January 13, 2012
For immediate release
TIGLFF APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BOARD MEMBERS
Contact: Ken Hodges, President 813-966-8525
The Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF) has appointed a new executive director and added two new members to its Friends of the Festival board of directors.
Board President Ken Hodges announced today that Larry Biddle has been named executive director of the organization, and that Marisa Gonzalez and Omar Montes have been elected to the board.
Marisa Gonzalez was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan and grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. Since her days as a law student at Stetson University College of Law, Marisa has made gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues a focus of her study and practice. Marisa, now a licensed attorney in the State of Florida, lives in Clearwater with her girlfriend of 7 years and their two dogs.
Omar Montes works as a marketer and educator by day, and a film enthusiast by night. He holds a BA degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida. When not working, sleeping, or viewing films, you can find Omar on stages throughout the Tampa Bay area as a local actor. He is thrilled to make the move from Festival attendee to organizer.
Larry Biddle has provided strategy, communications and development guidance to small businesses, nonprofits, political and community advocacy organizations for more than 40 years. He has raised more than $350 million for nonprofit organizations and $31 million for political purposes - including the Howard Dean for President campaign. Most recently he served as the director of development for the film festival. He has a degree in organizational management from the University of Delaware and is an E-Commerce Fellow at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in St. Petersburg with his partner of 20 years.
"I am very excited to announce these additions to our team," said Hodges. "These two exceptional new board members represent a broad segment of our community and will bring diversity, energy and new ideas to our organization. Larry's experience and talent has been evident during the past year as he exceeded his goals as development director and will be a tremendous asset as he takes on this important leadership role as executive director."
