Times Union: Sanctuary for Independent Media announces new leadership
Ren Lee will lead the Troy-based nonprofit through its 20th anniversary and beyond as executive director
By Katherine Kiessling,
Staff Writer
Aug 7, 2025
TROY — The Sanctuary for Independent Media named a new executive director.
Troy resident Ren Lee will usher the community-focused media and arts nonprofit through its 20th anniversary and beyond in the role.
“Ren stood out because they understand that our future isn’t determined just by what lies ahead of us, but also what lies behind us and they’re ready to build on that rich and complicated history to celebrate where we came from and take the Sanctuary forward,” said Dan Lyles, Sanctuary board president, in a statement. “The long wait for us to enter the next chapter is over and I genuinely believe this marks the start of a powerful new era for the Sanctuary.”
Lee will be the Sanctuary’s third leader since its founding, and succeeds Kristen “KP” Holler, who served as executive director from 2023 to 2024. The board served as a collective interim executive director while conducting a yearlong search for the nonprofit’s next director, Lyles said.
Lee first came to the Sanctuary as an event attendee and “was immediately struck by how deep the sense of community (had) been built,” they said in a statement.
“The Sanctuary is more than a community space. It’s a connection point that supports the continuation of a lineage of independent thinkers, artists, and creators who understand that real change happens when people are able to connect, create, and organize on their own terms,” Lee said. “True community spaces created for and by the community are essential now more than ever for keeping the legacy of independent thought and creative resistance alive. I am deeply honored to be able to contribute to that legacy.”
The Sanctuary received “an embarrassment of riches” in terms of “exceptional” candidates, Lyles said, but Lee’s “history of solving really challenging problems with people and not just solving it for people” made them stand out.
“When we looked at Ren’s record, we saw somebody who yesterday did this work successfully, and tomorrow, we thought, what can they do with a little more authority, a little more ability to shape an institution?” Lyles said. “We’re looking not just at what we need to do right now, but in five years, where is Ren going to take us? And we saw somebody who was going to take us to the next level.”
Lee arrives with nearly a decade of nonprofit management experience. Prior to joining the Sanctuary, they worked for the Museum Association of New York as the programs manager, overseeing partnerships with major institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution. They hold a master’s degree in museum studies from George Washington University. Lee co-founded Agate Creatives, a grassroots, BIPOC-led collective dedicated to social justice work in nonprofit institutions. They also created CAMPout, a professional development network for LGBTQ+ individuals working for cultural organizations.
The Sanctuary for Independent Media began as a cohort of anti-war artists and activists in 2000, led by co-founders Steve Pierce, Branda Miller and Kathy High. By 2005, the group opened its physical headquarters in an abandoned church in North Troy. It has since expanded to a sprawling campus of indoor and outdoor spaces for live performances, artist and educator residencies, research, advocacy projects, multimedia production and community-focused programming.
Katherine Kiessling, Staff Writer
Katherine Kiessling covers arts and entertainment for the Times Union. The New Jersey native has written for syracuse.com, Central New York Magazine and Charleston City Paper. You can reach her at [email protected].
