GAMA's Communications Manager Declares Organization 'Broken'

As reported by ICv2, the Marketing and Communications manager of the Game Manufacturer's Association--a US-based trade organization for the hobby games industry--has resigned her position and described GAMA as "deeply siloed and in many ways, broken."

Formed in 1977, GAMA runs the Origins Game Fair every year, one of the larger tabletop gaming conventions, as well as the industry trade show GAMA EXPO. Additionally, the organization presents the annual Origins Awards for tabletop gaming. The organization provides business support and industry-focused educational programs and includes publishers, retailers, distributors, freelancers, and more in its members.

Amy Lowe joined GAMA in October 2024. In her resignation letter, she made a range of allegations about the organization:

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.

When they reached out, ICv2 received a response from John Stacy, Executive Director of GAMA:

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.

 

[TrainedMunkee]

I don't understand why anybody writes toxic exit letters like this. You say, "I need to spend more time with my family," and you leave.

Regardless of how much truth there is or isn't in her letter, John Stacy responded with the grace I would expect of an executive.

A good HR department wants an honest response and a bad one wants one that doesn't make any waves.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Because it's not a "toxic exit letter", it's a justified warning of the naughty word infecting the source of actual toxicity: GAMA.

Stacy, meanwhile, is just mouthing empty words that mean nothing. That's not grace, that's dodging the subject. There's no grace, only hoping that no one pays attention to the whistleblower -- which you're helping, because oh no, she wasn't polite enough.

Sorry, but this isn't "whistleblowing" this is just public griping. And thinking it's about being "polite" is...just completely clueless.

As for Stacy, the "grace" was in not saying anything bad about her. Too many people would have called her a "low performing""disgruntled employee", etc. He simply wished her well.

As for "mouthing empty words" that's exactly what he should be doing. We, the the public, have zero right to see their dirty laundry.

The sense of entitlement people have continues to astound me.

 

[Bill Zebub]

A good HR department wants an honest response and a bad one wants one that doesn't make any waves.

Right. So you communicate privately with the HR department. Not publicly. If the HR department ignores you then the organization is beyond saving. (Or maybe you're wrong?)

If I were considering hiring Amy Lowe and found this letter on Google I would never in a million years bring her into my organization.

 

[darjr]

GAMA is broken.

 

[TrainedMunkee]

Right. So you communicate privately with the HR department. Not publicly. If the HR department ignores you then the organization is beyond saving. (Or maybe you're wrong?)

If I were considering hiring Amy Lowe and found this letter on Google I would never in a million years bring her into my organization.

In this thread alone, many examples of GAMA having a toxic environment have been given. This is just the latest one.

After doing some actual research and talking to Amy, I found out that her letter was actual published on LinkedIn. This is not uncommon. It blew up from there due to the fact that this is just the most recent complaint about how GAMA is run.

Considering its track record to this point, it would seem that GAMA has not made any changes due to past criticisms and continues to be dysfunctional. They will not get any of my hard earned money. Origins is out for me for the foreseeable future and until I see a change in their organization. Which will need to start at the top. Having run several businesses, I am well aware of where these type of issues start. It's called culture and successful businesses have a good one. I would suggest that they make such changes quickly due to the fact that Origins seems to be barely surviving as it is and harder times are on the horizon.

 

[Joshua Randall]

deeply siloed and, in many ways, broken.

• Rampant gatekeeping.
• Insecurity masquerading as control.
• Disrespect toward other staff and members.

[…] internal dynamics that were petty, power-hungry, and counterproductive. Then came a restructuring […]

The above, in broad strokes, describes every large corporation I’ve ever worked at. And I’ve worked at a lot.
(I removed “toxic leadership” because the word “toxic” is devoid of meaning now and has become an empty insult.)

 

[Spectral Anomaly]

deeply siloed and, in many ways, broken.

• Rampant gatekeeping.
• Insecurity masquerading as control.
• Disrespect toward other staff and members.

[…] internal dynamics that were petty, power-hungry, and counterproductive. Then came a restructuring […]

The above, in broad strokes, describes every large corporation I’ve ever worked at. And I’ve worked at a lot.
(I removed “toxic leadership” because the word “toxic” is devoid of meaning now and has become an empty insult.)

The phrase "toxic leadership" is itself redundant because it almost always is the cause of the issues listed above.

 

[Bill Zebub]

In this thread alone, many examples of GAMA having a toxic environment have been given. This is just the latest one.

After doing some actual research and talking to Amy, I found out that her letter was actual published on LinkedIn. This is not uncommon. It blew up from there due to the fact that this is just the most recent complaint about how GAMA is run.

Considering its track record to this point, it would seem that GAMA has not made any changes due to past criticisms and continues to be dysfunctional. They will not get any of my hard earned money. Origins is out for me for the foreseeable future and until I see a change in their organization. Which will need to start at the top. Having run several businesses, I am well aware of where these type of issues start. It's called culture and successful businesses have a good one. I would suggest that they make such changes quickly due to the fact that Origins seems to be barely surviving as it is and harder times are on the horizon.

Not sure why you replied to me. I wasn't at all suggesting that anything she says is false.

 

[Dire Bare]

deeply siloed and, in many ways, broken.

• Rampant gatekeeping.
• Insecurity masquerading as control.
• Disrespect toward other staff and members.

[…] internal dynamics that were petty, power-hungry, and counterproductive. Then came a restructuring […]

The above, in broad strokes, describes every large corporation I’ve ever worked at. And I’ve worked at a lot.
(I removed “toxic leadership” because the word “toxic” is devoid of meaning now and has become an empty insult.)

Okay. Shrug.

Not all corporations are poorly managed or toxic

Plus, GAMA is an industry trade organization.

 

[Joshua Randall]

GAMA is an industry trade organization.

To paraphrase and invert Tolstoy, all unhappy organizations are alike.