2022 Executive Conference

Ensuring Ys can access and understand the resources they need to make data-informed decisions across all lines of business sets the foundation from which strong Ys are built and sustained. This is the vision behind Y-USA’s Research, Analytics and Insights (RAI) work, which helps foster a data-informed culture across the entire Y Movement, within all Ys and throughout all leadership levels and staff functions. Y-USA’s approach to data-informed decision-making focuses on two distinct and complementary resources—the Science of Strengthening Community and the Insights Hub—along with a research-backed definition of what constitutes a strong community. During this workshop Maria-Alicia Serrano, Sr. Director of Insights will highlight key resources available via the YMCA Insights Hub. Prior to the session, please be sure to visit InsightsHub.YMCA.net and login using your Link credentials.

Maria-Alicia began her career at the Chicago Housing Authority using data to inform the development of strategic plans and community revitalization strategies. She then transitioned to consulting becoming Vice President of AREA, Inc., a national research and public policy consulting firm. At AREA, Inc., she supported clients in the public, private and non profit sectors in designing and implementing data collection and insight development strategies. In 2014, Maria-Alicia joined YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for YMCAs in 10,000 communities. As Senior Director of Insights, she oversees insights strategy driving towards the development of timely and actionable data and insights for the 2,700 YMCAs across the U.S.

Maria-Alicia holds a Master of Public Affairs Degree in Urban Management from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law, Letters & Society from the University of Chicago. She is also a certified foresight practitioner.

Outside of work, Maria-Alicia enjoys spreading her love of data-based insights into adoption as well volunteering with the Hands of Hope Adoption and Foster Care Ministry and serving on the Associates Board of The Cradle Adoption Agency. When she is not being a data nerd, you can find her walking through her local arboretum with her husband and daughter.

Join Gigi for an interactive session focused on board governance work and what's facing organizations today. Take a deep dive into the various modes and learn to assess where you are and where your Y should be headed.

A compelling and enthusiastic facilitator and consultant, Gigi is recognized for her ability to engage an audience in dialogue and collaborative learning that advances understanding and a commitment to action.  Gigi believes deeply in board members claiming their role as essential “thinking partners” and is committed to strengthening the skills of nonprofit staff and volunteer board leaders as they navigate this rapidly shifting and dynamic world. Co-creating solutions with local leaders assures that the processes address the specific needs identified and create the results desired.  No two organizations are the same nor need the same solution.  Whether delivered virtually or in person, all of Gigi’s engagements are customized to your expressed needs.

Until expanding her consulting company to a full-time enterprise in 2020, Gigi served as the Director, Leadership Development & Board Governance at the YMCA of the USA where she focused her attention on developing executive and volunteer development initiatives to advance a leader’s competence and confidence. She is currently serving as a contractor in service to the Ys in the Texas Alliance and supporting the new HUB.

Gigi began her work with the YMCA as a volunteer in Dallas in 1984. She has held positions as an Executive Director in both Dallas and Conroe, Texas and was the Vice President for Program Development and Training in Houston, Texas prior to joining YUSA in 2001.  

She holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Servant Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and an undergraduate degree from Austin College in Sherman, Texas where she graduated with honors. Gigi serves as an adjunct faculty for Springfield College/Houston campus, is certified as an Advanced Governance Consultant with Board Source and holds multiple certifications as an executive coach.

website: www.gigiwoodruff.net

Are you having a difficult time engaging your staff? Have your staff expressed fatigue? If so, this session is designed to provide strategies that can help support your staff’s mental and physical well-being. This workshop will unpack some of the root causes for staff disconnections by focusing on Coping Strategies and Self-Care techniques. Many of these initiatives have measured successes that improve the overall culture within organizations.

La Veda Howell, Senior Vice President of Talent – Chief People Officer; YMCA of Greater Indianapolis -  La Veda has served in this role for 4 years and is responsible for developing and executing human resource strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization, specifically in the areas of succession planning, talent management, change management, organizational and performance management, training and development, coaching, diversity, inclusion, and global strategies and compensation.  Additionally she leads efforts to develop teams and to sustain a vibrant cause-driven culture that increases engagement and performance of all staff.

La Veda has 30 years of experience as a global HR leader with nonprofit, higher education and international public company HR competencies.  Some of her achievements include the creation of a Global Diversity department for a $5.2 billion distribution and logistics company; opening a greenfield shared service centre in Barcelona, Spain; designing and implementing a Global Human Resources Information System; building a nonprofit human resources department; Title IX Officer and reorganizing mergers/acquisitions.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University, MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from Indiana Institute of Technology and Master of Legal Studies from Washington University.

