Stephen Glassman, a former state cabinet official in Pennsylvania and a nonprofit executive, joined the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut as its executive director this week.
He replaces Andrew Schneider, who left to lead Fairness West Virginia after seven years at the helm of the ACLU’s Connecticut chapter.
Before coming to Connecticut, Glassman served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. He was appointed by Gov. Edward Rendell and confirmed twice by the state Senate for the position. He was among the first openly gay state cabinet officials subject to the confirmation process in the country.
Glassman also served as a board member of the Maryland ACLU affiliate for eight years and has been a member of the Pittsburgh chapter for the past three years.
“The Board of Directors is thrilled to bring in Steve to lead our fight for civil liberties in Connecticut,” Andy Schatz, president of the ACLU of Connecticut, said in a press release. “We chose him after a comprehensive national search not only for his impressive experience and talents but also for his unwavering devotion to the cause of liberty and the protection of individual rights.”
As far as the ACLU’s agenda for the upcoming legislation, Glassman said, “We must continue to push for transparency and change in law enforcement until communities of color and other minorities feel truly protected and justly served by their police departments. We also need to protect privacy with legislation limiting the use of license plate scanners, drones, and cellphone tracking; repeal the law that allowed the state to imprison a transgender teen without charge; and continue pushing for reforms in criminal justice, particularly juvenile justice.”
Glassman earned a bachelor’s degree in art history from Brown University, a master’s degree in architecture from Yale University, and a post-graduate certificate for senior executives in state and local government from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
