Experience, Commitment, and a Shared Vision: Meet ERC’s New Board Members

October 15, 2026

Last month, ERC’s Board of Directors invited six new members to join the board:

• Hilary Chapman, Housing Program Manager at Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
• Brian Corman, Partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
• Sharon Bradford Franklin, Former Chair of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB)
• Melody Taylor, Chief Operating Officer at the Wilmington Housing Authority, former Executive Director of the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) and Regional Director for the Mid Atlantic Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Brandon Weiss, Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law
• Yiyang Wu, Partner at Relman Colfax

The new board members bring a wealth of civil rights expertise from legal, academic, nonprofit, and government sectors to help ERC advance its mission. Several also have longstanding connections to ERC, having worked alongside the organization, represented its clients, or contributed directly to its work. Their collective expertise reflects both a deep understanding of the challenges facing civil rights today and a commitment to finding effective ways to address them.

At a time when longstanding civil rights protections are under threat, their decision to serve on ERC’s board is a powerful affirmation of the importance of our mission and the role ERC can continue to play in advancing equal access, opportunity, and fair treatment.

Board of Directors President Robert Dinerstein comments, “We are so excited to welcome six extraordinarily accomplished people to join ERC’s board. The addition of these new board members provides us with an historic opportunity to advance ERC’s goals during these challenging times. Collectively, they provide an unparalleled level of experience, skills and good judgment, which can only serve to enhance the strength of our organization.”

ERC’s Executive Director Kate Scott shares, “What stands out to me about this remarkable group is not just the depth of their experience, but their understanding of what it takes to turn civil rights principles into meaningful change in people’s lives. Several have seen ERC’s work firsthand, and all six bring perspectives that will help us think critically and creatively about how to advance our mission. At a moment when the need for our work is growing even as the resources and protections supporting it are under threat, their willingness to invest in ERC’s future means a great deal to me.”

The new board members comment:

“I have worked on housing issues in the private and public sector for nearly 25 years, during which time I have had the opportunity to build affordable housing communities and engage in coalition building around shared housing policy goals. I am excited to join ERC because the organization’s work is critical to ensuring that all people can live in communities that meet their needs and support their success. The opportunity to help strengthen, elevate, and connect this work across metropolitan Washington is incredibly meaningful and motivating to me.” –Hilary Chapman

“I’ve seen firsthand how ERC’s civil rights testing uncovers discrimination that would otherwise go unchecked, and I’m honored to deepen that partnership as a Board member. I look forward to bringing my experience litigating civil rights cases to help ERC turn its investigations into lasting change for families across the region.” –Brian Corman

“I am excited to be joining ERC’s Board and supporting the organization’s important work. Although my legal career later pivoted, my first real job as a lawyer was litigating fair housing cases for the U.S. Justice Department. So, I am looking forward to returning to my roots with this great organization.” –Sharon Bradford Franklin

“I have spent the past 25 years enforcing the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws at nonprofits and government agencies including the D.C. Office of Human Rights, Department of Justice, and HUD. But my fair housing career started at the ERC: I served as the Director of Special Programs in the mid-90s and worked on a host of high-profile, novel investigations. Joining the Board is an honor, and I hope to use my collective experience to affirmatively further fair housing in a time where our civil rights are being dismantled.” –Melody Taylor

“It is a privilege to join the ERC board and to help steward such an important civil rights organization. The fair housing testing work is particularly meaningful to me – at a moment when disparate impact laws are under attack, direct testing is all the more important for uncovering housing discrimination. The work of ERC and its predecessor organizations has been vital for decades, both in D.C. and nationally. I hope to play a small role in carrying that legacy forward.” –Brandon Weiss

“Housing rights sit at the epicenter of almost every basic human need. During my time at Relman Colfax, I have had the honor of representing two ERC clients in a racial discrimination lawsuit, and I gained insight on how painstakingly ERC works to document their clients’ cases and support their needs, legal and otherwise. I’m excited to contribute to an organization so connected to the community and the issues that they are facing.” –Yiyang Wu

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The Equal Rights Center advances equal access, opportunity, and fair treatment so individuals and communities can thrive. For more information, please visit www.equalrightscenter.org.