Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program Founders

Julie Allen is a 2020 Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow and served as partner at Proskauer Rose, an international law firm where she co-chaired the global capital markets practice. Julie currently serves as the board chair of Read Ahead, a reading-based mentoring organization focusing on New York City’s underserved public grammar school children. 

Linda Dakin-Grimm is a senior consulting partner at Milbank LLP, where she handled numerous jury and bench trials in courts across the United States. In 2016, Ms. Dakin-Grimm concentrated her practice on pro bono immigration matters. Since then, she has taken on more than 100 cases helping unaccompanied children and separated families in immigration proceedings.

The David Bohnett Foundation is committed to improving society through social activism. They provide funding, state-of-the-art technology, and technical support to innovative organizations and institutions that share their vision.

Michael Dillon is a board officer, strategic advisor, and former executive. As a former partner at PwC, Michael helped clients attain their goals through his advice concerning mergers and acquisitions, audits, and accounting. In 2016, he was chosen for a three-year term on PwC’s senior leadership team as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.

Michael Fleming has served as executive director of the David Bohnett Foundation since 2000. He works closely with Mr. Bohnett to promote the foundation’s mission of improving society through social justice, developing quantitative and qualitative goals for funding progressive programs in education, LGBT issues, arts, gun violence prevention and cognitive animal language research.

David Grasso is a seasoned journalist and media entrepreneur with over a decade of industry experience. As the Executive Director of a private media foundation, he oversees a non-profit media portfolio that produces diverse and engaging content across both new and traditional media platforms.

Gary E. Grimm, PhD, received a B.A. in Physics from the University of Chicago, an M.S. in Physics from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Oregon. In his aerospace industry career, he participated in building satellites and instruments for remote sensing, including the collection and interpretation of electromagnetic radiation and contributing to the Chandra X-ray Observatory satellite.

Debra Mayer is a 2020 Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow and co-founded of the law firm Shatzkin & Mayer, focusing on entertainment litigation representing creator-clients. A long-time volunteer, she has served as a trustee of Classic Stage Company and Calhoun School.

In 1987, members of the Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus (now the Harvard Gender & Sexuality Caucus) established a private charitable foundation, The Open Gate, Inc.: a Fund for Gay and Lesbian Life at Harvard University, which provides funding for a variety of activities and events.

Marc Porter is a 2021 Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow who brings senior leadership experience in the arts, working with foundations, ministries of cultural affairs, and museums. He has worked for almost 30 years in increasingly senior roles at Christie’s, the world’s leading arts business.

Dan Romanow is a seasoned industry leader with over 38 years of experience in the packaging sector. After graduating from Syracuse University with a dual B.A. in Art History and Religion, Dan initially worked in sales and marketing in the hotel industry before joining Romanow Container in 1986 where he served Vice President. He has since been instrumental in expanding the company’s reach as a key packaging supplier across New England. Alongside his corporate achievements, Dan has remained deeply engaged in community service as board member of the West End House Boys & Girls Club of Allston-Brighton, where he served as Development Chair. Now retired, Dan leaves a legacy of dedication and impactful service in both business and community leadership. He lives in Brookline with his husband, B. Andrew Zelermyer, and children, Isaac and Julia.

B. Andrew Zelermyer completed a senior fellowship at Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative in 2021 where he focused on building awareness and public policy around advancing social justice and equality for disenfranchised people.  Prior to his ALI fellowship, Andrew served as a director (shareholder) in the Boston office of the law firm, Goulston & Storrs. He currently serves as an executive committee and board member of Greater Boston Legal Services, an officer and board member of the Jewish Community Relations Council and a board member and governance committee member of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston. He has served as board chair of Keshet, a national advocate for LGBTQ equality in Jewish life, and on the boards of Mass Equality and the Boston Preservation Alliance.  He is a member of the emeriti boards of Keshet and the Boston Preservation Alliance. Andrew also served as an active member on CJP’s Volunteer Diversity Sub Committee in 2021. Andrew is a graduate of Princeton University and Boston University School of Law.  He lives in Brookline with his husband, Dan Romanow, and children, Isaac and Julia.