Chris Bell
Straight ally Chris Bell, the former Democratic congressman from Houston who lost to Rick Perry in the 2006 gubernatorial race, has been named to the Board of Directors for Equality Texas, the statewide LGBT advocacy group.
Bell served five years on the Houston City Council before capturing the District 25 Congressional seat in 2002. After his district was redrawn, Bell lost to Gene Green in the Democratic primary in 2004. Running as a Democrat against Perry in 2006, Bell captured 30 percent of the vote to Perry’s 39 percent. Bell lost a runoff in a special election for a state Senate seat inn 2008.
From Equality Texas’ press release:
Chris Bell has a unique way of identifying the key points of any dispute and, as a skilled communicator, a gifted way of making a winning argument and interrogating a witness. Whether as a lawyer, news reporter or politician, Chris Bell’s passion has always been fighting for others. He takes it seriously and does it well.
“I have always been an advocate for equality and I’m excited to join the organization doing the most to make it a reality in Texas,” Chris said upon his appointment to the board.
Chris is married to Alison Ayres Bell and they have two boys, Atlee and Connally. They reside in Houston.
Also named to Equality Texas’ board of directors were restaurateur Gary Carter of the San Antonio suburb of Castroville; and Wade Hyde, a public relations specialist from Dallas. Carter and Hyde were named to the boards of both Equality Texas and the Equality Texas Foundation. Equality Texas also announced that Executive Director Dennis Coleman has been named to the board of directors for the Equality Federation, the national alliance of state-based equality groups. Read the full press below.
EQUALITY TEXAS / EQUALITY TEXAS FOUNDATION
ADD NEW DIRECTORS TO BOARDS
Executive Director Dennis Coleman Named to Equality Federation Board
Austin, Texas (September 7, 2011) – Equality Texas (EQTX) and the Equality Texas Foundation have announced the addition of new members to their boards of directors.
Chris Bell
Chris Bell – Equality Texas board of directors. Chris Bell has a unique way of identifying the key points of any dispute and, as a skilled communicator, a gifted way of making a winning argument and interrogating a witness. Whether as a lawyer, news reporter or politician, Chris Bell’s passion has always been fighting for others. He takes it seriously and does it well.
“I have always been an advocate for equality and I’m excited to join the organization doing the most to make it a reality in Texas,” Chris said upon his appointment to the board.
Chris is married to Alison Ayres Bell and they have two boys, Atlee and Connally. They reside in Houston.
Gary Carter
Gary Carter – Equality Texas & Equality Texas Foundation boards of directors. Gary Carter is a native of Georgia, but a longtime resident of South Central Texas.
Gary owns and operates the Castroville Cafe, and has served as President and Vice-President of the Castroville Area Chamber of Commerce. For the past several years, Gary has been one of the driving forces behind the success of Equality Texas’ Spirit of Texas Brunch in San Antonio.
Gary said, “I am proud of our ongoing efforts to raise awareness in San Antonio of the important work being done by Equality Texas. I look forward to continuing those efforts as a board member.”
Wade Hyde
Wade Hyde – Equality Texas & Equality Texas Foundation boards of directors. Wade Hyde’s background spans over two decades of diversified marketing, public relations, customer relations, and technology communications experience working with nationally-recognized companies and organizations, including Blockbuster Video, FoxMeyer Corporation (now McKesson), and Anthem Health (now AmeriHealth).
Wade is a published writer and columnist, a member of the National Writers Union, and currently serves as an adjunct instructor of marketing at El Centro College in Dallas.
“There’s no question that Equality Texas has accomplished some remarkable feats in our state over the past few years,” Hyde said. “As a new board member, I’m excited to be able to help this great organization accomplish even more in the next few years.”
Full listing of board members.
Dennis Coleman
Equality Texas / Equality Texas Foundation Executive Director Dennis Coleman was named to the board of directors of the Equality Federation at their annual meeting last month in Madison, Wisconsin. The Equality Federation is a national alliance of state-based advocacy organizations. The Federation works to achieve full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in every state and territory by building strong and sustainable statewide organizations in a state-based movement.
Federation Executive Director Rebecca Isaacs said, “We are very excited to welcome Dennis Coleman to the Equality Federation Board. His demonstrated leadership in Texas will be a great asset to the Federation as we press for equality for LGBT people in all 50 states.”
