Lowe's resignation comes just over six months since she joined the organization in October 2024. Prior to being hired by GAMA, she had worked over 20 years in the tech, real estate, and other sectors, she said in her post. Lowe made a number of allegations about GAMA in a lengthy description of her reasons for leaving:
"But here's the honest truth: GAMA is deeply siloed and, in many ways, broken.
- Toxic leadership.
- Rampant gatekeeping.
- Insecurity masquerading as control.
- Disrespect toward other staff and members.
I witnessed staff roll their eyes at members, members who literally fund the organization. I saw internal dynamics that were petty, power-hungry, and counterproductive. Then came a restructuring that had me reporting to someone who openly disrespected colleagues and talked s#!% about members.
I've worked in high-stakes environments. I've managed massive campaigns. I've dealt with complex teams. But I refuse to stay in a place that values ego over impact. So, I resigned, two days into the restructure."
ICv2 asked GAMA for comment and received the following statement from Executive Director John Stacy:
"Over the past eight months GAMA has nearly doubled its staff to accommodate for our growing association. We now represent almost 1,700 tabletop game companies in three dozen countries. As part of this growth we have taken a hard look at how our staff was organized and made adjustments to better align with our ten year strategic plan for GAMA to be the epicenter of the tabletop industry. While I disagree with her categorization of our staff, we appreciate the brief time she was with us and wish her well in her future adventures."
