GAMA will have job openings in its top two leadership positions as the COO/Interim Executive Director resigns, along with a board member.
Chief Operating Officer and Interim Executive Director Melinda Prickett is resigning effective November 6 to take a position outside the organization, GAMA announced today. Prickett joined the organization in September 2025 in a new position that replaced Deputy Director Chris Materni, who left in May of that year (see “GAMA Hires First COO“).
Executive Director John Stacy left GAMA nearly a year ago in November 2025, and the organization said it was beginning a search to replace him (see “Stacy Leaving GAMA“), appointing Zaria Davis as Interim ED to serve during the search (see “GAMA Appoints interim Executive Director“). Davis’s engagement ended after GAMA Expo in March 2026, and Prickett took over as Interim ED. No new Executive Director has been hired. With the departure of Prickett, both of the organization’s top two positions will be vacant.
GAMA plans to retain a new search firm to assist in filling the Executive Director position; CapDev, which it retained last year in that role, did not work out.
The GAMA board plans to appoint temporary leadership to focus on day-to-day operations as it continues its search for a new Executive Director. The board will not conduct the search for a new COO. The organization’s bylaws specify that the board hires the Executive Director, according to board chairperson Meredith Placko. The COO/Deputy Director position will remain open until a new ED has been hired; the new ED will have the authority to fill that position.
The board noted improvements to GAMA’s accounting functions under Prickett’s leadership and other contributions during her tenure. (GAMA had substantial accounting issues during the Covid pandemic and over the course of 2025 into 2026, see “GAMA Reports Loss for 2025“). “Her work with Treasurer Jamie Mathy has seen to a stabilizing financial direction for the organization in only a year’s time – going from a deficit budget at the beginning of 2026 to an expected surplus by year’s end,” the statement said. “Under her leadership, member participation in events outside of GAMA Expo and Origins Game Fair has increased, and we have established exciting, new partnerships & opportunities for our members. GAMA has so much to thank Melinda for, and we are excited to see the amazing projects she leads in the future.”
At the same time, GAMA Vice President and Media and Events board member Ross Thompson has resigned. Placko declined to comment on the reasons for Thompson’s departure; Thompson did not respond to a request for comment.
Media and Events members interested in serving on the Board are asked to submit their names by November 8; a special election to fill the seat for the rest of Thompson’s term (until March 2027) will begin November 10.
The board statement also included praise for Thompson “His work within the Board and alongside Melinda has streamlined new and existing processes, while strengthening the role of Media & Events members within GAMA,” the statement said. “We appreciate his hard work during his tenure on the Board, as it helps serve within the foundation we are building for the future success of GAMA.”
Source: ICv2
