WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, announced the appointment of Fred Sainz to the newly created position of Vice President of Communications & Marketing which reports directly to the president. Sainz begins May 10.

"In this rapidly changing and often volatile political environment, HRC must continue to both prod and persuade in our mission to improve the lives of LGBT people across the country," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "And often a key component in changing hearts and minds or moving recalcitrant elected officials is an aggressive and creative communications strategy. In addition to his broad professional skills, Fred Sainz brings deep political instincts and a commitment to LGBT equality that will enhance our work. We're thrilled to have him join our senior team."

A first-generation Cuban American, Sainz has been Vice President of Communications & Marketing at the Gill Foundation in Denver, CO for the last two years. Among his many accomplishments there was creating a broad public affairs campaign around the Angie Zapata murder trial in Colorado which successfully connected the tragic murder of Zapata with the need for federal hate crimes protections that included gender identity and expression.

Before accepting his position at Gill, Fred was the city director of communications and press secretary to San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. In that highly-public post, Fred led an external and internal communications office for a $3.3 billion municipal corporation with 10,000 employees, providing city services to 1.3 million residences.

"I am honored to join the first-rate team of professionals at HRC who have done so much to move an LGBT equality agenda forward," said Sainz. "HRC is the pinnacle of LGBT activism, but we must move mountains in a volatile time, both in Washington and across the country, and communicating our agenda effectively and creatively will be critical to our success."

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.