Lorri L. Jean f(image courtesy of the Los Angeles LGBT Center)

The Los Angeles LGBT Center announced the start of its search for a successor to CEO Lorri L. Jean, who will retire in July 2022. The search will be led by the center’s board of directors and national search firm Koya Leadership Partners.

“We’ve been so fortunate to have a strong leader for so long, and now we must prepare for the next chapter. Our board has literally put years of thought into preparing for this transition to ensure that our next CEO will be a tremendous success, exactly as our beloved organization and community deserve,” board co-chairs Susan Feniger and David Bailey wrote in a letter to donors about the transition.

At the time of her retirement, Jean will have led the LGBT Center for more than 25 years.

“I will have plenty of time to reflect on my retirement and time at the center in a couple of years. Right now, my primary focus is helping our center and community get through this pandemic and the relentless attacks by the Trump administration. In fact, these current challenges reinforce how important it is to help prepare this organization for a successful future,” Jean said. “And, as a future constituent of the center, I can say wholeheartedly that it’s exciting to consider the prospect of a new center leader who has a fresh perspective and the talents and skills necessary to take the organization into the future.”

The new candidate will start in May 2021 as executive director and will work with Jean and senior staff to assure a smooth transition before assuming the role of CEO in July 2022.

The center is by far the world’s largest and most complex LGBTQ organization and is bigger than 95% of all nonprofit organizations in the country. The 14-month transition period will provide time for the new executive director to establish an in-depth knowledge of the center’s diverse programs and services and its multiple service locations in Hollywood, South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Koreatown and West Hollywood.

The transition period will also provide time for guidance from Jean and the executive team on the broad set of budgetary, fundraising and management skills necessary to lead an organization of its size and complexity. This includes building an array of relationships with community members, elected officials, donors, media and organizational colleagues.

For information, visit lalgbtcenter.org/ceosearch.