Sobhan Namvar Steps Down Andover DIVERSE Leadership

ANDOVER, MA — Sobhan Namvar is "stepping back" from Andover's new diversity, equity and inclusion office, just over a month after the office was created with him at the head, Town Manager Andrew Flanagan announced Monday.

"I am disappointed to report that Sobhan’s efforts were met with aggressive resistance by some in our community calling into question Sobhan’s own ethnicity, religion and credibility," Flanagan said.

Namvar will return to his role as the town's Community Support Coordinator with the police department, while Jemma Lambert, the town director of community services, will manage the next steps of the town's planned anti-racism process.

Flanagan did not share details on the resistance Sobhan faced in the role he was named to in early July.

"While prepared and willing to forge ahead, Sobhan and I concluded that the only way for the community to move forward was for him to step back," he said. "I understand and respect Sobhan’s decision to step back, but I am nonetheless disappointed. I stand by our collectively held values of civility, respect and tolerance and expect that those values will be the heart of our efforts to build a better Andover."

"Sobhan did a phenomenal job in developing a basic framework for soliciting community input and gave us a reality check about the presence of racism in Andover," Flanagan said.

The town plans to continue to work with consultant Richard Pinderhughes on a survey and focus groups to establish priorities for addressing racism in the community, but Flanagan said "there may be delays in providing answers to questions that have been submitted over the past month and at the community forum" due to being shorthanded.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.