The “war on talent” is currently plaguing the nation. Is your Association struggling to find and keep talent? If so, this workshop is designed to provide strategies that will challenge the status quo and uncover unintentional processes that derail success. We will focus on Staff Recruitment & Retention and Workforce Development Trends.

La Veda Howell, Senior Vice President of Talent – Chief People Officer; YMCA of Greater Indianapolis -  La Veda has served in this role for 4 years and is responsible for developing and executing human resource strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization, specifically in the areas of succession planning, talent management, change management, organizational and performance management, training and development, coaching, diversity, inclusion, and global strategies and compensation.  Additionally she leads efforts to develop teams and to sustain a vibrant cause-driven culture that increases engagement and performance of all staff.

La Veda has 30 years of experience as a global HR leader with nonprofit, higher education and international public company HR competencies.  Some of her achievements include the creation of a Global Diversity department for a $5.2 billion distribution and logistics company; opening a greenfield shared service centre in Barcelona, Spain; designing and implementing a Global Human Resources Information System; building a nonprofit human resources department; Title IX Officer and reorganizing mergers/acquisitions.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University, MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from Indiana Institute of Technology and Master of Legal Studies from Washington University.

Mental Health Community Care is a form of informal support provided by community members in community settings–like the Y. It focuses on mental health promotion, which encourages and increases healthy behaviors, protective factors and resilience, in order to reduce the risk and impact of mental illness and provide early intervention.  Join Sarah Johnson, MS, LPC for an interactive workshop about what it means to exemplify Community Care as a Y Senior Leader.

Sarah Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who brings 30 years of passion and experience to what she calls the Mental Health Revolution: taking mental health out of the clinic and into the community to build health equity for all. With experience in prevention, youth development, health promotion, and clinical work, Sarah engages others towards collective, values-driven action in order to create communities of care and a culture of mental health. As Mental Health Director at a local Y she is leading change within her organization, community, state and in the Y Movement.  Sarah is also an adjunct professor at Winona State University in the Counselor Education Program in Winona, MN, and Winona's first-ever Creative Laureate. 

As a Mental Health Director at a local Y, Sarah worked with Y leaders and community partners to develop a Mental Health Framework and Model to assist Ys to increase positive impact on the mental health of our team and the community. Join Sarah to learn about the evolution of the model, including most recent Phase 3 testing of mental health tools and learning from the Exemplar Series on Trauma-informed Practices in OST, and opportunities to be involved in this innovative and rewarding way of caring for our communities.

Sarah Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who brings 30 years of passion and experience to what she calls the Mental Health Revolution: taking mental health out of the clinic and into the community to build health equity for all. With experience in prevention, youth development, health promotion, and clinical work, Sarah engages others towards collective, values-driven action in order to create communities of care and a culture of mental health. As Mental Health Director at a local Y she is leading change within her organization, community, state and in the Y Movement.  Sarah is also an adjunct professor at Winona State University in the Counselor Education Program in Winona, MN, and Winona's first-ever Creative Laureate. 

Join us for an exploration of training and leadership development opportunities and resources through the Hub & Y-USA that will assist you in designing a robust plan to nurture a culture where your staff can grow and thrive.

During this presentation, attendees will learn about strategies to improve their facilities thru small, incremental, financially manageable steps.  Topics will include Wayfinding, Finish Upgrades, Indoor Air Quality, Inclusive Design, Front Entry Impressions, Lighting, among others.  The discussion will also touch on creating a long-term strategic facility master plan that addresses facility expansions, upgrades and renovations, to help plan capital expenditures.

Tom Salzer is a 1991 graduate of Ball State University with Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture and Environmental Sciences, with an emphasis on design for those of varying abilities.  Tom co-founded Bona Vita Architecture in 2014, and serves as its President.  His three-decade design career has included work in; cancer treatment design, inpatient hospital design and recreational facility design.  Recent notable projects include: the Jackson R. Lehman YMCA, the Miami County YMCA, the Goshen Health Patient Pavilion and Tower, and the new World Headquarters for Do it Best Corp.  Tom currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Greater Fort Wayne YMCA, the Ronald McDonald House of Northeast Indiana, the YWCA of Northeast Indiana, and Heartland Sings.  Tom is married to Laura and has three children, William, Hope and Gracie.

