Joe Solmonese
Encyclopedia
Joe Solmonese is president of the Human Rights Campaign
of the United States
and its affiliate the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. He was appointed to this position on March 9, 2005. A native of Attleboro, Massachusetts
, Solmonese lives in Washington, D.C.
He graduated from Boston University
in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications.
Solmonese is the former Chief Executive Officer of EMILY's List
, where he oversaw one of the nation's prominent pro-choice
Democratic political action committees.
Solmonese developed the Political Opportunity Program (POP) for state and local candidates to ensure a stream of viable, electable women candidates. In 2004, the second cycle of the program's operation, EMILY's List helped elect 141 women, changing the legislative makeup in Colorado, Vermont, North Carolina, Washington and Oregon.
Solmonese has worked for numerous campaigns and in government positions. He held top fundraising positions at the 1992 Senate
campaign of Les AuCoin
and Barney Frank
's 1990 Congressional
campaign. Solmonese began his career as an aide in the office of Massachusetts
governor Michael Dukakis
.
He now co-hosts The Agenda on XM Satellite Radio
.
Solmonese appeared on the February 6 and 7, 2008, episodes of The Colbert Report, sitting down for an interview with American comedian Stephen Colbert
.http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=156067http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=156268
On Aug. 27, 2011, the Human Rights Campaign
announced in a press release that Solomonese would step down as President of HRC on March 31, 2012.
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and its affiliate the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. He was appointed to this position on March 9, 2005. A native of Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States and is immediately north of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers, Attleboro had a population of 42,068 at the 2000 census, and a population of 43,645 as of...
, Solmonese lives in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He graduated from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications.
Solmonese is the former Chief Executive Officer of EMILY's List
EMILY's List
EMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....
, where he oversaw one of the nation's prominent pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
Democratic political action committees.
Solmonese developed the Political Opportunity Program (POP) for state and local candidates to ensure a stream of viable, electable women candidates. In 2004, the second cycle of the program's operation, EMILY's List helped elect 141 women, changing the legislative makeup in Colorado, Vermont, North Carolina, Washington and Oregon.
Solmonese has worked for numerous campaigns and in government positions. He held top fundraising positions at the 1992 Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
campaign of Les AuCoin
Les AuCoin
Walter Leslie "Les" AuCoin , is an American politician and the first Democrat elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from since it was formed in 1882. The seat has been held by a Democrat ever since....
and Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
's 1990 Congressional
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
campaign. Solmonese began his career as an aide in the office of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
governor Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
.
He now co-hosts The Agenda on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
.
Solmonese appeared on the February 6 and 7, 2008, episodes of The Colbert Report, sitting down for an interview with American comedian Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
.http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=156067http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=156268
On Aug. 27, 2011, the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
announced in a press release that Solomonese would step down as President of HRC on March 31, 2012.