A new CEO is taking over at SAGE, a national non-profit advocating for policies, services, and resources in support of LGBTQ older adults.
Lynn Faria, who serves as SAGE’s executive vice president, will succeed longtime CEO Michael Adams, the organization announced on Sept. 25.
“I am deeply humbled and excited by the opportunity to be SAGE’s next CEO,” Faria said in an announcement by SAGE, which is headquartered in New York City. “I am proud to step in to lead SAGE’s growing LGBTQ+ aging movement. In my tenure, SAGE has expanded our work nationally, built a network of advocates, and won major policy victories in Washington and in states across the country.”
Faria has a history of serving in other leadership capacities, including as deputy executive director at the Empire State Pride Agenda, which fought for LGBTQ rights across the state until it disbanded in 2015.
In February, SAGE announced Adams — who became SAGE’s CEO in 2006 — would be leaving his post in early 2026. However, on Sept. 25, the organization stated that Faria will take over in November. In the announcement, Adams praised his successor, saying he witnessed Faria’s dedication to SAGE over the last decade.
“Without a scintilla of doubt, Lynn Faria is the right person to lead SAGE through the next chapter of our organization’s critically important work with and on behalf of LGBTQ+ elders,” Adams said. “Over the last 10 years, I’ve had the great fortune of working closely with Lynn as SAGE’s executive vice president and my closest partner. SAGE’s mission is part of Lynn’s DNA. Their leadership, vision, and management skills are extraordinary. Lynn knows how to lead with strength, boldness, and optimism. I’m honored to pass SAGE’s leadership torch to Lynn Faria and to watch this great cause advance and flourish under their leadership.”
Board of directors co-chair Loren Ostrow noted that Faria, as CEO, “will further broaden the scope of SAGE’s work across the country to ensure that LGBTQ+ people from every corner of America are able to age with respect and dignity.”
Faria’s appointment was also welcomed by Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, the commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging.
“For years, NYC Aging has been proud to partner with SAGE, creating a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ older New Yorkers, and I am excited to continue working with them under the exceptional leadership of Lynn Faria,” Cortés-Vázquez said. “Under Lynn as a key program leader, SAGE has built a model that others can emulate, from providing nutritious meals to helping folks sign up for the right social supports and offering opportunities to socialize. Now, with her years of dedication combined with her experience and knowledge, I am confident Lynn will continue to build on the progress her successors championed. I look forward to seeing all the benefits of SAGE’s efforts come to fruition.”
The transition period comes at a time when LGBTQ older adults are facing headwinds from the Trump administration. Earlier this year, SAGE and its legal partners challenged a federal funding freeze, and on Sept. 22, Adams signed onto a Sept. 22 letter by Councilmember Crystal Hudson of Brooklyn, who wrote to Cortés-Vázquez urging assistance in convening expert groups to explore how the city can protect older adults from the Trump administration’s budget cuts.
SAGE’s work in recent years has included the opening of several LGBTQ-friendly housing developments for older adults, including Stonewall House in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, and Crotona Pride House, which sits along the northern edge of Crotona Park in the Bronx. Both of those buildings also include SAGE centers. SAGE also operates the Edie Windsor SAGE Center at 305 Seventh Ave. and SAGE Center Harlem at 220 W. 143rd St.
