Kirk Fordham to leave Everglades Foundation ... by gimleteye

According to The Denver Post, Everglades Foundation president Kirk Fordham will soon be leaving to head one of the nation's top gay-advocacy group, the Gill Action Fund based in Colorado. Fordham joined the Foundation in January 2008. He brought a depth of public policy experience, political skills, and acumen lacking in the fractious community of environmentalists representing national, state, and local interests.


The Everglades Foundation, founded by Paul Tudor Jones, George and Mary Barley, is the principal funder, convener and umbrella organization for complex tasks that will lead to Everglades restoration. A Republican with deep credentials, Fordham proved to have the understanding, temperament and skills to keep the Everglades in focus during a period of extraordinary political turmoil. (click 'read more', for the Denver Post story.)



http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_20075397

Gay activist Tim Gill taps Republican to helm Action Fund

March 1, 2012
By Lynn Bartels
The Denver Post

Few names inspire as much loathing among Colorado Republicans as Tim Gill,
the gay entrepreneur who used his considerable wealth to help elect
Democrats to office.

But Gill has hired yet another Republican — this one with a national profile —
to oversee his gay-advocacy group, the Gill Action Fund.

Kirk Fordham, who starts work for Gill in April, is a registered Republican
whose first political job was working for then-U.S. Rep. Jim Imhofe, a
conservative Oklahoman.

Fordham spent most of his political career on Capitol Hill, where he said he
was part of a "gay Republican SWAT team" that worked with moderate
Republicans to push back on anti-gay legislative efforts. When former U.S.
Rep. Joel Hefley of Colorado Springs sought to overturn a Clinton
administration directive to protect federal employees from discrimination
based on sexual orientation, the team helped defeat the bid.

The Gill Action Fund attempts to advance the equality of lesbians, gays,
bisexuals and transgender individuals by working through the political process.

Fordham, 44, is gay.

"I think the Tim Gill philosophy is if you engage with Republicans and have a
conversation about what issues are important to gay and lesbian families, you
can actually change minds and shift votes," Fordham said.

"I think that is certainly what he is trying to do in the Colorado legislature with
civil unions."

Gill started the Action Fund in 2005, one year after teaming up with three
other wealthy Colorado Democrats to do what had been considered
impossible: win control of the state legislature.

Since then, the group has been instrumental in helping finance candidates
nationwide, both Republican and Democrat, who support gay issues.

Gill was a behind-the-scenes player when the New York legislature last year
voted to allow gay marriage.

"There's no reason why Tim Gill should have to invest money to take out
Republicans if the leaders would move along as quickly as their rank-and-file,"
Fordham said.

"There's a misperception out there that you have to somehow pander to a
small and shrinking anti-gay faction of the party to win Republican primaries.
It's fairly apparent that over the long term, that's a losing strategy for
Republicans."

Michael Carr of the gay organization Log Cabin Republicans expressed the
same sentiment last month when he testified at the Colorado statehouse in
favor of the current civil-unions bill. He told a state Senate committee he fears
young Republicans with gay friends and family members will hold a "grudge"
against the party if it continues its "hateful, bigoted" behavior.

The bill is expected to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate but face a much
tougher time in the House, which Republicans won back by one seat in 2010.

Supporters say if they could get it to the full floor, it stands a chance. A
similar measure last year died in a GOP-controlled House committee.

"Most Republicans you talk to these days behind closed doors will say they
just wish this issue would resolve itself," Fordham said. "Public opinion is
shifting at breakneck speed as most people come to the realization that it
makes sense to allow their gay neighbors and family and friends to enjoy the
same rights as every other American."

Attorney Mario Nicolais, a Jefferson County Republican who supports civil
unions, said he hears those kinds of comments quite a bit. He is one of the
founders of Coloradans for Freedom, a group of Republicans who back civil
unions.

"If you are talking about limited government and equal rights, you are talking
about conservative principles," Nicolais said.

Gill said Fordham "has a great mix of political experience and personal
character."

"He is a seasoned political operative, successfully works with both Republicans
and Democrats, and is deeply committed to winning full equality for all LGBT
families — including his own."

While in Washington, Fordham also served as chief of staff to the chairman of
the National Republican Congressional Committee, and in 2004, he was
finance director of then-Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel
Martinez's winning Senate campaign.

It was in Washington that Fordham met Rick Palacio, a congressional staffer
who now is chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party.

"I can say with confidence that Kirk is one of the most decent, honorable
people one could work with and a sharp political operative to boot," Palacio
said. "Kirk knows what Coloradans have always known — that lasting
progress comes as a result of a collaborative process and a desire for a
common good. Tim Gill is fortunate to have him as part of his team."

Fordham said he has an unusual connection to Colorado.

"My parents were avid listeners of James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio
show," he said. "For three years after I came out to them, they sent me books
and tapes encouraging me to try to change my sexual orientation."

These days, Fordham said, his parents adore his partner of 23 years, Mike
Cevarr, and the children they recently adopted, 13-month-old Lukas and 7-
month-old Levi.

Fordham currently serves as chief executive of the Everglades Foundation, a
Florida-based group that advocates for the restoration and preservation of the
Everglades.

At the Action Fund, he will succeed Patrick Guerriero.