ACLU Veteran Beth Wilson Appointed First-Ever Deputy Director of the ACLU of Florida

ACLU Affiliate Membership and Staff Have Doubled in Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: media@aclu.org

MIAMI - The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today announced that Beth Wilson, the current Executive Director of the ACLU of Kentucky, will join the ACLU of Florida as Deputy Director effective September, 2007. The newly created position of Deputy Director at one of the nation's largest ACLU affiliates was created to steer the organization's multi-year growth plan and further advance civil liberties in the Sunshine State by expanding staff, volunteers and infrastructure.

"Beth is one of the most well-respected affiliate directors in the country. We're fortunate to have convinced her to bring her talent to Florida where she will become an invaluable addition to our team. We have grown rapidly in the past few years, and as we continue to grow I'm confident that Beth's experience will help develop our affiliate and assist us in advancing civil rights and civil liberties in Florida," said Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida.

Wilson will champion the rapid expansion of the ACLU of Florida, now totaling over 30,000 members, 18 local chapters, and more than 30 employees working in Miami and six regional offices around the state (Tampa, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Melbourne and the soon-to-be opened Jacksonville regional office). The membership of the ACLU has doubled since 9/11 and, fueled by a significant investment by the national ACLU, the size of the Florida staff has doubled since 2006. In addition to assisting the Executive Director with management and fund raising, Wilson will coordinate the efforts of the regional offices across the state and various departments and projects, balancing the priorities at the local, state and national levels.

"During this critical time in our nation's history, I'm thrilled to be joining the team at the Florida affiliate," said Wilson. "I look forward to participating in the important work needed to protect our precious freedoms in a state with so many challenges and opportunities."

Wilson moves to Florida from the Bluegrass State where she served as the Executive Director of the ACLU of Kentucky for the past four years, rising from the Associate Director post. Her tenure with the ACLU began in 1993 serving for ten years as the Director of the ACLU of Kentucky's Reproductive Freedom Project. During that time she honed her skills and earned accolades for her work with volunteers, staff, donors and interns to advance the mission of the ACLU.

Wilson previously worked at such organizations as the Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health, Knoxville Crises Center, ProChoice Coalition of East Tennessee, the Louisville Times and Courier-Journal and the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.

More information is available online at: www.aclu.org