SCA Welcomes a New Executive Director

The Secular Coalition for America (SCA) has welcomed Steven Emmert to the organization as their new Executive Director. Steven comes to the coalition from Us Helping Us in Washington, DC, where he served as the Deputy Executive Director. The organization focuses on the physical and mental health of black gay men living with HIV/AIDS and strives for health equity for underserved and marginalized populations in the greater DC area. Previously, he has served as a director or operations officer at Planned Parenthood affiliates, the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, and the YWCA.

With a career spent among women and marginalized groups, particularly at organizations that are often a target of the Christian right and their theocratic policy demands, SCA is excited to see how Steven applies what he has learned elsewhere to the issues facing the secular community. When asked about what inspired him to pursue the position, he said, “The overturning of Roe is deeply concerning,” and further explained that “the opportunity to influence policy for the better” couldn’t be resisted.

While his passion is healthcare, he understands that a separation of church and state is the critical foundation upon which accessibility and choice are built. Steven is looking forward to working with the 20 coalition member organizations on developing and advocating for secular policy. “The diversity of representation among the coalition members is vital,” he notes. Having grown up in a small midwestern town, his education and work has seen him live in nearly every region of the country, which have exposed him to the varied cultures and needs of different communities.

“Steven’s extensive experience leading well-known nonprofit organizations will be a tremendous asset to the Secular Coalition for America. I look forward to his leadership of our diverse coalition of member organizations and our work to unite and uplift the voices of the secular community,” said Maggie Ardiente, SCA Board President.

The SCA, of which the AHA is a founding member, advocates for religious freedom, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and works to defend the equal rights of nonreligious Americans. The nonprofit advocacy organization is dedicated to amplifying the diverse and growing voice of the nontheistic community in the United States. The SCA’s twenty voting member organizations serve atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers, and other nontheistic Americans. Since its founding in 2002, the organization’s goal has been to provide nontheistic Americans a unified voice in Washington. Today, it continues this mission by facilitating cooperation and strategic coordination between the member organizations.