Shane Windmeyer

Shane L. Windmeyer recalls his "coming out" on a small rural campus in Kansas as difficult, frightening, lonely, emotionally complex and yet liberating – all at the same time. His commitment for LGBT issues comes from this inner strength and passion to help others coming out today and his desire to motivate college students, gay and straight, to stand up against prejudice, bigotry and hate against all people.

Windmeyer is a national leader in gay and lesbian civil rights and a champion for LGBT issues on college campuses. He is the founder and Executive Director of Campus Pride, the only national organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students. Released in Fall 2006, Windmeyer is author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, the first-ever college guide profiling the “100 Best LGBT-Friendly Campuses.”

Windmeyer is often best-known for his pioneering work with the Lambda 10 Project – National Clearinghouse for GLBT Fraternity & Sorority Issues. His leadership with the Lambda 10 Project led to the publishing of his first book, the only one of it's kind and national bestseller Out on Fraternity Row: Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternityand his second book Secret Sisters: Stories of Being Lesbian & Bisexual in a College Sorority. His third book titled Inspiration for LGBT Students & Their Allies came out in October 2002 published by Collegiate Empowerment Company, Inc. In October 2005, Windmeyer edited his fourth book, a much-anticipated sequel, titled Brotherhood: Gay Life in College Fraternities. In addition, Windmeyer currently serves as the coordinator of Stop The Hate, a national bias and hate crime prevention program. He led and developed this train the trainer initiative in 2001 with the Association of College Unions International, the Anti-Defamation League, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence and the Higher Education Center’s Drug, Alcohol and Other Violence Prevention Programs.

Windmeyer has been featured on IN THE LIFE TV and his work has been the focus of national attention from MSNBC’s The Situation with Tucker Carlson, The New York Times, Rolling Stone and TIME Magazine. His educational efforts also have been noted by national press such as OUT Magazine, The Advocate National Gay & Lesbian News Magazine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Indianapolis Star, Salon Magazine, HERO Magazine, U. Magazine and the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Windmeyer graduated from Emporia State University with a bachelors degree in Communication and received his masters degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from Indiana University. He lives in Charlotte, N.C.