Wingspan director quits after one month

Wingspan's board of directors announced Tuesday that Joseph Bodenmiller quit for personal reasons.

The board has already started a search for a new executive director, according to a news release.

Bodenmiller, who started his job Aug. 6, was selected for the job from a list of 45 applicants culled from a national search. He was one of three finalists short-listed for the job, though one later dropped out. The interview process included a community meeting with the short-listed candidates that was open to the public.

Bodenmiller has a master's degree in social work from the University of Southern Mississippi and more than 20 years of experience managing program development and day-to-day operations of nonprofit agencies. Most recently he was program director for Covenant House in New Orleans, which provides shelter and services to homeless, runaway and at-risk youths ages 16 to 21.

Bodenmiller succeeded Kent Burbank, who led the agency for the past six years and was Wingspan's first executive director. He oversaw the growth of the nonprofit agency from a mostly volunteer grass-roots group with three staff members and an annual budget of $316,000 to the high-profile nonprofit organization it is today, with 20 staffers and a budget of $1.1 million.

It is the state's largest GLBT community center and frequently takes a lead role in advocating for gay rights on a state and national level.