Lauren Custer Dowling joins GLAAD as Vice President of Development

Los Angeles, CA – GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today announced Lauren Custer Dowling as the organization’s Vice President of Development. In this role, Dowling will oversee all aspects of funding GLAAD’s mission to work through the media to advance the stories of LGBT people that lead to positive change in the United States and abroad. She will lead a professional fundraising staff in both Los Angeles and New York City and oversee Corporate Relations, Individual Philanthropy, Foundation Relations and Special Events including the GLAAD Media Awards.

She joins GLAAD from the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center as their Director of Major Gifts and Special Events.  She served as a senior member of the leadership team that was responsible for generating record growth for the organization.  

“I am honored to join an organization with such unique and powerful positioning to affect the global human rights culture and LGBT people worldwide,” said Dowling. “I look forward to re-engaging and growing the body of GLAAD stakeholders in a vision for fairness through the personal stories carried by each and every one of us.”

LGBT community members and leaders cheered the selection:

“I have watched Lauren work with major entertainment industry professionals like CAA and Linda Perry and grow revenue under respected leaders like Lorri Jean and Geoff Kors. I am very excited to work with her,” said Steve Warren, the Co-Chair of GLAAD’s Board of Directors who has been a practicing entertainment lawyer for twenty-eight years.

“I wish I could say Lauren sucks for leaving me, but I can’t. I am excited to see what happens in the world with Lauren as one of the big female execs in our community. She is one of the most organized people I’ve ever met – she’s wonderful with team morale.  Her taste, her poise and her business mind have helped me and the co-chairs of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s An Evening With Women event grow our project into a major platform and voice for the Center’s services for women and girls,” said musician, songwriter and producer Linda Perry. “

“In the challenging post Proposition 8 community climate, Lauren was able to lead our LA area fundraising to achieve record numbers. She is no doubt one of the top 40 under 40 in the LGBT movement,” said Cary Davidson, Partner Reed & Davidson and former board chair of Equality California.

During her tenure at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Dowling saw growth in every effort in every level of fundraising, specializing in individual philanthropy and strategic fundraising events. Dowling previously worked on fundraising for Equality California and Project Angel Food. She is a graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Lauren not only has the proven track record of ensuring non-profit organizations can achieve their true growth potential, but an unwavering dedication and commitment to making the world a better place for all LGBT people,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “With anti-LGBT activists working overtime in our backyards and abroad to reverse the course of equality, our community needs GLAAD to be tackling the tough issues and rewriting the script on LGBT equality. Lauren, together with our strong programs and media teams, will be on the front lines of creating a world where everyone can live the life they love.”

Her start date will be April 1, 2014. Dowling will be based in Los Angeles.