Masen Davis

Background

About Masen Davis

Strategic, collaborative, and outcome-focused leader dedicated to promoting human rights and building the capacity of non-governmental organizations. Masen Davis is an internationally recognized leader in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. He previously served as interim Executive Director of Transgender Europe; CEO of Freedom for All Americans and its sister organization Freedom for All Americans Education Fund; and Senior Director of Special Programs at the Gill Foundation. From 2007-2015, he served as Executive Director of Transgender Law Center, a U.S-based NGO with a budget of $2.1 million. Under his direction, TLC secured groundbreaking federal protections against employment discrimination for transgender people under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. From sweeping changes to nondiscrimination laws to unprecedented healthcare access initiatives for transgender people across the country, Masen’s leadership has had a tremendous impact on the rights and wellbeing of transgender people. Prior to leading LGBT NGOs, Masen served at United Way of Greater Los Angeles as a Community Investment Officer and Director of Development. Masen has been an activist in the movement for LGBT equality since 1990, when he started his career as a Civil Court Advocate at Chicago’s gay and lesbian center. His research and writings on transgender issues have been published in Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression in Social Work Practice, New Directions in Student Services, and the Seattle Journal for Social Justice. Skills include: Leadership, strategic planning, nonprofit management, systems change, advocacy organizations, policy advocacy, strategic communications, public speaking, fund development (including foundation grants, grantwriting, major donors, and individual donors), external relationships, change management, project management, capacity building, fiscal management, board development, and LGBT advocacy.