Leadership coach JEREMIAH POULSEN recently joined Emergent, a leadership, team, and organizational development firm based in downtown Syracuse. “From my earliest years of athletics and workforce experience, I’ve loved teamwork and leadership development,” Poulsen said. “I believe that local community leaders have the opportunity to change the world — with training, support and coaching, nothing stops them. I am honored to support and walk alongside so many talented and enthusiastic people in that pursuit.”

The YMCA of Central New York announced it has recently transformed the face of its leadership by adding new roles to create more capacity to serve and provide greater diversity amongst leadership at all levels. Here are a few of the new members of its senior leadership team. JOSH ROYCE is the nonprofit’s new chief operating officer. He is a New Hampshire native and comes from the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA, where he served as their district executive director, leading several YMCA sites (including branches, an outdoor center and men’s residences). He is responsible for senior operations leadership of branches/program sites, member-service delivery, program implementation, and supervises its VPs of operations.

MARIELLA CANADY-TOWNS is the YMCA of Central New York’s new chief philanthropy officer. She is a Los Angeles native but has worked for the Gateway YMCA in St. Louis and for Allegro Senior Living as senior marketing manager. She leads organizational strategy regarding all fundraising efforts (annual campaign, capital, planned giving, and sponsorships) for its association. With 18 years in the development and marketing industry, holding various senior leadership roles, she also sat on several boards.

HEATHER WORTHY WILSON is the YMCA’s new senior VP of membership and health innovation. She is recognized nationally as a resident expert and leading voice on community health and health-equity matters. She leads its strategic efforts to grow its membership base, cultivate and steward its relationships with healthy living partners (including hospitals, medical providers, and health insurance companies) and ensuring alignment with its broader membership and healthy living strategies. Worthy Wilson has worked for the Y in Central Maryland, most recently in the capacity of VP, operations & health strategy and brings 10-plus years of Y experience to the table.

PENNY SNELL was selected to serve as the organization’s VP of program development & growth. She leads organizational strategy (including quality assurance and strategic partnerships) for all youth development and social responsibility program areas. She most recently worked for the YMCA of Buffalo Niagara as VP – youth development & growth and brings 20-plus years of YMCA experience.

TONY WILLIAMS is the YMCA of Central New York’s new associate VP of facilities & capital planning and leads organizational strategy for facility maintenance, capital planning, and association-wide maintenance/facilities vendor management. He previously worked for Onondaga County, where he led facilities management for 11 county library locations. Additionally, the YMCA added leadership roles to its branch operations level to assist with support of its neighborhood branches as its facilities grow and continue to rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new additions include WALTER GACETA and JEFF EYSAMAN, associate executive directors at the Downtown Syracuse YMCA; DAVID SARGALSKI, associate executive director at the Northwest Family YMCA; and JESSE KANAPLE, associate executive director at the North Area Family YMCA.