizations in the country.
Since Birch joined the organization in 1995, HRC has built a reputation on Capitol Hill and across the nation as one of the top political organizations. The HRC political action committee is one of the largest bipartisan PACs in the country and is augmented by strong and effective lobby and field teams. HRC also has become a highly visible symbol of equality. Through its ground-breaking use of media, HRC has brought the challenges facing GLBT people into mainstream America. Under her leadership, HRC has developed a reputation for innovative communications strategies and products, including Equality, a quarterly magazine, comprehensive website and public service announcements that garner substantial air time. Birch also has represented HRC and the community across the country and in the media on Good Morning America, the Today Show, 20/20, This Week, Face the Nation, Nightline, Crossfire, the Larry King Show, the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and other programs. By positioning GLBT issues in paid and free media and by public appearances in front of national audiences, HRC is transforming the way America views GLBT people.
George Magazine dubbed Birch and her partner, Hilary Rosen (of the Recording Industry) one of Washington's ten most powerful couples. Birch has been profiled in the New York Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and a variety of other print media.
During Birch's tenure, the HRC Foundation has pioneered a dynamic array of educational programs, including HRC WorkNet, a comprehensive resource centerfor GLBT workplace advocacy, and HRC FamilyNet, a virtual online village for GLBT families. The National Coming Out Project, also an HRC Foundation program, is helping thousands come out each year. Under Birch's direction in the spring of 2000, the HRC Foundation produced Equality Rocks -- the largest GLBT concert ever created. Held at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., more than 45,000 people came together in honor of equality, including artists as diverse as Garth Brooks, Chaka Khan, Melissa Etheridge, George Michael, The Pet Shop Boys, Ellen DeGeneres, Nathan Lane and many more. HRC also has developed strong relationships with the creators, producers and artists of other cultural outlets, such as Ellen, Will & Grace, and The West Wing. Additionally, Birch was responsible for the launch of HRC's Action Center & Store retail outlets. Two HRC stores have opened, one in Provincetown, Mass., and the other in Washington, D.C., and an expanded presence is planned for 2003.
In 2002, for her work in the in the civil rights community, Birch was honored to receive one of the highest civil rights honors in the country from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR). LCCR is a coalition of 186 progressive organizations, including the NAACP, Catholic Charities and many more. Birch has received numerous awards in the legal and nonprofit fields.
During her tenure, Birch has been asked to speak before many corporate audiences including the IBM, the Walt Disney Company (Orlando, Florida), Shell Oil, CitiBank, General Mills, AT&T, and many more. She has also addressed a variety of professional meetings, conferences and conventions. She has helped various Fortune 500 companies develop and implement non-discrimination and domestic partner benefits policies.
She spoke at the 2000 Democratic Convention and her speech was carried live on CNN and PBS. She has been profiled in many print publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Dallas Morning News and the Philadelphia Inquirer. (Articles and TV appearances available upon request.)
Birch previously served as worldwide director of litigation for Apple Computer, Inc. and general counsel to Claris Corp., Apple's software subsidiary. During her tenure at Apple, Birch also managed Human Resources counsel and Risk Management. Birch worked extensively for Apple USA in handling all aspects of sales and marketing issues, and many issues confronting a Fortune 50 Company. At Claris, Birch was part of the senior management team of the company.
She graduated from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in California with honors and from the University of Hawaii in Political Science and Oceanography in 1980. In 2002, the University of Hawaii conferred on Birch a Doctorate of Humanities and Birch presented the Graduate School Commencement address that year. While in law school, she clerked at the California Supreme Court for Justice Stanley Mosk. Before joining Apple in 1989, Birch was a commercial litigator at the firm of McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen in San Francisco. She has a long history of advocacy in the gay and lesbian and HIV/AIDS communities. She has received numerous honors, including the 9th Circuit's Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year.
Birch lives in Washington DC with her partner, Hilary Rosen, and their two children.
