• Joe Solmonese, Host and Human Rights Campaign President
• Mary Breslauer, Executive Producer and Co-Host
• Michael Cole, Producer and Correspondent

Joe Solmonese brings to the Human Rights Campaign preeminent political, strategic and communications skills that have been tested in campaigns across the country.

Before coming to HRC, Joe was chief executive officer of EMILY’s List, overseeing one of the nation’s most successful efforts to elect progressive candidates by reaching out to heartland and mainstream voters. He led a national staff of 85 political, communications, fund-raising and grassroots professionals with smart and effective management. He managed a $40 million budget, strategically investing in key political efforts and elections and raising money for the organization’s mission.

At HRC, he’s worked with corporate leaders across the country and helped guide influential businesses, including Microsoft, to take strong public stances for fairness. He’s met with families across the country and advocated for the rights of same-sex couples. He recognizes the need for people to come out, stay out and speak out about equality and has strengthened the Coming Out Project to do just that.

Mary Breslauer of Boston has a long history of GLBT activism, both behind the scenes and in front of a microphone or in the press. She served for more than a decade on the board of the Human Rights Campaign, leading the organization’s political work as co-chair of the Public Policy Committee.

Working with Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and MassEquality, she spearheaded the successful and widely acclaimed communications strategies that won historic marriage rights for same-sex couples in Massachusetts. She continues to assist in efforts to defend marriage, while seeking those rights in neighboring New England states.

A former print and broadcast journalist, Mary honed her radio skills first on WMVY on Martha’s Vineyard and later on WFNX in Boston. She left as news director to head the press operations for openly gay Congressman Gerry Studds’ re-election immediately following his censure. She continued her media work, leading efforts for the Massachusetts attorney general, Northeastern University and other organizations and campaigns.

Breslauer was the executive producer and co-host of a radio talk show in Boston called “One in Ten” for five years. Launched in 1992, it was believed to be the first commercial radio show in the country dedicated to GLBT issues. It remains on the air today.

Mary is the principal of Communication Solutions which consults with organizations and individuals on a wide array of public issues.

Michael Cole manages the Human Rights Campaign’s state-of-the-art, in-house media center producing material for HRC town hall meetings, gala dinners and other events, as well as the award-winning hrc.org. He oversees satellite media tours and video news releases that expand HRC’s media reach across the country. He also leads the team that produces Equally Speaking — a daily gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender news webcast on the HRC website.

Cole is The Agenda’s lead correspondent — producing packages in the field to capture the breadth and depth of the GLBT community. He’s covered everything from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, to authors and musicians, to the political advertising wars.

Prior to this position he worked on the HRC press staff advancing a message of fairness in the media. Cole focused on local media markets bringing him to more than a dozen states promoting GLBT equality everywhere from church basements in Topeka, Kansas, to the steps of the Supreme Judicial Court in Boston. Before joining the Human Rights Campaign he worked at the U.S. Embassy to Belgium and the U.S. House of Representatives.