About me
Cathy Marino-Thomas is a seasoned LGBTQ+ rights activist and community leader whose decades of advocacy have spanned marriage equality, HIV/AIDS support, and gun violence prevention. Living in Queens, New York with her wife Sheila of 32 years and their daughter Jacqueline, her personal experience of family life has deeply informed her commitment to advancing legal protections for LGBTQ+ families.
Marino-Thomas dedicated significant years as a Buddy in the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) Buddy Program, providing direct support to people living with HIV/AIDS through daily assistance, advocacy, and information sharing during critical periods of the epidemic. This grassroots experience shaped her understanding of how policy advocacy must connect to real-world community needs and care.
From 1998 to 2015, she worked tirelessly on marriage equality advocacy, serving as Board President from 2008-2015 and speaking nationwide about the rights, privileges, and obligations that protect families through civil marriage recognition. Her leadership during this pivotal period helped secure marriage equality victories that transformed legal landscapes for LGBTQ+ families across the United States.
As a founding member of Gays Against Guns, Marino-Thomas has connected gun violence prevention with LGBTQ+ advocacy, building networks with like-minded activists nationwide following tragic incidents affecting the community. She also served as Board President of Equality NY from 2020-2022, continuing her leadership in state-level advocacy efforts.
Currently, Marino-Thomas serves on the boards of both the Gilbert Baker Foundation and the Stonewall Democrats of New York, maintaining her commitment to preserving LGBTQ+ history and advancing progressive political engagement. Her sustained activism demonstrates how personal investment in community can translate into decades of effective advocacy across multiple critical issues.
