“We are incredibly fortunate to welcome these two deeply talented professionals and dedicated community members to our Board,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Lee’s decades of experience in health care and Grant’s inspired work as an educator and novelist will contribute immensely to the rich and varied perspectives that are such a source of strength for SAGE and our Board of Directors.”
Grant Ginder is a celebrated novelist and academic. He began his career at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, where he served as speechwriter for John Podesta. He received his MFA from New York University, where he is currently a professor of writing. In addition to teaching, Grant is the author of five novels, including This Is How It Starts, Let’s Not Do That Again, Driver’s Education, and The People We Hate at the Wedding, which was recently adapted into a major motion picture starring Allison Janney, Kristen Bell, and Ben Platt.
“I’m excited to join such a dedicated group of community-minded people,” said Grant. “Storytelling is a powerful tool for change, and SAGE honors and shares the stories of our LGBTQ+ elders every day.”
Lee Coccaro-Sider is a medical professional and longtime leader in HIV/AIDS research. While in medical school in Chicago, Lee was one of the early volunteers at the Howard Brown Health Clinic and would later serve on the Board. While on staff at Northwestern University, he would become one of the leading voices in HIV/AIDS research in the 1980s and 1990s. Lee later joined Cedars Sinai and taught at UCLA while also volunteering at the West Hollywood Gay Men’s Clinic. Lee went on to become Site Chairman of Radiology at Beth Israel in New York. Now retired, Lee volunteers at the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and in the past at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the good work of SAGE,” said Lee. “I have dedicated much of my life’s work to fighting for better HIV/AIDS services. It is so rewarding to see members of our community now enjoying a long life and becoming elders. It’s a joy that I can continue to advocate for them in this next stage of life.”
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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.
