Executive director Kelly Metzgar steps down following internal board conflict in the lead-up to Tri-Lakes Pride event
By David Escobar
The leader of one of the North Country’s largest LGBTQIA+ organizations has stepped down.
Kelly Metzgar resigned June 26 as executive director of the Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance (ANCGA), the nonprofit she co-founded in 2016 to support and advocate for LGBTQIA+ people across Franklin, Essex and Clinton counties.
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A longtime activist and educator, Metzgar also runs a for-profit venture—Adirondack North Country Gender Advocacy & Education—which offers workshops and training sessions on LGBTQIA+ issues throughout the region.
The transgender advocate, who has lived in Saranac Lake for more than 35 years, said she intends to continue that work even as she leaves the gender alliance group.
“I’m not going away from that,” said Metzgar. “I’m still going to be a resource. I’m just going to wear a different tiara.”
Under Metzgar’s 10 years of leadership, the gender alliance has grown into one of the North Country’s most prominent queer advocacy groups, leading workshops on LGBTQIA+ issues and spearheading several annual Pride celebrations across the region.
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Her resignation follows internal tensions within the group in the lead-up to this year’s Tri-Lakes Pride celebration in Saranac Lake.
In a letter to the editor published by the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, a community member criticized the organization’s decision to ban Planned Parenthood of the North Country New York (PPNCNY) from participating in the event.
Shortly before the Pride event was scheduled to take place, Metzgar said she decided to resign from her post due to a conflict with her board. Metzgar and the board have not publicly disclosed the nature of the conflict.
Following Metzgar’s resignation, PPNCNY CEO Crystal Colette said board members reinvited her organization to participate in Tri-Lakes Pride. PPNCNY ended up attending the celebration along with dozens of other organizations.
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“The most important thing was that Planned Parenthood was at Pride after all,” said Collette.
ANCGA board member Sara Nichols said her organization is grateful for Metzgar’s service as executive director and hopes she continues her work in the Adirondacks.
“Kelly has done a great job building this organization over the past 10 years, and our hopes are that she will continue to engage with the LGBTQIA+ community moving forward,” said Nichols. “We hope to continue to grow the organization and continue Kelly’s legacy.”
The organization’s board named Nick Friedman as interim executive director. Friedman is the founder of Accessible Adirondack Tourism, a group that works on accessibility issues for people with disabilities living in the Adirondacks.
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“If anyone is taking over for me in an interim basis, I am glad it is Nick,” said Metzgar.
The nonprofit said a search is underway for a permanent executive director.
David Escobar is a Report for America corps member. He reports on diversity issues in the Adirondacks through a partnership between North Country Public Radio and Adirondack Explorer.
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