“We are excited to welcome Mara Keisling and Bandar Alturkmani to SAGE’s Board of Directors,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Mara brings decades of passionate leadership fighting for equality for transgender Americans and LGBTQ+ people more broadly. And Bandar brings years of experience as a leading voice for LGBTQ+ older people and SAGE at JP Morgan Chase.”
Bandar Alturkmani, Executive Director, is on the Global Private Bank Chief Product Office team within the Asset and Wealth Management of JP Morgan Chase. Bandar is a frequent volunteer at God’s Love We Deliver and regularly gives back to the community through New York Cares and SAGE. Bandar has been the Lead for JPMC’s “Surround Sound” relationship with SAGE for the past two years. He has organized an array of volunteer activities for JPMC employees to support SAGE, including management consulting projects, service visits to Crotona Pride House and the Edie Windsor SAGE Center, and JPMC sponsorship of the SAGE Gala. Bandar served on the host committee for the 2022 and 2023 TOYS Party.
“It’s an honor to join the Board of SAGE, an organization with a mission I’ve always felt strongly about,” said Bandar. “LGBTQ+ elders face high rates of financial insecurity; I’m glad for a chance to use my knowledge of the finance industry to advocate for the wellbeing of our elders.”
Mara Keisling is one of the nation’s leading voices for transgender equality and the founding executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). She is currently consulting around trans policy and messaging. Mara’s strategy and vision guided NCTE’s work from 2003 until the summer of 2021. She led organizational and coalition efforts that won significant advances in transgender equality, including the inclusion of gender identity in the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act from 2007 onward and countless other federal- and state-level wins. Mara also co-authored Injustice at Every Turn, the groundbreaking 2009 report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, and the report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey.
“Transgender and non-binary people need fierce advocates, and SAGE has always answered that call,” said Mara. “I’m excited to join this diverse board of community leaders, fighters, and advocates. Together, we can build a better world for our elders.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Mara and Bandar to our Board,” said Ruth Eisenberg, Co-Chair of the SAGE Board of Directors. “At a time when LGBTQ+ people are under constant political attack across the country, it’s more important now than ever for our community to work together to fight for our rights to live and age with safety and dignity.”
###
SAGE is the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ+) older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBTQ+ community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging, and cultural competency training through SAGECare. Learn more at sageusa.org.
