Samantha Smoot

Equality Texas, the state’s largest statewide LGBT advocacy organization, today announced the departure of longtime CEO Chuck Smith and the appointment of Samantha Smoot as interim director, effective immediately (Monday, Dec. 17).

In a press release issued today, Smith noted his lengthy tenure with Equality Texas and said that as the agency prepares to mark its 30th anniversary in 2019, “The board and I have decided it’s time for a new generation of leadership to take us to the next step in our fight for equality in Texas. I am honored to pass the leadership of the organization on to Samantha Smoot, a native Texan and global leader in the fight for equality.”

Elizabeth Myers, president of the Equality Texas Foundation’s board, said Equality Texas is “at a critical chapter in our fight for equal treatment of all Texans. For 15 years, Chuck has served our organization, establishing Equality Texas as a credible, successful and relentless advocate in Texas state politics. We are confident that [Smoot] will continue that momentum and lead us to future victories for LGBTQ Texans.”

Smoot said she is “honored to serve” as interim director of Texas’ statewide LGBT lobby organization during the Texas Legislature’s 2019 session, and that she looks forward “to working with the leadership team, staff, volunteers and donors to ensure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans.

“Through political action, education and community organizing we will continue to drive positive change and fight against systemic discrimination,” Smoot said.

Smoot has 20 years of experience leading citizen advocacy campaigns with the Equality Texas organization, and she has served as political director of both the Planned Parenthood Federation for America and the Human Rights Campaign, as well as the executive director for Texas Freedom Network.

More recently, Smoot worked to support citizen groups and political leaders building more inclusive democracies through her work with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in the Middle East and North Africa, West Africa and Eurasia.

During his 15 years at CEO of Equality Texas, Smith led the growth in programs to help LGBTQ Texans, oversaw the expansion of Equality Texas staff statewide, created a business outreach program that is a model for the country, gave transgender people a visible voice, defeated the bathroom bill twice during the 2017 legislative session and passed anti-bullying legislation in 2011, Myers said.

The Equality Texas Foundation board, she added “expresses gratitude to Smith for his dedication and vital role as a pioneer for Equality Texas and welcomes Smoot’s proven leadership” for the 2019 legislative session.