We are excited to share with you the selection of our new Lakewood Family YMCA Executive Director: Toby Roberts. Toby has served the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties for 10 years. He has served in marketing and communications, operations, and philanthropy. Toby brings a diverse background of experience and a foundation of strong relationships. His first day at the Lakewood Family YMCA is Monday, August 2.
Megan Sala currently serves as the Lakewood Family YMCA Executive Director and is transitioning to Executive Director of the Tom Taylor Family YMCA.
A MESSAGE FROM TOBY ROBERTS
For the past 10 years, I have had the joy of coming to work every day for the YMCA! Prior to becoming a Y employee I played various roles in the private sector, including finance, marketing, and sales. It seemed I was just holding a job to pay the bills, with no real passion for my work. The one thing that helped me get through the monotony of corporate America was my lunch breaks at the Tacoma Center Y. If the basketball court was busy, my lunch hour might be extended to two. Those long lunches showed up in my performance evaluations on more than one occasion … and not in a positive light. So when my family and I returned from living two years abroad, I decided working for the Y was better than getting in trouble for spending too much time there. I was hired as a Branch Marketing and Communication Director in February 2011. Since then, I have held positions as a Senior Youth Director (Morgan Y), Annual Campaign Director (Morgan Y), and most recently, Association Director of Philanthropy.
As a marketing director, I learned so much about the Y and how we serve the community. The mentorship, the social connections, the values, the areas of focus … so much of this I was unaware of as a long-time member. I was enlightened to the Y as a charitable organization as opposed to just knowing it as a workout facility. When I stepped into the role of Senior Youth Director, I began delivering the cause, not just communicating about it. Teaching youth fitness classes, coaching youth sports, overseeing Teen Late Night, and seeing the direct impact on kids every day was incredible. I loved it.
As my career evolved, I gravitated toward a full-time fundraising role. Once again, I was exposed to yet a broader vision of the Y and its vast impact. Child care, community impact, learning centers, environmental education, juvenile justice, Youth and Government - there is simply so much the Y does to impact the lives of those in our communities both in and outside of our walls. I am proud to have worked with an amazing Financial Development team. What we have accomplished in support of the Y mission has been spectacular. At the same time, it has been a dream of mine to become an Executive Director. I want to belong to a specific community and serve that community with all that I have. I see the position of Executive Director at the Lakewood Family YMCA as both a challenge and a great opportunity. I plan on settling in there for a long time and hope to build on the accomplishments of those who came before me.
I have had so many amazing mentors in my Y career. Y leadership, supervisors, staff, advisory council members, and facility members, I feel like they are all rooting for me. I am blessed to be coming alongside an incredibly talented team at Lakewood. Together, we will work to help the community of Lakewood to thrive.