A-LISTS community spotlight
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Elliott Elsner at 24 is already a shining example of a
star-high achiever. Elsner moved to Los Angeles in the fall of 2004 to attend California
Lutheran University (CLU). Elsner graduated in May of 2008 with a Bachelors of Sci-
ence and Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing and minored in
legal studies. Elliott elaborates, “I’m actually looking to attend law school in the near
future and get my law degree and masters in public policy.”
After a semester-long internship with The Center For American Progress, Elliott
returned to L.A. and worked for Chad Griffin while finishing his schooling. Elliott said,
“Chad is now doing all the communications and political campaigning around the
federal Prop. 8 case but he also manages a lot of the non-profit and entertainment
politic interest of famous clients like Rob Reiner, Barbara Streisand and Sally Field. I
was helping with him and Rob Reiner when they were stumping for Hillary Clinton
as President.”
Elliott was also very active in many extracurricular activities that proved to be of
great benefit. Elliott explains, “I helped start this hiking group called Take-A-Hike / L.A.
and I was actually named Mr. Take A Hike, Los Angeles in a competition. I still have the
sash and everything. It’s kind of crazy. “Take-A-Hike / L.A. sponsored Elliott’s entrance
into another competition, Mr. Gay L.A. The hiking group has evolved into “Gay For
Good,” led by Tony Biel. Elliott continues, “Through that experience and that hiking
group, I got to meet very positive, wonderful, intelligent, gay men who are successful
in their personal lives as well as in their professional lives. I really learned a lot. Without
that immediate reinforcement and those experiences and those relationships I can’t
honestly say that I would be as confident and as secure in my sexuality and myself as
I am today. They were incredibly powerful, moving and shaping experiences in my
adult gay personal and professional life.” Elliott was awarded the Mr. Gay Los Angeles
title, a competition that raised awareness to illustrate that “gay” is not a stereotype
and to illustrate positive images that portray gay as anything but.
Elliott used the opportunity to start promoting himself, forming his promotions
company while raising money for Lifeworks Mentoring among others. Elliott
continues, “I have maintained good relationships with many event producers and
non-profit organizations associated with the LGBT movement. One of these being a
close friend and the executive director of DIVA (Diverse & Inclusive Visionary Artists),
Nelson Melegrino. He had mentioned to me that a mutual acquaintance of ours was
in the process of leaving GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and I
was looking for a full time job, so I applied and got the position of the Membership
Events Coordinator.”
Elsner’s main role in his position over the past year and a half with GLAAD has
been to orchestrate and produce membership and fundraising opportunities to
introduce new members. Elliott explains, “One of my primary responsibilities is a na-
Elliott ElsnEr:
tional networking event series called TGIF (Thank GLAAD It’s Friday). They’re cocktail
MEMBERSHIP EVENTS COORDINATOR FOR GLAAD
mixers, but are heavily focused on networking.” GLAAD has events all over the U.S.
by lance perkins
and is the only national LGBT specific media advocacy organization.” Elsner con-
tinues, “We ensure and promote fair accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT
peoples and events through the media as a means of eliminating discrimination and
homophobia based on gender identity and orientation. We are a media watch-dog
“Having full legal equality is a
organization. We work with television shows, films and writers to incorporate LGBT
inclusive and non-defamatory language in their writing. We help to change the way
wonderful thing, but having full
that people view the LGBT community because the work that we do not only makes
a difference, it makes all the difference. Having full legal equality is a wonderful thing,
equality where you can walk down
but having full equality where you can walk down the street holding hands with your
partner means so much more. Words and images matter. I feel it’s my job to make
sure that those words and images accurately portray the LGBT community through
the street holding hands with your
events and do so in ways which enhance GLAAD’s ability to communicate our mes-
sage in bringing about full equality.” GLAAD is looking to grow their senior volunteer
partner means so much more.”
base. Go online to
GLAAD.org/volunteer to see how you can get involved.
8 RAGE monthly | january 2010
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