Stephen Glassman, a former state cabinet official and non-profit executive with a long history of working for human rights, has joined the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut as its executive director.
Glassman served as a board member of the Maryland ACLU affiliate for eight years and of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pennsylvania affiliate for the past three years. From 2002 to 2011, he served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, an appointment made by Gov. Edward Rendell for which he was twice confirmed unanimously by the state Senate. He was among the first openly gay state cabinet officials subject to the confirmation process in the country.
“The Board of Directors is thrilled to bring in Steve to lead our fight for civil liberties in Connecticut,” said Andy Schatz, president of the ACLU of Connecticut. “We chose him after a comprehensive national search not only for his impressive experience and talents but also for his unwavering devotion to the cause of liberty and the protection of individual rights.”
Glassman said he is deeply honored to join the ACLU of Connecticut. “This state has become a leader in civil rights and civil liberties on issues ranging from marriage equality to the fight against racial profiling, but there is a great deal more to accomplish,” he said. “We must continue to push for transparency and change in law enforcement until communities of color and other minorities feel truly protected and justly served by their police departments. We also need to protect privacy with legislation limiting the use of license plate scanners, drones and cellphone tracking; repeal the law that allowed the state to imprison a transgender teen without charge; and continue pushing for reforms in criminal justice, particularly juvenile justice.”
Before assuming his current position, Glassman was president of the Community Design Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., which focuses on economic and community development to foster livable, equitable and sustainable communities. Earlier in his career he practiced architecture as the principal of “Art and Architectural Design” for 25 years. He also served as vice chairman of the Baltimore Civic Design Commission from 1990 to 1995, co-chaired the first national conference on “Diversity in the Design Professions,” and served for five years as the vice chair of the Diversity Committee of the American Institute of Architects national board of directors.
Glassman earned a bachelor’s degree in art history from Brown University, a master’s degree in architecture from Yale University and a post-graduate certificate for senior executives in state and local government from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
He replaces Andrew Schneider, who left to lead Fairness West Virginia after seven years as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut.
