#133 Dec 10, 25

Why All Influence Is Personal: Darra Gordon on Leading With Heart

Darra Gordon, CEO of Family Equality, is the national organization advancing legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families. Darra stepped into the role at a pivotal moment, when more than 600 anti-LBGTQ+ bills were introduced across the country, and she brings more than two decades of leadership at the intersection of advocacy, culture change, and community-building.

Darra shares how Family Equality advances its mission through a simple but memorable framework: (ACE) Advocate, Connect, Educate. From fighting for policy protections at every level of government to convening the largest LGBTQ+ family gathering in the world, Family Equality is working to secure freedom, safety, and belonging for every family.

Throughout the episode, Darra offers rich insights on the role of storytelling, coalition-building, and people-centered leadership, and how influence becomes strongest when leaders bring the personal and professional together. As a parent of three, Darra discusses her own experience navigating unequal family recognition in a hospital setting and how that fuels her fight for nationwide protections.

This conversation reveals how influence today is less about transaction and more about trust, humanity, and bringing people along a shared journey.

Takeaways:

Lead With Lived Experience to Build Trust: Influence deepens when you ground your message in what’s personal. Share the real stories—your own and those of your community—that reveal the stakes and human impact behind your mission.
Equip People to Tell Their Own Stories: Everyday advocates are powerful change agents. Provide families, supporters, and community members with tools and guidance to safely and confidently share their experiences, especially when those stories can influence policy.
Build Resilience Through People-Centered Leadership: Organizations can only move fast if their foundations are strong. Invest in your team’s wellbeing, listen deeply, and create a culture where people feel supported—so they can stay mission-focused even in challenging environments.
Use Community to Spark Collective Action: Connection is a catalyst for advocacy. Bring people together—in person or online—to create belonging, generate energy, and inspire them to take action on shared priorities.
Make Coalitions Your Force Multiplier: No one drives systemic change alone. Identify shared interests across sectors, movements, and political perspectives, then build coalitions that amplify each partner’s strengths and expand the impact beyond what any one group could achieve.
Be Nimble, Even When the Mission Is Steadfast: A fast-changing world requires operational agility. Build a strong organizational core while keeping systems flexible enough to pivot quickly in response to political, economic, or cultural shifts.
Influence Through Listening, Not Leverage: Persuasion in today’s climate isn’t about transactions—it’s about trust. Listen first, understand the concerns and motivations of the people you’re trying to reach, and bring them along by showing how your shared goals align.

Quote of the Show:

“Storytelling shows people who we are—the joy, the laughter, the everyday parts of being a family. All influence is personal. It’s not transactional—it’s built on trust.”

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darra-gordon-99730243/
Website: https://familyequality.org/

Episode Video

Creators and Guests

Host

Anthony Shop

Anthony Shop believes in the power of people-centered branding and marketing to create a bright future. He chairs the National Digital Roundtable, the premier convener of digital innovators, leaders and policy shapers. Anthony also is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Social Driver, a digital services firm that helps companies and non-profits establish winning strategies with social media, websites, creative, and advertising. An enthusiastic presenter and teacher, he has led executive-level training for Amazon, PepsiCo, NASA, The British Embassy and the Bipartisan Policy Center. He has been recognized as an “OUTstanding LGBT Role Model” by The Financial Times, “40 Under 40” by The Washington Business Journal, and Business Leader of the Year by the DC Chamber of Commerce. A former newspaper reporter, Anthony was the first new media professional elected to the National Press Club’s Board of Governors. He currently serves on the boards of Leadership Greater Washington and LearnServe International. He earned his MBA from The George Washington University School of Business, where he teaches as an adjunct lecturer.

Producer

Amanda Goyette

Producer

Robert Krueger

Robert is an Executive Director for The Communications Board, an organization with the mission of providing high-quality professional development for every communicator in every location. He is also the Global Lead for Partnership Communications at Gensler, the world’s largest architecture and design firm. Prior to his current role, he performed executive and CEO communications for Gensler, and was the senior director of public relations and social media at the Urban Land Institute. He obtained an MA in Communications and an MA in History from George Mason University. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition, Robert has taught communications at universities including George Mason University, West Virginia University, and the University of Florida. Robert currently serves as Immediate-Past President for the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) -- the nonprofit’s largest chapter.