Earlier this week, the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association announced the appointment of three new directors to the board of its Foundation, and the group includes Philadelphia’s Theodore Furman. Furman works as a vice president in GlaxoSmithKline’s legal department, managing a global team that handles GSK’s consumer health care, dermatology and ophthalmology patent matters. Furman joined GSK in 2002 and currently serves as co-chair for GSK Legal’s Diversity and Inclusion Steering Team. He has also served as executive sponsor for SPECTRUM, GSK’s local LGBT employee resource group. Furman also helped to lead efforts to advance health-insurance coverage for gender-reassignment surgeries for GSK employees. Furman said his years in management and managing budget, as well as his service on the diversity team, will help him lead as a board member. “With my years on the diversity team and having to find internal monies to fund our participation in different events, I think I have a knack to encourage people to participate, support and fund,” he said. “I hope to keep the association moving and growing.” Furman will be the first straight ally to serve on the Foundation’s board — which he said can be a boon for the organization. “As a straight ally, when appealing to companies, firms and organizations to jump in and help us, I think there is an added level of credibility. I am not in this for my own rights, I am in this for rights for others,” he said. “I think that allies are a valuable asset in advocacy and support. I really enjoy my work as a straight ally and being able to participate with a different perspective.” Furman has spoken at the Association’s Lavender Law conferences for the past several years. A GSK colleague nominated him for the board position. D’Arcy Kemnitz, executive director of the Association, was a driving force behind Furman’s agreeing to take on the role. “At first I told D’Arcy I wasn’t going to have the time, but D’Arcy was persistent,” he said. Furman said he aims to help the organization locate funds for its events and programs and also get more straight allies involved in LGBT causes. “There is data out there that suggests that 60-70 percent of straight individuals in the country support LGBT rights, but only 25 percent are proactive,” he said. “I think my goal is to try and enlist other straight allies — at companies and law firms — and get them on board with this fine organization.” Kemnitz said Furman, as well as other new members Wesley Bizzell and Sharon Zealey, will be assets to the team. “Thanks to the diverse backgrounds of our new board members, the LGBT Bar is in a unique position to promote equality within the legal profession,” she said in a statement. “Our new board members will allow us to build on our past successes and look ahead to achieving important victories in the years to come.”