Resource Center, one of the largest LGBTQIA+ community organizations in the United States, today announced the appointment of Christopher Wagley as its next chief executive officer.
Wagley currently serves as chief operating officer of KERA, a nonprofit public media organization serving North Texas, where he has held senior leadership roles for 16 years. He has been tapped to lead Resource Center following an extensive national search prompted by the planned retirement of long-standing CEO Cece Cox in early 2027.
Wagley will join Resource Center’s staff in November this year.
Resource Center Board Chair Chris LaGrone said the board “is thrilled to welcome” Wagley as the agency’s next CEO, describing Wagley as “an exceptional leader whose vision, operational strength, community credibility and deep commitment to LGBTQIA+ advocacy make him uniquely prepared to lead Resource Center into its next chapter.”
LaGrone continued, “His career has been defined by building strong institutions, expanding impact and leading with both discipline and heart. Christopher knows Resource Center; he knows North Texas, and he understands the vital role this organization plays in the lives of LGBTQIA+ people and all those we serve.
“As we celebrate Cece’s extraordinary legacy, we could not be more excited for Christopher to carry that foundation forward and shape Resource Center’s next era of growth, service, advocacy and community impact,” he said.
Wagley brings more than 20 years of nonprofit management and leadership experience to his new role at Resource Center, according to a press release announcing his appointment, with a 30-year career spanning education, media and community advocacy. As COO of KERA, he helped grow the organization into the only public media outlet in the country operating PBS, NPR, Classical and Triple-A stations and a local newspaper under one mission.
In his tenure, he has also led key revenue functions, including overseeing membership and corporate sponsorship. As a senior leader on KERA’s $100 million capital campaign, he oversaw the design and groundbreaking of a new 56,000-square-foot broadcast facility and community engagement center and helped to more deeply engage the LGBTQIA+ donor community.
Before KERA, Wagley spent six years at MTV Networks, joining the pioneering team that launched LOGO, the first LGBTQIA+ cable channel in the country. He began his career as an early childhood special needs educator and nonprofit fundraiser in New York City.
A Dallas resident for 17 years, Wagley has been “an active and committed member of the LGBTQIA+ community,” the press release said, noting his involvement as a longtime member of the Turtle Creek Chorale and as a member of Resource Center’s board of directors and executive committee, including during the 2024 launch of Oak Lawn Place and the 2025 opening of Resource Center Health.
“Resource Center is one of the most beloved organizations in our community, and that is not an accident,” said Wagley. “It reflects decades of courageous, compassionate leadership, and I am deeply grateful to Cece Cox for the extraordinary foundation she has built.
“I am humbled and energized by the trust the board has placed in me to build on that legacy,” he continued. “For more than 40 years, this organization has made people feel seen, supported and cared for. My commitment is to ensure we have the reach and resilience to do that for more people, in more places, for generations to come.”
Wagley steps into the role as Resource Center “looks to build on a period of significant growth, deepen its health and housing services and strengthen its advocacy presence in a state that continues to challenge the rights and dignity of LGBTQIA+ people,” according to the press release. “He will work closely with Cox during a planned transition period, a deliberate passing of the torch by a CEO who has spent two decades building one of the most consequential LGBTQIA+ organizations in the country.”
Cox said, “Resource Center has an incredibly bright future as Christopher Wagley steps into the role of CEO. Christopher has the heart, vision, passion, experience and connection to our mission and community, to build upon Resource Center’s 43 years of service.”
She added, “The challenges of these days call for a leader who is both resolute and collaborative. Christopher is that leader. I am grateful to the board of directors for their diligence and thoughtfulness in selecting a stellar individual who will ensure the future success of this beloved organization. I have confidence that Christopher will meet the moments — all of them.”
Wagley is expected to assume the CEO role in November 2026. Additional details regarding the leadership transition will be shared with staff, volunteers and community stakeholders in the coming weeks, agency leaders said.
— Tammye Nash