WILB QUARTO HQ 75 .0971” RMONTS VOlCE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGEN DER COMMUNWYJ UT IN THE MOUNTAINS stepping Stepping to Samara’s New President‘ Meets the Com niunity BY EUAN BEAR - NORWICH/BURLINGTON — After a four-month search, the Samara Foundation has found its new chief executive. Suzanne Stofflet becamethe president of the foundation as of January 1, 2006, although she spent much of December meeting nonprofit organization directors and work- ing with former Executive Director Bill Lippert. With the new title “Founder and Senior Foundation Officer,” Lippert is staying with the foundation as his legislative duties representing 1 Hinesburg and chairing the House Judiciary Committee allow. The Samara Foundation is Vermont’s only charitable foun- dation directed’ toward lgbt non- profit organizations and commu- nity groups, and the only one among 17 such? groups nation- wide to cover an entire state. The 59-year-old Stofflet met with OITM last month for a get- acquainted interview. The first thing I noticed about her even before we met was her email address moniker: Paladin. “Perhaps you know what a ‘paladin’ is. He’s an independent person who rides in, fixes a problem, and then rides on. As a inside this issue s contents VHRCSialaeslisCase D. 2. With ex-i\«lassEquality pro l\-"lady Rouse on board. HRC shifts focus to the states for marriage battles and more. consultant, that’s what I did — ride in, identify and fix a prob- lem or capitalize on an opportu- nity, then leave — for 25 years, with a few interruptionsfor staff work. Being an outsider gets lonely.” Then there was that TV westem-(Have Gun Will Travel) that ran from 1957 to l963,star- ring Richard Boone as Paladin. She’s "got a very deep back- ground in nonprofit develop- ment, dating from 1977, she said, even earlier if you count-a job she had with Fairleigh Dickinson University. What she doesn’t have is a deep back- ground of activism in lgbt com- munities. “This will be a steep learning curve,” she granted. “I’ve been on the periphery of _ the gay community. On the other hand, I offer a perspective that’s board, specifically John [Crane, chairman of the Samara board of directors], but also the whole board. I’ve worked with boards for 30 years, and when you find one with as many assets as A Samara’s board has they are hardworking, wise, andrisk-tak- ers, too. They’re funny, they have a great sense of humorcm That impressed me. “This is really an opportunity for me to make a big difference,” she concluded. Stofflet and her partner Mimi Emerson, a continuing care man- ager at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, were joined in civil union in 2001 after 12 years together. Stofflet has a 28-year- old daughter, Kate Rappaport, ' who lives in Brooklyn, NY, and she and Mimi together adopted www.mountainpridemedianorg Samara’: Paladin, Suzanne Stolilet, steps up to direct the LGBT foundation, bringing deep experience In fundraising. between the safer option of stay- which to engage in fundraising ing small and “taking a risk and untapped resources who want to going bigger.” “Thinking big support organizations addressing “lllle should be infrastructure-light. Every dollar I don’t spend on infrastructure is one I can give away!’ - SSUZANN STOFFLER, PRESIDENT OF SAMARA FOUNDATION OF VERMONT outside the box, more of an lextemal voice. But it’s too soon to make sweeping observations.” Asked vvhy she was stepping into this central role in the com- munity now, she said, “The first thing that drew me was the queer geek runni . you'd never guess it you met him on the street. Jay Scnuster. who was once an Explorer Scout. is our January Community Profile. their 11-year-old daughter Sukie Emerson. Stofflet and Samara Board Chairman John Crane (who par- ticipated in the interview via speakerphone) agreed that the foundation’s main choice was V More Hope p.16. Gus Nasmith reminds us of whats helping in Africa: beads instead of breaking rocks earns more money to support AlDS moms and their families so kids can go to school. aligned with my priorities,” those needs,” Crane added. Stofflet said. Crane characterized Stofflet said she is excited to the foundation as having reached be working with Lippert, who a plateau they wanted to get off. has deep contacts within our “The Unity Project showed us communities. the depth of unmet needs in our communities and new areas in News 1-3 Editorial 4 Letters, At Witt’s End 5 Rest Of Our World 7 Features 6, 15-16 Views 9-14 Arts & Travel 17-21 Compass/Cal 22-25 Source 26-7/Ciassies 28 Gayity 29-31 V OYZ! oi? Check out the O/T/l/I Youth Zone premiere by high school junior Will Holden. its a great beginning to our showcase for young queers with talents in ver- biage. arts. design and more. 4444444444 >> continued on p.8 ' .\ ..~‘.- «e v‘i