Leisa Goodman
Encyclopedia
Leisa Goodman, as of 2005, served as the Human Rights Director for the Church of Scientology International
. She had previously served as a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology
, and as its media relations director.
In her capacity as media relations director she managed Church of Scientology websites, presented the church's viewpoints about its conflict with critics on the Internet
to the media, and traveled to Germany
on a six-month fact finding mission to investigate the country's treatment of Scientologists. She went to Clearwater, Florida
with Scientology's general counsel Elliot Abelson and then-head of the Church of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs
, Mike Rinder
, to attend a counter-protest against critics protesting outside the Fort Harrison Hotel
. She works out of Los Angeles
, California
, and has served as Scientology's Human Rights Director since 1997.
, California
. Goodman was a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International in 1993 and 1994. In 1995, Goodman served as the media relations director for the Church of Scientology
, and in this role she managed Scientology websites, and responded to the media about the Church of Scientology's attempts to curtail the spread of their documents on the Internet
. Jim McClellan of The Observer
recommended Goodman's home page at wwww.theta.com for information about Scientology's perspective on its conflict with critics on the Internet. As media relations director she traveled to Germany
in 1997 on a six-month fact finding mission to investigate the treatment of Scientologists in the country. She told the Los Angeles Daily News
that she spoke with 200 Scientologists who said that they experienced adverse effects due to being members of the Church of Scientology including losing their jobs and having their bank accounts closed. Goodman defended the Church of Scientology's analogy to the Nazi
s in describing Germany's treatment of Scientologists, saying "We know it is not a popular thing to say. But the truth isn't always popular."
Goodman traveled to Clearwater, Florida
along with other high-ranking members of the Church of Scientology including then-head of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs
Mike Rinder
and general counsel Elliot Abelson, to attend a counter-protest and response to an organized protest by critics of Scientology held in front of the Church of Scientology's Fort Harrison Hotel
in March 1997. Critics including Jeff Jacobsen, David S. Touretzky
and others were protesting the death of Lisa McPherson
while under the care of members of the Church of Scientology, and Goodman explained to the St. Petersburg Times
that Scientologists who live in Clearwater did not want the critics' protest to transpire without a response: "They're not about to stand by and do nothing. They've got First Amendment rights. They take it very personally. This is their town."
Goodman was the Human Rights Director for the Church of Scientology International since 1997, and as of 2002 worked out of Scientology offices in Los Angeles.
Church of Scientology International
The Church of Scientology International, Inc. is a Californian 501 non-profit corporation. Within the worldwide network of Scientology corporations and entities, CSI is officially referred to as the "mother church" of the Church of Scientology....
. She had previously served as a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, and as its media relations director.
In her capacity as media relations director she managed Church of Scientology websites, presented the church's viewpoints about its conflict with critics on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
to the media, and traveled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on a six-month fact finding mission to investigate the country's treatment of Scientologists. She went to Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
with Scientology's general counsel Elliot Abelson and then-head of the Church of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs
Office of Special Affairs
The Office of Special Affairs or OSA is a department of the Church of Scientology. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigations, publicizing the Church's "social betterment works," and "oversee[ing its] social reform programs"...
, Mike Rinder
Mike Rinder
Michael "Mike" Rinder is an Australian Scientologist who was a former chief spokesman of the Church of Scientology. Rinder served as Executive Director of the Office of Special Affairs and was a director of the Church of Scientology International...
, to attend a counter-protest against critics protesting outside the Fort Harrison Hotel
Fort Harrison Hotel
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida...
. She works out of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and has served as Scientology's Human Rights Director since 1997.
Work for Church of Scientology
In 1990 Goodman was a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology out of the L. Ron Hubbard Office of Public Relations in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Goodman was a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International in 1993 and 1994. In 1995, Goodman served as the media relations director for the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, and in this role she managed Scientology websites, and responded to the media about the Church of Scientology's attempts to curtail the spread of their documents on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Jim McClellan of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
recommended Goodman's home page at wwww.theta.com for information about Scientology's perspective on its conflict with critics on the Internet. As media relations director she traveled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1997 on a six-month fact finding mission to investigate the treatment of Scientologists in the country. She told the Los Angeles Daily News
Los Angeles Daily News
The Los Angeles Daily News is the second-largest circulating daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California. It is the flagship of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a branch of Colorado-based MediaNews Group....
that she spoke with 200 Scientologists who said that they experienced adverse effects due to being members of the Church of Scientology including losing their jobs and having their bank accounts closed. Goodman defended the Church of Scientology's analogy to the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
s in describing Germany's treatment of Scientologists, saying "We know it is not a popular thing to say. But the truth isn't always popular."
Goodman traveled to Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
along with other high-ranking members of the Church of Scientology including then-head of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs
Office of Special Affairs
The Office of Special Affairs or OSA is a department of the Church of Scientology. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigations, publicizing the Church's "social betterment works," and "oversee[ing its] social reform programs"...
Mike Rinder
Mike Rinder
Michael "Mike" Rinder is an Australian Scientologist who was a former chief spokesman of the Church of Scientology. Rinder served as Executive Director of the Office of Special Affairs and was a director of the Church of Scientology International...
and general counsel Elliot Abelson, to attend a counter-protest and response to an organized protest by critics of Scientology held in front of the Church of Scientology's Fort Harrison Hotel
Fort Harrison Hotel
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida...
in March 1997. Critics including Jeff Jacobsen, David S. Touretzky
David S. Touretzky
David S. Touretzky is a research professor in the Computer Science Department and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition at Carnegie Mellon University. He received a BA in Computer Science at Rutgers University in 1978, and earned a Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Computer Science at Carnegie...
and others were protesting the death of Lisa McPherson
Lisa McPherson
Lisa McPherson was a member of the Church of Scientology who died of a pulmonary embolism while under the care of the Flag Service Organization , a branch of the Church of Scientology...
while under the care of members of the Church of Scientology, and Goodman explained to the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
that Scientologists who live in Clearwater did not want the critics' protest to transpire without a response: "They're not about to stand by and do nothing. They've got First Amendment rights. They take it very personally. This is their town."
Goodman was the Human Rights Director for the Church of Scientology International since 1997, and as of 2002 worked out of Scientology offices in Los Angeles.