Out on Screen's Stephanie Goodwin announced today (March 11) that she's resigning after a five-year run as the organization's executive director.

The over-30-year-old organization presents the annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival and runs the Out in Schools program.

Goodwin’s achievements during her tenure include tripling the capacity and reach of the Out in Schools program across B.C. and increasing its bottom line by 50 percent. In 2017, the City of Vancouver bestowed OOS with its excellence in diversity and inclusion award.

Goodwin, who had previously served for 10 years as the director of Greenpeace B.C., told the Georgia Straight by phone that her departure is partly due to some creative endeavours, including a “fairly large” writing project she plans to embark upon. 

Reflecting upon what she has learned during her time with OOS, Goodwin emphasized the importance of LGBT communities to unite and to continue their fight for marginalized groups. As examples, she cited the disappearance of several permanent queer spaces in the city and the “ephemeral” quality of rights and freedoms that are not guaranteed or available to everyone around the world.

Goodwin will leave the organization at the end of June to provide a transition period. A recruitment firm will be involved in a nationwide hunt for a successor.

Previously, former education director Brandon Yan was appointed deputy executive director in December 2018, with Gavin Somers taking over Yan's previous position.