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Kate Runyon, Interim Executive Director of Triangle Foundation, lives a rich and varied life. She attended Wittenberg University in Ohio and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics with a minor in global studies and German. During and after college she served on the Diversity Task force and worked as a Residence Hall Coordinator managing 30 staff members, judicial affairs and community programming. After college, she served in the Peace Corps in The Gambia, West Africa and bilingually led the village through the process of participatory analysis for community action to assess the village’s strengths and needs. Upon her return from to the States, Kate participated in the Intercultural Communication Institute through Antioch University for four years taking specialized courses on intercultural communication, change and transition work and organizing in a pluralistic society.

Kate has been a co-director of Camp Anytown, the focus of which is to lead young people to understand pluralism and to empower them as leaders in a global-focused way. She worked with the National Conference for Community and Justice, now known as the Greater Detroit Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion as a Diversity/Change Consultant, as the administrative assistant for the American Arab and Jewish Friends, and as the assistant for their Different People, Common Ground dialogue program.

As the executive director of Oasis Ministry, the Episcopal LGBT outreach program in Michigan, Kate worked diligently to organize people against the anti-gay marriage amendment. She worked with the Religious Coalition for a Fair Michigan as the coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan during this ballot measure. She also served on the Faith Action Network Visioning Team for the American Friends Service Committee’s LGBT Issues Program. She was a Trustee of Triangle Foundation from 2004 to 2007.

Over two years ago, Kate joined the staff of AFSC’s LGBT Issues Program. She continued to implement the Faith Action Network Circles throughout the state and has shared the successful structure of the program with different organizations in the Great Lakes region. She has led nonviolent dialogue trainings throughout the Michigan and in Wisconsin during their anti-gay marriage ballot initiative in 2006. Kate has worked closely within LGBT and allied leadership of Michigan for policy change to provide equality and equal protection for all in Michigan. This has included educating elected officials by humanizing LGBT issues at a state and federal level, and managing her program staff and volunteers to create positive and inspiring work place.

Kate is currently on the board of the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights. She is also currently participating in a fellowship from the Center for Progressive Leadership to further sharpen her skills.

Somehow, in between everything else, Kate finds time to stay grounded by creating beauty in her pottery studio and in her garden. She tries to reserve Monday evenings for rehearsals with the Out Loud Chorus, where she met her partner, Dawn Fisher, seven years ago. She currently lives in Ann Arbor with Dawn, their West African Village Dog and their two cats. Their two exchange students have returned to their home countries and families and are growing into fantastic, accepting young adults.

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