Jeff Kahl

The Randolph-Asheboro YMCA (NC) has named Kathleen Russell as its new Chief Executive Officer. Selected by the Y’s Board of Directors following a comprehensive national search led by an outstanding search committee supported by Richard Clegg, CEO Search Consultant and Bruce Griffin , NC State Alliance of YMCAs, Russell will assume leadership of the organization and guide its continued focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility in April. Russell brings more than 20 years of leadership experience within the YMCA movement including positions in West Chatham and Tybee Island YMCAs in Savannah, Georgia. She most recently served as Executive Director of the Tri-Community Family Branch YMCA in Central Massachusetts, where she led a multi-million-dollar operation serving thousands of individuals through aquatics, youth programming, wellness initiatives, and community outreach. “During our search, the CEO Seach Committee considered outstanding candidates from across the country, but Kathleen stood out for her proven leadership, strategic vision, and deep commitment to the YMCA mission,” said Sandra Lail, Chief Volunteer Officer of the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA. “Her track record of strengthening communities, building partnerships, and driving measurable impact makes her the ideal leader for our Y. We are confident she will help us expand our reach and deepen our impact across Randolph County.” In her new role, Russell will focus on strengthening membership engagement, expanding community partnerships, enhancing youth and family programming, and ensuring long-term organizational sustainability. “I am honored and excited to join the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA and become part of this vibrant community,” said Russell. “The YMCA has always been a place where individuals and families can grow, connect, and thrive. I look forward to working alongside staff, volunteers, and community partners to build on the Y’s strong foundation and create even greater opportunities for impact.” Throughout her career, Russell has demonstrated success in growing membership, increasing philanthropic support, and launching initiatives that address critical community needs such as food insecurity, chronic disease prevention, teen mental health initiatives, and youth workforce development. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to align mission-driven work with measurable results. Grace M. Shaneé Jenkins David Martorano Sandy Morander Nicole Bolding Vickia Brinkley Shea Padilla Boschee Brad Ellenbecker Zeffi Angelikas Melissa O'Neill Walczak

92

7 Comments

The 10 Laws of Sustainable Leadership A Leadership Series by Eddie Adams Ministries #3: The Law of Culture: Culture is shaped daily, not annually. Every organization has a culture — intentional or accidental. What you tolerate becomes standard.
What you celebrate becomes identity.
What you model becomes normal. Policies don’t build culture. Behavior does. If excellence matters, demonstrate it.
If respect matters, practice it.
If accountability matters, enforce it. Culture reflects leadership. #OrganizationalCulture #LeadershipInfluence #EddieAdamsMinistries Eddie Adams Ministries Leadership • Discipleship • Kingdom Impact eddieadamsministries.com 💥New MINI-EBOOK Coming Soon On Amazon.com

3

This is an excellent example of multiple, related compliance and other risks: 1. Risk of failing to do the background check 2. Risk of hiring someone with a criminal record 3. Risk that the person assaults a student Risk 1 (a compliance risk) is also a preventive control over Risks 2 and 3 (which has compliance, reputational, and other ramifications). All should be tracked as related risks. Risk appetite is an interesting discussion with these types of risks. Very importantly, this also illustrates the importance of someone (internal audit, IG, etc) testing the effectiveness of controls designed to prevent significant risk events from occurring. Hopefully, catching something like this now allows for prompt remediation to avoid the more serious risks that such a control breakdown could lead to.

6

Have you been keeping an eye on North Carolina’s progress in supporting working families? Family Forward NC is rolling out: ✔ ROI tools for paid leave policies ✔ Employer-focused webinars ✔ New county-level data on child care gaps and economic impact It’s a strong example of how states can partner with employers to build more resilient workforces. Worth following — and learning from. #EmployerEngagement #FutureOfWork #ChildCareSolutions #StateInnovation

6

Friday was inspiring to facilitate discussions with Cohort 6 principals & district leaders to reflect on findings from Diagnostic and Progress Monitoring Reviews. The Jefferson County Schools (JEFCOED) Alabama & Cognia partnership empowers leaders with valuable information for action. #leadership

2