Fair Wisconsin announced in early July that the organization has chosen a new Executive Director, Abby Swetz, after a nationwide search. Swetz was awarded the GSAFE Educator of the Year award in 2017, and the Rockwell Cooperating Teacher Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Fair Wisconsin, a political advocacy group, “envisions a fair, safe, and inclusive society in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people are treated with dignity and respect,” according to their website. They continue “Fair Wisconsin Inc. works to build a fair, safe, and inclusive Wisconsin for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people by advancing, achieving, and protecting LGBTQ civil rights through lobbying, legislative advocacy, grassroots organizing, coalition building and electoral involvement. These efforts are designed to educate the general voting public, sensitize the media, promote a politically active and effective organizational membership, and better inform policy makers on issues of concern to the organization’s members.”

In a press release sent out to members and donors on July 2, Fair Wisconsin stated that the org is “the state’s only LGBTQ+ civil rights and political advocacy organization and has been on the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in Wisconsin for the past 30 years. Swetz will bring extensive experience in policy, public education, and advocacy to the role.” Swetz’s history confirms this experience, as she has attended the La Follette School of Public Affairs, where “she earned the Penniman Prize for her policy analysis,” according to the press release. After La Follette, she worked in domestic abuse policy and went on to work with the Secretary’s office of  the Department of Health and Human Services during “the height of the pandemic.”

Abby Swetz states in the press release that, “I am honored to be entrusted with the future of an organization with such a storied and impactful past of working to ensure the safety and civil rights of LGBTQ+ Wisconsinites. As the leader of Fair Wisconsin, I look to build on that rich history by rooting our present work in hope and equity as we look to a future of liberation and full inclusion for our LGBTQ+ siblings in this state.” She continues, “To my LGBTQ+ family and our allied friends here in Wisconsin, let me say this: buckle up—we’ve got work to do, and I’m ready to lead it together.”