Eighteen new members also join regional board at meeting featuring keynote speaker Dr. Kathy Obear

The ADL Mountain States Region held its 2020 annual meeting on June 30 on Zoom.  At the meeting, ADL’s Board of Directors approved a slate of new board members and inducted Elisa Moran as its Chair. Moran is a long time regional and national ADL leader. Regional Director Scott L. Levin also thanked outgoing Regional Board Chair Melinda Quiat.

“It has been wonderful working with Melinda Quiat,” said Levin.  “She has been an extraordinary leader who stood on the shoulders of her late father, former Regional Board Chair and civil rights hero Gerald Quiat. Melinda helped to chart our course during very rough waters. Her term began soon after the horrific murders at the Tree of Life Synagogue and ended following the tragic murder of George Floyd. Throughout it all, Melinda helped to expand the work we did with schools, law enforcement and the legislature.

We all look forward to the leadership of our new Regional Board Chair, Elisa Moran. Elisa also stands on the shoulders of many civil rights heroes in her family, including her late grandmother who defied authorities in her Oklahoma town by riding in the back of the bus so long as her Black neighbors were prevented from sitting in the front of the bus. We know that with Elisa’s direction, ADL will remain a vibrant and relevant organization in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.”

Eighteen new members were elected to the Regional Board. They are Tamara Berkman, Amanda Blaurock, Matt Cron, Vicki Perlmutter Dansky, Alan Feiger, Karen Flaxer, David Frieder, Wendy Glazer, Andy Heins, Joanne Kleinstein, Ceci Lowinger, Neta Meltzer, Amy Morris, Cheryl Saipe, Jennifer Shloss, Lori Sigman, Sarla Thal and Beth Yohe.  Click here to read their bios.

Participants at the meeting were fortunate to hear from keynote speaker Dr. Kathy Obear. Dr. Obear is a successful author of several books, including “. . . But I’m Not a Racist: Tools for Well-Meaning Whites.” With over 30 years of experience specializing in conflict resolution, change management and creating inclusive environments, Dr. Obear guided the assembled ADL leaders and guests in a discussion about their commitment to create inclusive, socially just environments where everyone feels valued and respected. Paraphrasing from the rabbinic tractate Ethics of the Fathers, Dr. Obear cautioned that “we are not expected to finish this work, but we are not free to ignore it, either.”