New Leadership at OPEN
A note from Brett Chamberlin, Founder & outgoing Executive Director
I'm writing with some exciting and important news: after four years as Executive Director, I'm transitioning to OPEN's Board of Directors — and today, I'm thrilled to introduce Jessa Davis as OPEN's next Executive Director. I couldn't be more confident in what she'll build from here.
How we got here
I started working on OPEN in 2022 because I kept watching friends hide their non-monogamous identities out of fear: fear of losing their jobs, of being ostracized by family or friends, or just of being seen as other or weird.
At the same time, my own experience of non-monogamy had proved personally transformative. I was thriving in expansive relationships and a local community founded on connection, communication, compassion, compersion, and consent. I wanted to help bring these values and practices more into the open, and make it safer for people to live authentically.
I saw an opportunity to bring new organizational capacity to an emerging movement, so I decided to start a nonprofit focused on building grassroots power and securing legal protections. I didn't do it alone — OPEN launched with an incredible founding board and a network of friends, volunteers, and supporters who believed in the vision from day one.
Over the past four years, we've grown from a scrappy startup into an organization with global reach. We've published groundbreaking research, secured legislative wins across multiple cities, and established OPEN as a leading voice in our rapidly-growing movement. I've had the privilege of meeting so many of you, hearing your stories of struggle and resilience, and watching this movement grow in leaps and bounds. I'm so proud of what we've built together.
Why this transition, and why now
After more than four years of leading OPEN's growth, I'm ready to step back from day-to-day operations and focus on strategic oversight from the board. The organization is in an excellent position — strong programs, a wide network of partners and allies, and the foundation for continued growth. Jessa brings the fresh energy and leadership skills to take OPEN through its next chapter, and I'm excited to support her work from my new role.
Meet Jessa
Jessa is the founder of the Seattle Coalition for Family & Relationship Equity, where her organizing work has positioned Seattle to become the next city to pass protections for non-monogamous families. She serves as Co-Chair of Seattle's LGBTQ Commission and chairs the Advocacy Committee for Queer Power Alliance.
We've worked closely with Jessa over the past year, and I've seen firsthand that she has the skills to lead OPEN's next phase: deep community relationships, experience building coalitions from scratch, and the ability to mobilize people around shared goals.
Jessa started earlier this month, and we're working closely together through May 15, when I'll officially step into my board role and she'll take on full executive leadership.
Thank you
Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for believing in this work, for showing up for our communities, and for trusting me to lead this organization through its first chapter. I'm excited for what comes next – for OPEN, for Jessa, and for all of us.
With gratitude and excitement for our next chapter,
Brett Chamberlin
Founder & (outgoing!) Executive Director
A note from Jessa Davis, incoming Executive Director
I want to thank everyone who has already reached out to welcome me into this role. Stepping into leadership after the incredible foundation Brett has built over the last four years is both deeply humbling and profoundly exciting.
Building on a strong foundation
OPEN exists today because of a belief that non-monogamy and chosen families deserve visibility, protection, and dignity. Brett helped turn that belief into a national presence through research, advocacy, public education, coalition-building, and real legislative progress that has changed lives. I'm incredibly grateful for the trust he and the board have placed in me to help guide OPEN into its next chapter.
My work has centered on building community power at the local level through organizing in Seattle and Washington state. What excites me most about OPEN is the opportunity to scale that work nationally while staying rooted in the values that brought so many of us here in the first place: care, community, and collective liberation.
Why this moment matters
We are entering a moment where conversations about relationship diversity, chosen family, bodily autonomy, housing, healthcare, and caregiving are becoming increasingly urgent and interconnected. OPEN has an opportunity not only to defend our communities, but to help shape a broader cultural understanding of what supported, thriving, and self-determined lives can look like. That work takes people, strategy, and sustained community support.
A personal thank you
Thank you to everyone who has already contributed during this transition. Your support is helping ensure that OPEN can continue expanding our research, advocacy campaigns, coalition partnerships, and community-building work during a pivotal moment for this movement.
Support OPEN's work | Donate via Venmo
Whether you're able to give a small amount or make a more substantial investment in this work, your support matters — as does volunteering, organizing, or simply helping others discover what we're building together.
Looking ahead
I'm genuinely excited to meet more of you in the weeks and months ahead, hear your stories, and continue building something bold, compassionate, and lasting together. Thank you for being part of this work, and for believing in what's possible when people come together with courage, determination, and a shared vision for liberation.
Jessa Davis
(incoming!) Executive Director
