In the latest development of the ongoing MAGFest controversy, all six members of the voluntary Board of Directors have resigned. The news comes directly from a statement on the official MAGFest website. The new update is the result of concerns raised against the organization as of November 2020. We have the full history and development history below.
In a heartfelt statement, the official website updated its community on the MAGFest controversy under development. With immediate effect, all six members of the voluntary Board of Directors have resigned from MAGFest. The organization voted for three new Boards of Directors and promises more information soon. MAGFest has declared that it will begin “healing some deep wounds, bringing new leadership and being transparent as hell about everything that is happening”. The novelty comes after accusations against three members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director. Paul Birtel, Executive Director of MAGFest, is still associated with the organization.
In recognizing the “systemic issues” within MAGFest, the Board of Directors concluded that passing on the leadership bringing a “new perspective from within the community” was the best course of action. All three new members have been involved with MAGFest over the years. The new Board of Directors consists of:
- Carrie Snyder – Chairman of the Board, Advisory Task Force and Head of the Arcade Department.
- Cody Wilson – Board Treasurer and member of the Financial Task Force, as well as ex-showrunner Mega Man-a-Thon / magFAST.
- Jason Williams – Member of the Board, Advisory Task Force and Head of Console Department.
The three members were transparent in admitting that they have a difficult job for them. The new Council has said it will begin by reactivating a safe and frank conversation. The Council also admitted that MAGFest let its success “blind you” to the concerns of its community. The organization asked for fan support and patience, as it works to correct internal and external problems. The statement ended on a positive note that MAGFest 2022 will be better than ever.
MAGFest controversy timeline
On November 19, 2020, a website organization made up of regular and volunteer MAGFest employees, called Friends of MAGFest, went public. The purpose of this website was “to inform the community that MAGFest is facing an unprecedented existential threat – the Board of Directors and the Executive Director of MAGFest”. According to the website, the allegations have been raised in particular numerous times before. The website expressed its concerns with the Board of Directors and the Executive Director as follows:
- Abuse of power by the Board and Executive Director.
- Financial neglect of the organization.
- Poor management of the Executive Director by the Board.
- Poor management of the organization by the Executive Director and the Board.
- Verbal and emotional abuse by the Executive Director.
- Repeated and blatant disrespect for the wishes and desires of the community.
- Perpetuate a harmful environment without responsibility.
- Discarding all issues raised in particular.
- Retaliation against those who complained.
Between calls to action, the site requested the immediate removal of Executive Director Paul Birtel and three members of the Board of Directors: Joel Attanasio, Jack Boyd and Eli Courtwright. Shortly after going public, MAGFest’s Board of Directors accessed the website to reach a resolution. Friends of MAGFest stated that the Council listened carefully and worked together to bring all parties to the best possible outcome.
After these developments, the MAGFest controversy expanded. Executive Director Birtel dismissed the Events Director and three other team members – all of them members of Friends of MAGFest. This decision, which took place on December 28, 2020, divided the Board in terms of support. Because of this, MAGFest canceled its virtual event less than a month before it occurred. The last update is the resignation of the Board of Directors. Friends of MAGFest expressed their genuine support for the new members of the Council.
The Music and Games Festival (MAGFest) is an annual convention held in the Washington, DC area. In recent years, the organization has branched out to host similar events in various locations, such as MAGClassic, MAGWest and MAGLabs. We will keep our readers updated on future developments.