“I have learned about courage and resilience from the LGBTQ+ trailblazers that came before me,” Faria said. “They, and so many in our community, lived boldly and fought tirelessly to be their true selves. Together, we have created the playbook to meet this moment. As CEO of SAGE, I will follow in their footsteps and lead our organization into the fights ahead with that same dogged perseverance, authenticity and optimism.”
Today, the SAGE board of directors announced that Lynn Faria will be its new Chief Executive Officer, following the previous announcement that Michael Adams will be stepping down as CEO after nearly 20 years of service. Faria is a long-time LGBTQ+ movement leader and advocate for marginalized communities, with decades of experience at local, state, and national non-profits. Faria will lead the 47-year-old organization, the national leader on LGBTQ+ aging.
“I am deeply humbled and excited by the opportunity to be SAGE’s next CEO,” Faria, who uses she and they pronouns, said. “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.”
“With each passing minute, we are all aging,” they continued. “The heart of SAGE’s mission is to support our LGBTQ+ community as we grow older, both celebrating the joys of becoming wiser and helping us through any challenges. SAGE always has and always will fight for the rights of LGBTQ+ people to age with the dignity and respect we deserve, and I am honored and excited to lead that fight in this organization’s next chapter.”
Faria has worked in leadership positions at SAGE for the last decade, most recently as the organization’s Executive Vice President. In that capacity, she has been instrumental to SAGE’s growth from a New York-focused non-profit to a national organization recognized for its expertise on LGBTQ+ aging-related education, training, advocacy, direct services, and virtual programming.
“When looking for the next CEO, the SAGE Board of Directors was searching for a leader who is unafraid to meet the challenges of the current time and has a vision for the future that is energizing, innovative, and responsive to our community,” said Board Co-Chair Ruth Eisenberg. “We are delighted to announce that we found that person in our own Lynn Faria. Having served as SAGE’s executive vice president, Lynn knows the organization like the back of their hand and cares deeply for the staff and SAGE’s work. Lynn will ensure that SAGE continues to adapt the organization to serve our community well into the future.”
“We’d like to thank Executive Search Committee Chair Mark Sexton for leading the Board of Directors in a robust national search, and we are confident that Lynn is the right person to take the helm,” said Board of Directors Co-Chair Loren Ostrow. “Lynn has a decade of proven leadership at SAGE under their belt and has headed many of our growing national programs. As CEO, Lynn 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. Lynn is the right person, with the right skills and vision, at the right time.”
Prior to their time at SAGE, Faria held senior leadership roles at other non-profit and community organizations, including instrumental roles in the LGBTQ+ movement. They served as Deputy Executive Director at Empire State Pride Agenda, where Faria led and contributed to critical statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts, including winning the freedom to marry in New York State and launching the first-ever statewide transgender rights campaign in New York.
Following a thoughtful and intentional transition with SAGE’s current CEO, Michael Adams, Faria will assume leadership of SAGE this November. The SAGE Awards and Gala, held in New York City on October 27, 2025, will provide an opportunity to both celebrate Adams’ two decades of leadership and Faria’s vision for the future of SAGE.
“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,” said Adams. “Over the last ten 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.”
Faria graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she received a B.A. in Political Science and Women’s Studies.
STATEMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES
“Having been a colleague, supporter, and fan of SAGE’s work for decades, I was thrilled to hear that Lynn will be the next CEO to lead such an important community organization,” said Rea Carey, former executive director, National LGBTQ Task Force and current Principal of Carey Forward LLC. “Michael Adams brought SAGE to new levels, and I have every confidence that Lynn is the ideal successor. Needless to say, Lynn’s expertise and experience is more important than ever as we, unfortunately, have to continue to insist on the value of our lives and fight for respect, basic services, and recognition of LGBTQ+ elders’ contributions to society. I’ve long been impressed by Lynn’s ability to assess the landscape, gain various perspectives, be both realistic and visionary, and then mobilize resources to move forward,” continued Carey. “
“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,” said NYC Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “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.”
“I’ve known Lynn Faria for a decade, since I began my work at The Our Fund Foundation, and I can’t imagine a more thoughtful, grounded, and values-driven leader to step into the role of CEO at SAGE,” said David Jobin, President and CEO of The Our Fund Foundation. “Our work has long intersected with SAGE in our shared commitment to uplifting the lives of LGBTQ elders in South Florida, and I’ve seen firsthand Lynn’s deep understanding of this work. At this critical moment in the LGBTQ movement, leadership rooted in principle is essential—and Lynn embodies that. I have no doubt that Lynn will make an extraordinary impact—not only at SAGE, but as a national voice for our movement.”
