New York City — Alan van Capelle, the Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda has resigned. The Boards of the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation and the Empire State Pride Agenda, Inc.announced the resignation and that Joe Tarver, Managing Director of Operations will serve as the interim Executive Director while a search takes place for the Pride Agenda’s next Executive Director.
Alan van Capelle has accepted the position of Deputy Comptroller for External Affairs with the Office of the New York City Comptroller.
"Alan will be sorely missed at the Pride Agenda, but he has left an organization and a community stronger than they were seven years ago and for that we are enormously grateful. We are also incredibly excited for what lies ahead for Alan, and we are happy that others will now benefit from his enormous talents as he takes this new direction." said Board Co-Chair Frank Selvaggi.
Alan van Capelle said, "It has been an opportunity of a lifetime to work for the Empire State Pride Agenda over the past seven years. The amazing volunteer Boards, the talented staff, our many dedicated supporters, the statewide community and all of our allies, in elected office and elsewhere, have been a tremendous inspiration. I will always treasure that the Pride Agenda entrusted me with the responsibility to advance our community’s agenda in New York and I look forward to supporting the Pride Agenda’s work in the years ahead."
"The Board, staff and our supporters feel great respect and affection for Alan," said Board Co-Chair Mitch Karsch. "It was Alan's recognition that the Pride Agenda had to be more than just a lobbying organization in Albany that worked to advance our community’s objectives."
Alan van Cappelle is a former union organizer who came to the Pride Agenda without the traditional gay and lesbian community activist history of previous Pride Agenda leaders. His tenure was not always popular in Western New York. The Pride Agenda ceased local grassroots and event fundraising activity under van Cappelle's leadership.
The annual Buffalo Brunch (Embrace) and Outspoken for Equality began as Pride Agenda initiatives that are now independent local organizations.
Alan van Capelle will continue as Executive Director through the end of February. After that Joe Tarver, who has been on staff at the Pride Agenda since 2001, will serve as Interim Executive Director until a new Executive Director is in place.
—Tim Moran
