Harry Knox
Director, HRC Religion and Faith Program
Harry Knox joined the staff of the Human Rights Campaign in July 2005. Under his leadership, the HRC Religion and Faith Program has seen the creation of a national speakers’ bureau that reaches more than 10 million Americans monthly, and a weekly preaching resource that provides scriptural commentary to ministers and lay people interested in an ecumenical lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender perspective on the Bible. In April 2009, Knox was selected to join the 25-member President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, an interfaith council of religious and secular leaders and scholars. He is serving a one-year term.
He has also been instrumental in creating a national network for 22 progressive state clergy coalitions around the country. Knox has been featured in diverse media outlets such as "The Michael Medved Show," the BBC News, PBS, NBC, CBS and national and local newspapers, and has co-authored an article on LGBT issues and world religions for Conscience magazine.
Knox’s prior management and advocacy experience includes having held the positions of business manager for patient services and comprehensive school health programs for the American Cancer Society, Georgia Division; director of development at Equality Florida; executive director of Georgia Equality; and program director for Freedom to Marry. He is also a former licensed pastor of a United Methodist Church in Georgia.
Under Knox’s leadership, Georgia Equality was successful in passing the state’s first LGBT-inclusive legislation, the Georgia Anti-Domestic Terrorism Act, and in obtaining domestic partnership benefits for employees at Coca-Cola, BellSouth, Delta Airlines, Atlanta Gas Light and Cingular Wireless. He was the recipient of the 2000 Cordle Award for Promotion of God’s Diversity and Lancaster Theological Seminary’s 2005 Robert V. Moss Medal for Excellence in Ministry. Denied ordination because he is gay, Knox has relied on God to make a way where there was no way. He continues to speak out for those who have been marginalized and forsaken.