BY BTL STAFF
DETROIT – Equality Michigan, the statewide LGBT anti-violence and advocacy organization, appointed former East Lansing mayor Nathan Triplett, M.A., J.D., as its new political director.
Triplett spent seven years as a staffer in the Michigan House of Representatives and has worked as a civil litigator. He comes to EQMI after most recently serving as director of Priorities Michigan.
"I couldn't be more excited to have Nathan join our team," said Stephanie White, executive director of EQMI. "He brings not only his leadership skills and deep history in LGBT movement work, but also his vast experience in law, policy, advocacy and public service. I am thrilled to work with him to end discrimination against LGBT residents of Michigan."
The new political director has a long history working for LGBT rights. He started with organizing a Gay-Straight Alliance in high school and has 15 years LGBT advocacy and public service experience working in various capacities as an organizer, policy advocate and elected official. For eight of those years, Triplett served on the East Lansing City Council, and was eventually elected the city's youngest mayor in 2013.
During his City Council tenure, Triplett championed numerous pro-LGBTQ initiatives, including an Equal Benefits Ordinance, Domestic Partner Registry and an Other Eligible Individual Benefits Policy for municipal employees. Triplett's work earned East Lansing back-to-back perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index. In addition to his work in East Lansing, Triplett worked to pass comprehensive nondiscrimination ordinances in cities across Michigan.
"We're so impressed with the caliber of Nathan's contributions to human rights and the lives of Michigan residents that we can't wait to see what he does as a part of our Equality Michigan team," said EQMI Deputy Director L. Michael Gipson.
In addition to his professional positions, Triplett served as the president of the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Municipal League, and served as a former member of Michigan Equality, the National Stonewall Democrats and the National Board of Directors of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
"I'm elated to join the great staff at Equality Michigan. This work has been a lifelong passion of mine. There has never been a more critical time to be doing the work of building political power and moving a pro-equality policy agenda forward in Michigan," Triplett said.
Triplett is a graduate of Michigan State University's James Madison College with bachelor's degrees in political theory/constitutional democracy and social relations. He holds a master's in public policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from the Michigan State University College of Law. He lives in East Lansing with his wife and newborn son.
