About the Board

Jason Rae, Milwaukee, President
Nancy Nusbaum, De Pere, Vice-President
Glenn Carlson, La Pointe, Treasurer
Laurie Guilbault, Milwaukee, Secretary
Ross Draegert, Fox Point
Mark Webster, Madison
Dennis Kohler, Germantown
Kristen Dexter, Eau Claire
Laura Goetz, Wisconsin Rapids
Michael Louis Vinson, Green Bay
Marthea (Marty) Fox, Fitchburg

Glenn Carlson has served on the boards of some of the most effective LGBT organizations in the country: as Treasurer of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center - the largest LGBT social services agency in the world, from 1992 to 1997; as Treasurer of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force from 2004 to 2006; and in various board or executive leadership positions with Fair Wisconsin since 2006.  He joined the campaign to elect Tammy Baldwin to Congress in 1997, and has served as one of her advisers since then.  A retired CPA, Glenn was a tax partner with both Price Waterhouse and Arthur Andersen in Los Angeles.

Kristen Dexter and her husband are the parents of 3 teenagers.  Her public service began in 2002 when she was elected to a local school board and was actively involved in several referenda campaigns.  In 2006 Kristen became the volunteer coordinator for a successful state senate race and two years later she ran for the state assembly; she served one term as State Representative for the 68th Assembly.

Ross Draegert lives with his life partner in Fox Point, Wisconsin. He has served on the board of Fair Wisconsin since 2007. He has been on the board of Cream City Foundation, southeast Wisconsin’s LGBT charitable foundation. He currently is on the board of Adoption Resources of Wisconsin.

Marty Fox lives with her life partner in Fitchburg, WI.  Together they run a financial consulting firm specializing in providing training, analysis and financial leadership for non-profit organizations.  Marty has served on the boards of GSAFE and OPEN, the Out Professional & Executive Network.  She was formerly the Executive Director of the Alliant Energy Foundation.

Laura Goetz is a Social Worker, Mediator and LGBTQ advocate.  She is the Wisconsin State Coordinator for the national group PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbian and Gays).  As an outgoing community activist, Laura has worked with various advocacy groups including educational justice organizations, universities, and GSAs. She has worked as a university continuing education instructor and presented numerous workshops on a variety of topics including LGBTQ issues and Safe Schools trainings.

Laurie Guilbault has over 20 years of experience with political, electoral, and advocacy groups.  She has organized fundraising events for candidates, organizations, and Political Action Committees.  She has participated with progressive advocacy groups and candidates to promote positive change for Wisconsin citizens.  Laurie was one of the founders of Action Wisconsin (predecessor to Fair Wisconsin) in 1994 and part of the Milwaukee LGBT Center Project in 1995 to create a safe environment for LGBTQ people in Milwaukee.  Her political experience is as paid staff in seven local and state political campaigns and five congressional races across the nation 2001-2007.  Laurie staffed Dorothy Dean, the first woman to run for Wisconsin Lt. Governor in 1992.  She was Congressional Staff to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, the first out lesbian in Congress, in 1999-2001.  Recently, Ms. Guilbault received her Masters of Public Administration.

Dennis Kohler lives in Germantown, Wisconsin with his partner and their four children.  He runs a small business and is a stay-at-home dad.  He served on the HRL PAC (Human Rights League Political Action Committee) board for five years.

Now retired, Nancy Nusbaum was Brown County Executive, De Pere Mayor and Director of Wisconsin Crime Victim services. A mother of two children, one gay and one straight, she’s determined to fight for the day when they will be treated equally under law. Her son, Joe, serves on the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force.

Jason Rae,originally from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is a graduate of Marquette University.  He is an elected member of the Democratic National Committee and active in progressive politics.  He currently works as an associate at Nation Consulting and lives on Milwaukee’s east side.

Michael Louis Vinson is a Communications Specialist at Schreiber Foods in Green Bay. He was previously a reporter and blogger at The Post-Crescent newspaper, in Appleton, where he covered Appleton City Hall, state politics and national politics. The Washington Post recently listed Michael as one of the top voices to follow on Twitter about Wisconsin politics. He is a graduate of Harvard University (AB, Government), where he was a Jackie Robinson Foundation scholar. Prior to joining The Post-Crescent, he was a Fellow and Wallace Engagement Associate at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Michael also has a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he concentrated in Interactive Publishing as a McCormick Foundation Scholar. He also received a certificate in Media Management at Medill, a joint program with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Michael lives with his partner, Todd, in Green Bay. Follow him on Twitter @michaelvinson.

Prior to being an independent public relations consultant, Mark Webster managed Strategic Communications at Emerson Human Capital –a San Francisco based consulting firm that works with Fortune 500 companies on their change management, marketing and public relations challenges.  Previously, Mark ran the Congressional offices of U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and U.S. Rep. Les Aspin and worked in the State Senate for several lawmakers.