February 03, 2026
Provided Image/William Way Community Center
Darius McLean was named the new executive director of the William Way LGBT Community Center in January. He plans to promote community outreach as the organization's longtime home on Spruce Street is renovated.
Darius McLean was first introduced to the William Way LGBT Community Center when his high school in Gloucester County took a field trip to the space on Spruce Street in 2006. Two decades later, the former leader of an LGBTQ+ health care program at the Einstein Medical Center is the new executive director for the organization he admired as a teenager.
"To go to Philly and to be at the center that was for all of our LGBTQ community was really impactful to me, and a memory that I would never forget," he said.
McLean had been serving as the active leader of the center since July 2025 and officially replaced longtime director Chris Bartlett last month.
The move comes after a tumultuous year for William Way, which announced plans in the summer to sell its space in the Gayborhood and close the center in December. Following that announcement, multiple funding sources came froward to cover the costs to renovate the 175-year-old building so the organization could remain in the space it's occupied for nearly 30 years.
McLean said he drew inspiration from his first experience with the center to help him navigate the uncertainty surrounding the situation with the building.
William Way has not yet announced a timeline for the renovation, but McLean said he's planning to have an update in the coming weeks. Though the building will closed during construction, William Way is hoping to expand its programming and services.
"I don't necessarily think growth means, 'Oh, let's just keep adding programs,' but how do we improve the programs that are already existing?" he said. "That's what growth looks like to me."
McLean wants to prioritize community outreach during his tenure. By June, he intends issue a needs assessment survey to some of the organization's community partners to see how LGBTQ+ people are being served across the city and host a town hall.
Before shifting into his new role, McLean worked for five years as the director and chief operating officer for the Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center at William Way. During that time, he helped expand financial assistance for marginalized queer residents and advocated for equitable workplace practices such as pay transparency. He plans to continue that work in his new position and believes championing inclusion is particularly important as the center celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
"My hope is that that's something that continues to be rooted in the work that we do, that we are facilitating a space of growth, internally and externally, with our community and empowering folks," McLean said.