Update on the current status of the YMCA Retirement Fund, participation date for the State of Indiana, current and coming soon educational offerings and participate in a Q&A session related to the Retirement Fund.

Derrick Stewart is the Senior Vice President of Education and Communication for the YMCA Retirement Fund, where he leads the development and delivery of comprehensive communication and education strategies, while continuing to strengthen relationships within the YMCA Movement.

Prior to joining the Fund, he served on the Fund’s Board as an Employed Officer Trustee. During his 20-year Y career, Derrick has held several management positions including serving as President & CEO of The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis from 2019 – 2021 and as CEO of the YMCA of Southwestern Indiana from 2009-2019.

He currently serves on the Management Committee of the YMCA Employee Benefits Program. He served as Chair of the 2019 YMCA General Assembly Planning Task Force, is a past member of the YMCA of the USA National Board of Directors and past Chair of the YMCA of the USA Small & Mid-Size YMCA Cabinet. In 2015, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Old National Bancorp, the largest bank holding company headquartered in Indiana, where he serves as chair of the Talent Development and Compensation Committee.

Derrick earned a BA in business and finance from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

We will share innovative steps forward that YMCAs around the country are taking to recover from the pandemic downturn and explore proven leadership practices that CEOs can adopt to build more innovative cultures in local Ys.

Brian Kridler is a Senior Consultant with Triangle2 Solutions, a research, planning and innovation firm that has been serving YMCAs and other non-profits for 21 years. Prior to joining T2 in the fall of 2020, Brian enjoyed a 32-year YMCA career, and was most recently an Executive Vice President with the YMCA of Greater Houston. Brian specializes in facilitating strategic planning, project management, and innovation processes with YMCAs. He lives with his family in Columbus, Ohio.

Suzanne McCormick is the 15th person and first woman to lead YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for the Y — a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Collectively, the nation’s YMCAs engage 11 million members — 4 million of whom are under the age of 18 — annually.

Suzanne became President and CEO of Y-USA in September 2021. She has 27 years of experience as a local and national executive leader in the nonprofit sector, most recently as U.S. President for United Way Worldwide and a member of its global management team. As President, Suzanne was responsible for helping the 1,100 United Ways across the U.S. build more resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities. Under her leadership, the United Way tackled community challenges with innovative, equitable and systemic solutions. She also served as the executive sponsor of United Way’s Women United Global Leadership Council.

Previously, Suzanne spent five years as President and CEO of United Way Suncoast in Tampa, Florida, where she led a strategic plan to break the cycle of generational poverty, drove fundraising growth and increased community impact. During her tenure, she was Chair of the United Ways of Florida, one of the largest United Way state associations. She also served as Chair of the United Way Network Partnership Group, which focused on developing and leveraging powerful philanthropy initiatives, and the National Professional Council, which advised the CEO of United Way Worldwide on strategic initiatives. Prior to leading United Way Suncoast, Suzanne spent 13 years at United Way of Greater Portland in Maine, including four as President and CEO.

Suzanne’s nonprofit leadership career also includes CEO roles at both the American Red Cross of Southern Maine and the People’s Regional Opportunity Program in Maine.

The NonProfit Times recognized Suzanne in the Power & Influence Top 50, its annual celebration of the nonprofit sector’s top executives and strategists, in 2021. She serves on the Independent Sector Board of Directors.

Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University and is an alumna of the Peace Corps, through which she spent three years teaching English in Thailand.

Coach Gearlds was one of the best players in Boilermaker history, herself, ranking fourth in school history for points scored (1,974) and earning All-America honors in 2007. She owns the school record for points scored in a single game, as well, with 41 points at Wisconsin on Feb. 18, 2007. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Purdue in 2007 in sociology. Her goal this first year and onward is to establish the best culture and environment for the women’s basketball program. She will share interesting stories and anecdotes about leadership.

Learn more about Coach Gearlds here: https://purduesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/katie-gearlds/1953

Dr. Will Miller is originally from New York City and is a therapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression and trauma. He is the chaplain and mental health advisor for area law enforcement and is certified in the treatment of P.T.S.D. He has worked in Community Mental Health Centers as well as in drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Dr. Miller holds five graduate degrees and teaches social media and ethics in the graduate program at Purdue University. Simultaneously, for 20 years Will had a career as a professional stand up comedian in New York. He has headlined in clubs and theaters across the country. He has made numerous television appearances and was an on air personality for NBC, Nick-at-Nite and the Bob & Tom Show.