Growing & Glowing
Stonewall’s team is growing and glowing! After a much-needed 40% staff expansion during the summer, we’re thrilled to continue building up our team with the addition of three new members of our Board of Directors. This fall, we’re proud to welcome Kate Doniger, Carmelyn Malalis, and Medina to the Board. Each new member brings with them a wealth of practical knowledge and unique experience in the fields of law, diversity & inclusion, human rights, art, design, and more. We look forward to putting their incredible expertise to good use for the LGBTQ+ community we serve. Check out their bios below!
Kate Doniger
Kate L. Doniger (she/her) is a partner in the New York office of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP. Kate represents companies, financial institutions, and individuals in complex civil litigation, internal investigations, and criminal and regulatory enforcement matters. Kate maintains an active pro bono practice, including her firm’s recent constitutional challenge to Florida House Bill 1557 (widely known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law). Kate is a member of the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee and is the firm’s 2022 Fellow to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. She was honored by the National LGBT Bar Association & Foundation as one of its 2020 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40.
Kate is a graduate of the New York University School of Law. Before law school, she worked for the Center for Court Innovation as Deputy Director of the Red Hook Community Justice Center, the nation’s first multi-jurisdictional community court. Kate also holds a M.P.A. in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy from New York University and a B.A. from Barnard College.
Carmelyn Malalis
Carmelyn P. Malalis (she/her) is the former Chair and Commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the agency tasked with combating discrimination in New York City. During her tenure, the NYC Human Rights Law was amended over 20 times to expand protections in the City, and the Commission was known for its aggressive law enforcement, creative approaches to education and outreach, a strong commitment to restorative justice principles, and outreach to historically underserved and marginalized communities throughout the City. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Malalis was a partner at Outten & Golden LLP where she co-founded and co-chaired its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Workplace Rights Practice Group. While at the firm, she successfully represented employees in negotiations, agency proceedings, and litigation involving claims of sexual harassment, retaliation, and discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, disability, and religion.
She is a frequent speaker and commentator on human rights and issues involving diversity, equity, and inclusion; has held various leadership positions within the New York City Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and other bar associations; has previously served on Human Rights Watch's Advisory Committee of its LGBT Rights Project, and the boards of the NYC Bar Association and Queers for Economic Justice, and is the recipient of numerous honors for her commitment to championing the rights of LGBTQIA, BIPOC, immigrant, and religious communities.
Depending on the season, Carmelyn can be seen in Brooklyn coaching her older child’s softball team, playing a pick-up game of beach volleyball, or trying to keep up with her daughter on ice skates.
Medina
Medina (he/him) is a strategist and creative designer committed to the empowerment of multicultural founders. Born in Brooklyn, he fell in love with technology early and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He got his start as a graphic designer and art director before becoming chairman of graphic design and animation at Anthem Institute. In 2008 he co-created MEDINA = CITI, a design haus that led campaigns for Xbox, Pepsi and more. And In 2014 Medina founded EQUAL SPACE, the largest Black/Brown-owned co-working space in Newark, New Jersey. Active in his community, Medina also helped establish the NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
In his downtime, Medina explores his love for all things visual on his platform citimedina.com.