Rea Carey
Carey Forward
Rea Carey (she/they) is the principal of Carey Forward, LLC, specializing in executive leadership coaching, executive staff and board succession and transition planning, and strategic advising. Rea has over 30 years of experience in fundraising, fiscal sustainability, boards of directors, non-profit management, philanthropic giving strategy, and leadership development. Rea was the founding executive director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition and served as the longest-tenured executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force until early 2021.
In addition to serving on the American LGBTQ+ Museum board, Rea currently serves on the boards of directors of the Freeman Foundation, the Flamboyan Foundation, and has served on the board of directors for the Alliance for Justice, and other boards and advisory boards. Rea started their career as the HIV/AIDS crisis was taking hold and carries with her the lessons learned from employing strategies ranging from direct-action to advocacy, being responsive to the unimaginable, and in building organizations and mobilizing people to respond to massive challenges.
Rea graduated from Smith College and earned her master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Rea enjoys spending time with her wife and daughter, traveling, staying in shape just in case a spot on the Olympic soccer team opens up, fantasizing about being on Top Chef, and aspiring to be able toidentify every breed of dog.