Dr. Darius McLean — who joined the staff at William Way LGBT Community Center (WWCC) in 2020 as the director of Empowerment Programs and Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center — took the reins as interim executive director when Chris Bartlett, who served the organization for 15 years, retired in summer 2025. I get to work alongside an incredible team that shares a deep commitment to the community. McLean said the center has always evolved alongside the people it serves — becoming an anchor for connection, culture and survival. “My hope is that William Way continues to deepen its role as a community-centered institution that leads with transparency, care, and accountability,” McLean said. Those experiences taught McLean that leadership is about stewardship, protection and making decisions that honor people’s complexity within the fullness of their identities.