Emmy-winning director Paris Barclay has been elected president of the Directors Guild of America, the DGA announced on Saturday. Barclay is the DGA's first out gay president, as well as the group's first African American president.

GLAAD presented Barclay with its Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 12^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2001.

Barclay has been a member of the DGA, which represents the interests of film and television directors, since 1992 and has received 10 DGA Award nominations with one win for his work on NYPD Blue, as well as two Emmy wins for direction on the same series. His other credits include Glee, Smash, House, Sons of Anarchy, Cold Case and NCIS: Los Angeles.

"I am profoundly honored to be elected president of the DGA," Barclay said after the announcement. "The DGA has worked for more than three-quarters of a century to advance the creative and economic rights of directors and their teams, and I look forward to continuing this strong tradition of service. As the son of a glass blower and a tile maker from Chicago, I am extremely humbled to have the honor to serve in the footsteps of the legendary leaders of the DGA like Frank Capra, Robert Wise and Gil Cates."

Barclay, a graduate of Harvard College, is married to his husband, Christopher Barclay, and has two sons. His first term will run from 2013-2015.