Interim director Julia Goren to step down after more than 15 years with the organization
By Gwendolyn Craig
Following a nearly 8-month search, the Adirondack Mountain Club announced Thursday it has hired “seasoned nonprofit leader” Cortney Koenig Worrall as its new executive director.
Worrall will take the lead of the approximately 30,000-member outdoor education and stewardship organization, one of the largest nonprofits in the Adirondack Park, from Julia Goren, who served as the interim executive director since Michael Barrett left in July. Goren will stay on until April 30. Worrall will take the reins on May 1 and is slated to receive a $195,000 salary, the most of any executive director at ADK.
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Related reading: From hiking trails to biking trails, Julia Goren to lead Adirondack Rail Trail Association
Worrall is currently the president and CEO of the New York City-based Waterfront Alliance, a nonprofit organization focused on coasts and waterways, and is based out of the New York City area. In her job prior, Worrall was the northeast senior regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association for more than six years. She has a master’s of public administration from Columbia University and a bachelor’s in environmental policy from Mount Holyoke College.
She will be moving up to the Adirondacks. She will be focused on ADK’s “membership, outdoor experiences, education, conservation, and publications; with work spanning multiple locations including the Cascade Welcome Center, Heart Lake Program Center, and Johns Brook Property,” according to a news release.
Mickey Orta, president of the ADK board, said Worrall’s track record of partnerships with state and federal agencies and strong fundraising background made her the right executive director pick.
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The board is also eager to look through its strategic plans and reexamine its advocacy role, he said.
“Education is always going to be a part of what ADK does,” Orta said, “but I think we’re going to prioritize advocacy a bit more for sure.”
With 25 chapters around the state, Orta and the board also hope Worrall will spend more time meeting them all and broaden the club’s reach beyond its key Lake Placid-area facilities.
Worrall has visited the Adirondacks with her family. Her children learned to cross country ski there, she said.
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“I am excited to join ADK at this important moment, and for the opportunity to bring my skills in conservation, advocacy, organizational development, and fundraising to one of the most important conservation leaders in New York state,” Worrall said in a news release. “I grew up in the outdoors camping, hiking, skiing, and swimming which built my love of the outdoors and a passion for environmental advocacy before it was more mainstream. The explosion of interest in the environment and the outdoors in younger generations is one of the major changes I have seen in my career. Among the many opportunities for ADK, I look forward to tapping into stewarding younger generations as one part of the growth and evolution of ADK.”
Orta said he is grateful for the work Goren has done. Goren joined ADK in 2004, leading the organization’s High Peaks Summit Stewardship Program and education programming for 14 years. She left for a short time to work with the Adirondack Council, before returning to ADK in 2021. Orta said Goren has resigned, though is staying on for the transition.
“She has poured all her energy in the Adirondack Mountain Club, and we’re really proud of what she has accomplished,” he added. “It’s a double-edged sword. We’re sad to see her go.”
Goren did not immediately return the Explorer’s call on Thursday.
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It’s unclear who the organization will name as its deputy director. Orta said the board will leave that up to Worrall in the future. Seth Jones is currently serving as interim deputy director.
ADK formed in 1922 and has revenue of about $4.9 million, according to IRS records from 2022.
Top photo: Cortney Koenig Worrall. Photo provided
They overlooked the obvious successor for a NYC fund raising city slicker. All about the money with the Adk mtn club. Parking prices increasing again soon no doubt. Shame on them.
i agree. JULIA should have been the pick