Accelerant

We launched season 2 with the intention of bringing forward important stories from the pandemic. What we ended up finding were stories that offer lessons beyond these trying times, especially as we navigate into a brighter future. In this episode, Accelerant host Saranda West highlights some key lessons from previous episodes, and outlines important and inspiring data about the recovery of nonprofit organizations around the country...

In this episode, Michael Farris shares stories of his work as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the YMCA of the USA. Michael sees current diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the Movement as a direct thread from foundational philosophies spelled out by Y founder, George Williams, more that 130 years ago. These initiatives seek to unravel issues of race, socio-economic status, and marginalization in our country, ...

Starting with the question, “How can we pull repetitive tasks off our directors so they can serve the mission at a greater capacity?” Natalie has been laser focused on streamlining business processes. From manning the front desk and folding towels, to memberships and business processes, Natalie Johnson’s Y career spans from South Florida to Pikes Peak, Colorado.  

In her new venture as the Vice President of Customer Transactions at ...

This week’s Accelerant BONUS episode will inspire hope for a brighter future. On February 16th, Daxko hosted its inaugural Accelerate Leadership Roundtable with leaders from the movement including Kurtis Dawson (President and CEO at the YMCA Southern Arizona), Todd Rockoff (President and CEO at the Tusconn JCC), and Theresa Johnson (Chief Development and Marketing Officer at the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region). In this episode, your...

 With a three-generation personal history in the Y, David Thompson’s Y roots run deep. He has remained engaged in his community through various roles in many different branches around the country. As the current Group Vice President for the YMCA of Greater Dayton, David shares lessons in gratitude that have carried him through the pandemic, and give him hope in the future of The Movement.   

• Broad Focused Roles: David’s role ble...

This Accelerant Bonus Episode is a reworking of our interview with Carolyn Grady from season 1. As the Senior VP of Development for the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, Carolyn offers key insights in fundraising and recovery. She shares how her team shifted perspective and adopted new practices in the 2020’s drastically different fundraising landscape.  

 In this episode:  

• Hear Caroyln’s new strategies for driving donations in a seem...

Mike Cassidy’s 35-year career with the YMCA started as a weight room attendant in Arizona and continued to develop to his current role as COO at the YMCA of the East Bay. In each step of his journey, Mike felt the importance of staying planted to truly hone an entrepreneurial and creative attitude. For Mike, this has included a deep investigation into vulnerabilities of the Y Movement, and seeking affective solutions. This type of ...

Any conversation with Constance Miller involves the masterful weaving of beautiful metaphor, engaging storytelling, and impactful data. Constance’s rare mix of poetic intuition and research experience makes her uniquely qualified to share important insight about the role nonprofits have on their communities around the country. You have heard bits of this in the QuantCorner from previous episodes, but in this episode we focus in in ...

The best place to start a conversation with Jeff Saunders is, “what impact has the Y had on your life?” For Jeff, the answer is a career of telling the Y’s story and engaging people in the beauty and growth that comes from serving community. As the Vice President of Storytelling and the Y Experience at the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, Jeff has his finger on the pulse of The Movement and dedicates himself to engaging as many people a...

Join us in episode 1 of our new season of the Accelerant podcast! In our conversation, David Jezek, CEO of the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, and host Saranda West chat about his strong ties and history with the Movement and ways they are reinventing outreach at his Y.

Below are the top 3 takeaways from our chat with David:

1.     The roots of the YMCA Movement run deep! David and his family have been involved with the Y for over 35...