Victory Fund’s Board of Directors has consistently helped drive strategy throughout the organization’s 25-year history – from endorsing our first candidate Sherry Harris to pushing Senator Tammy Baldwin to victory in 2012.
Our 2017 board members are ready to ensure Victory Fund can bring home big LGBTQ candidate wins this election year and beyond. Below you can learn more about our new board leadership – Chris Abele, Campbell Spencer, Chrys Lemon and Mattheus Stephens – as well as our newest member Stuart Appelbaum.
CHRIS ABELE, CHAIR
MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Chris Abele is bringing a new form of leadership to Milwaukee County and Wisconsin, redefining what government can be. By combining social responsibility and fiscal discipline, County Executive Abele has lowered the County’s deficit by more than $70 million and successfully instituted domestic partnership benefits for employees; at the same time, he has introduced three consecutive budgets that didn’t raise taxes. County Executive Abele’s bold approach has strengthened critical safety net services like public transportation, child support and mental health care.
CAMPBELL SPENCER, VICE CHAIR
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, THE CAMPBELL SPENCER GROUP
Campbell Spencer is a nationally known Democratic strategist and public affairs consultant with more than fifteen years of experience in navigating the complex intersection of policy, business, and politics. She is a veteran of national politics, having served on three presidential campaigns, advised on numerous House and Senate races, worked for the Democratic National Committee, and served as the White House Midwest Political Director under President Obama. Spencer offers extensive expertise in developing and managing issue campaigns, field operations, legislative strategies, constituency relations, and building bi-partisan coalitions for businesses, trade associations, and non-profit organizations wishing to engage in and influence public policy debates.
CHRYS LEMON, SECRETARY
PARTNER, MCINTYRE & LEMON
Chrys is a partner in McIntyre & Lemon, PLLC, in Washington, D.C. He specializes in financial services law, particularly related to marketing of consumer financial products and services, privacy law, insurance law, and regulation of financial institutions by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Previously, Chrys was an instructor pilot in the United States Air Force as well as having worked as an analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
MATTHEUS E. STEPHENS, TREASURER
FOUNDING PARTNER, PROGRESSIVE LAW GROUP
Mattheus Stephens is a partner in the San Diego law firm Progressive Law Group (a general civil litigation firm) and a Lecturer at the University of California, San Diego, where he teaches four courses including “The Law & Sex.” His community service includes being the two-time Chair of the City of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission; serving on the Board of Directors for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center as well as the ACLU. He has also served as a Pro Tem Judge in Small Claims Court since 1999. He was appointed by Mayor Jerry Sanders to the City Civil Service Commission in 2008 and now serves as President.
STUART APPELBAUM
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION
Stuart Appelbaum is the Executive Vice President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. He ascended to the presidency of the RWDSU/UFCW in May of 1998 and has been reelected four times since. Stuart is an active member of the DNC, serving on its Executive Committee, and as Vice Chair of the DNC Labor Council. He is also the Vice President of the national AFL-CIO and a member of the Federation’s Executive Council.
In addition to our new leadership team and newest member Stuart Appelbaum, we are thrilled to have the continued experience and wisdom of board members:
Susan Atkins, San Diego, CA
Pia Carusone, Washington, DC
Michael Grover, Atlanta, GA
Richard Holt, Houston, TX
Kim Hoover, Washington, DC
Stephen Macias, Los Angeles, CA
Sue Burnside, Los Angeles, CA, Ex-Officio
Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, Washington, DC, Ex-Officio
Daniel Penchina, Washington, DC, Ex-Officio
