Julia Goren, ADK’s deputy director for around three years, was appointed to serve as interim executive director while the nonprofit’s board of directors searches for Barrett’s successor.

Barrett, 49, will be focusing on marketing his second novel, “The Hero of Tir Na Cara,” which is set to hit shelves next month. Before joining ADK, he worked as an Army foreign language interrogator, a public defender and an aide to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and former Gov. David Paterson, and as the director of the Missouri state Emergency Management Agency.

Originally from the Hudson Valley, Barrett was living in Missouri with his wife and children when ADK hired him in October 2019. During Barrett’s tenure, ADK purchased and opened the Cascade Welcome Center along state Route 73, sold its Lake George headquarters, moved its base of operations to Lake Placid and secured funding for both itself and the Forest Preserve.

“Five years ago, Michael was hired to execute a transformational strategic plan for ADK, which included instituting significant cultural change as well as moving assets and operations from Lake George to Lake Placid to meet the goals of the organizations. Having successfully made these changes, ADK is eager to fulfill its potential,” ADK Board President Mickey Orta said in a statement Wednesday.

Interim Executive Director Goren said her priorities are “to continue ADK’s momentum and set things up for a smooth transition.”

“ADK’s got the opportunity to fill some key positions, including our communications director. That’s not so much a challenge as an opportunity for us to grow,” she wrote in an email on Thursday, July 18.

Goren highlighted some projects ADK has underway, including launching the Route 73 stewardship program, which will see stewards assigned to the busy trailheads along state Route 73 to provide hikers with information about the trails, conditions, regulations and responsible recreation.

ADK is also completing capital improvement projects at both the Cascade Welcome Center and Heart Lake, and participating in the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s visitor use management projects.

“All this is in addition to the regular busy summer season of visitor education, trail work and stewardship,” Goren wrote.

The group is working on building an accessible lean-to at Heart Lake following the opening of its accessible campsite and canvas cabin last fall and will be participating in celebrations of the Northville-Placid Trail centennial throughout the summer and fall.