Utah Pride Center executive director steps down
Mar 29, 2024, 3:36 PM
Utah Pride Center's new Executive Director, Ryan Newcomb, giving a press conference Wednesday Nov. 15, discussing how the center's financial troubles will be handled going forward. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
(Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Pride Center Executive Director announced he is leaving the position after just six months.
Ryan Newcomb, took over the position of executive director in September, promising to restore trust and transparency to an organization that was steeped in debt.
In September, the Pride Center temporarily closed while “restructuring and reimagining the future of this organization.”
It reopened again in October.
Utah Pride Center relaunches under new leadership after layoffs, temporary closure
Newcomb said he “deeply regrets” that his health is requiring him to step down from the position.
He released the following statement to KSL TV:
“While I deeply regret that my health is requiring such a drastic change in my life, I am tremendously proud of our entire staff, board and volunteer team that led UPC through the last six months of change and crisis. The support of our greater LGBTQIA+ community and leaders at all levels, has helped us weather this storm. I am confident because of our work — that the future of Utah Pride and UPC is secure, and bright. Together, we have (as some have observed) “turned the Titanic around” through more transparency, instilling best practices and proper governance — and righting our financial ship, while starting to repair relationships community- wide.
“Lastly and most importantly, I am phenomenally grateful to Chad Call for his willingness to step in and take on the role of ED for UPC. I have complete and total faith in his ability to do so. Through many hours of working together I can unequivocally say that his talents and skills are the right ones to carry forward and build upon the last six months of success and rebuilding. The most marginalized in our community do and will continue to need a Pride Center—and I am so glad that UPC has such a solid team of leaders and community allies to carry that forward, for those that need us most.”
