Insight: Philadelphia’s GLBT service leaders
By Casey Bell
PGN Staff Writer
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News

Philadelphia’s GLBT community is genuinely fortunate. Each day, a diligent, devoted workforce behind unique nonprofit organizations works to expand its networking and educational opportunities and ensure it receives the healthcare outreach needed to keep it strong.

A diverse group of distinguished professionals make up the executive directors of establishments like the William Way, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, the Mazzoni Center and Philadelphia FIGHT — to mention just a few.

And while the community may be familiar with the fruits of these organizations’ labors, the names and stories of the reputable people who keep them running aren’t as heralded.

As much as the executive directors profiled here have served and given to the community, they have helped shape it.

’Dolph Ward Goldenburg
The William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220; www.waygay.org

William Way GLBT Community Center mission: To support, encourage and advocate for the acceptance and well-being of sexual and gender minorities through service, recreational, educational and cultural programming.

Hailing from the South, 35-year-old Goldenburg received his bachelor’s degree in social work and his master’s in public administration from Georgia State University.

Before coming to the center, he worked as the director of resources and development for the St. Vincent De Paul Society, an independent charity that fights poverty, moving to Philadelphia in June 2003.

“I was living in Atlanta and I made the decision to move to a more urban city,” he told PGN. “I did a lot of research and narrowed Philadelphia down to one of my top-two choices. I visited several times and ended up falling in love with this city.”

Goldenburg said some of his greatest accomplishments at the center have been growing programs like Way Gay U, a unique educational initiative targeted to the community’s recreational, cultural and professional needs, as well as developing senior programs.

“I’ve really enjoyed helping to bring new, innovative programming to the center,” he said.

When asked what the hardest aspect of his job is, Goldenburg paused.

“Every job has its difficulties,” he said. “But I have such a great job here that nothing stands out as onerous.”

Goldenburg lives in South Philadelphia and is about to celebrate a one-year anniversary with his boyfriend, Frank.

He enjoys reading, spending time with his boyfriend and — he modestly added — Brazilian Jujitsu fighting, which he’s practiced for five years.

Stacey Sobel
Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 605; (215) 731-1447; www.equalitypa.org

Equality Advocates Pennsylvania mission: To achieve equality for GLBT individuals in the state through legal services, policy reform and education.

Sobel, a suburban New York City native, works to defend the local community’s civil rights.

After earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Albany and a law degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Sobel worked as a legal director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization that aims to end the military’s ban on out homosexuals.

Sobel, 41, said she was attracted to Equality Advocates, then called the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, because she saw it as a place to impact GLBT legislation.

“There aren’t a lot of opportunities at GLBT legal organizations and I thought that the model the center had was interesting,” she said. “I felt change was more likely to happen at a state level and that this was the kind of organization that I wanted to be a part of.”

Sobel, who has been with Equality Advocates for six years, is also a lecturer of law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

She said one of her greatest accomplishments is helping to pass the state hate-crimes law and defeat the state’s constitutional amendment to ban non-marital relationships.

“I’m very proud of the legal work we do here and of the people we’ve assisted. We have a great mission and wonderful staff, but we’re always working to find the resources we need to continue our work,” she said.

Sobel and her partner of 13 years, Michelle, live in Center City with their 4-month-old daughter, Rebecca.

Sobel enjoys reading, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Carrie Jacobs
The Attic Youth Center, 225 S. 16th St.; (215) 545-4331; www.atticyouthcenter.org

The Attic Youth Center mission: To create a safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment for youth to build self-confidence and community.

Jacobs co-founded the city’s only GLBT youth center.

She grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and attended the University of Hartford in Connecticut, Bryn Mawr College in suburban Philadelphia and Union Institute University, a distance-learning school.

She has a master’s degree in counseling and social work and a doctorate in psychology.

Before opening The Attic, she worked as a researcher for 10 years at the Philadelphia Psychiatric Center.

She said she wanted to work with GLBT youth but was surprised to find that no such programs or organizations existed in Philadelphia.

“I knew I wanted to do this when I was in my Ph.D. program,” she said. “But no one out there was working with these kids anywhere except for Penguin Place [currently William Way Community Center]. Along with a University of Pennsylvania student, I started an eight-week project and worked with 41 kids. That was in the early ’90s.”

The project grew into The Attic Youth Center, which in 2000 received its nonprofit classification and has served more than 10,000 youths since its inception.

A true community servant, Jacobs said she’s proudest of those who have succeeded as a result of the center.

“There’s certainly a frustration in this field from the lack of recognition,” she said. “People don’t acknowledge the importance and the needs of young people, and as a culture and a society, we haven’t given enough to our young people.”

Jacobs, 49, lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her partner of 22 years, Arleen, and their two children.

“Time when I’m not working is rare, but I like to enjoy the outdoors, go boating, play tennis and bike,” she said.

Nurit Shein
The Mazzoni Center, 1201 Chestnut St.; (215) 563-0652; www.mazzonicenter.org

Mazzoni Center mission: To provide comprehensive health services in a GLBT-focused environment while maintaining the dignity and improving quality of life of patients.

Shein brings a worldly perspective to her position at the city’s only GLBT health organization.

Born in Israel, Shein studied Hebrew and English literature at Tel Aviv University before serving in the Israeli Army.

She retired as a colonel after 20 years.

Shein then arrived on the U.S. West Coast to serve as director of the Education and Culture Department for the Israeli Government.

She moved on to become the director of programs for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Los Angeles.

In 1995, Shein was recruited to the Mazzoni Center, where she worked as director of AIDS programs for one year.

She’s proudest of turning the center, which suffered a scandalous financial past, into a strong organization.

“The city was close to shutting down the center because the executive director was indicted for fraud and mismanagement,” she explained. “Being able to transform that into an organization that’s financially and administratively strong, and making it into a health organization that’s important to the community, have been great accomplishments.”

Shein said securing funds to continue and enhance the center’s work is particularly challenging.

“The hardest part is fundraising for services for the trans community and for GLBT services that are related to HIV/AIDS,” she said.

Shein, 59, lives in Center City with her partner of 15 years, Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell.

She enjoys biking, going to the theater and reading.

Carolyn Thompson
Mountain Meadow, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 772-1107; www.mountainmeadow.org

Mountain Meadow mission: To provide a safe, supportive space for children of GLBT and other non traditional families and their allies.

One of the youngest executive directors in her field, Thompson was born and raised in Oregon.

She majored in peace and global studies at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., and began working at Mountain Meadow soon after graduating.

Thompson worked at various summer camps in the past but said she found something special at Mountain Meadow.

“I fell in love with this organization and the children and decided to stay,” she said.

After six years at the camp, Thompson said her greatest feat has been expanding the programming.

“Mountain Meadow started out as just a two-week camp,” she said. “Now we’re doing six programs per month and we’ve been able to expand our yearly budget income. We’ve reconstructed the entire organization and created ways for anyone with any skills or time commitment to contribute.”

Echoing her peers, Thompson said funding limitations frequently frustrate her.

“Since I manage our budget, I’m always well aware of the things we could be doing but can’t afford.”

The 28-year-old is single and lives in West Philadelphia.

Thompson plans to leave her position at Mountain Meadow in November to pursue a career in organizational development.

The camp is in the process of finding her replacement.

Casey Bell can be reached at casey@epgn.com.