Parrish Underwood began his new role as president and CEO on November 27, 2023, at the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit where he previously served as executive director of the Birmingham Family YMCA branch. He came from the YMCA of Metro Atlanta where he served as chief advancement officer, but he’s served in many different positions before returning to Detroit.
His first involvement in the YMCA’s work was at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta the summer after graduating college. Underwood transitioned from a part-time job in the summer to a full-time position in a community outreach-based program. Since then, he served as director of aquatics, sports and recreation, preschool, executive director of various Y branches and vice president of financial development.
“I’ve found over the years that several (YMCA professionals) have stumbled upon the Y early on,” explained Underwood. “When I took that first job, it was a deep dive and a sort of experience by fire. I’ve had many terrific and incredible experiences, and we’ve had a great deal of success.”
Returning to Detroit
Since coming back to Detroit, Michigan, he’s working to refamiliarize himself with the city and community. He noted the development the city and organization are going through, and he’s eager to continue these efforts.
“There’s so much growth development that’s taken place in Detroit,” said Underwood. “I could feel the beginnings of that when I left in 2012. One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Detroit is the city keeps pushing, and it’s great to be in a space so full of energy, which is exciting.”
He also noted how driven the YMCA is, especially after bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic. “With resilience and tenacity, they kept pushing on,” said Underwood. “2023 was a significantly successful year, and my goal is to continue that momentum, turn the corner and grow from these circumstances.”
One specific area he mentioned he’s seen a lot of development in is philanthropy. Underwood has experience in this domain as he served as chief advancement officer and vice president of financial development for various Ys. He hopes to use his experiences to help fundraising efforts as the needs for successful philanthropic ventures shift.
“There’s been a movement as YMCA leaders are coming up with dramatic and exciting fundraising campaigns,” explained Underwood. “It’s absolutely necessary as we’re a nonprofit and a certain percentage of revenue is supposed to come from contributing sources. We’re still very much facility-based, which means we must keep an active eye for quality programs, services and operations, but I think my experiences are really great for positioning the direction of this organization.”
A Part of the Legacy
Most of all, Underwood is excited to continue his work in perpetuating the legacy of the YMCA. He expressed pride in being part of an institution that uplifts communities and how the work has had a positive impact on himself and those around him.
“I had no idea 30 years ago I would still work for this organization,” said Underwood. “I would be remiss if I didn’t promote the YMCA identity as an opportunity for people looking for career development. We’re a social service and recreation organization, but most importantly, we exist to embellish and support the human condition.”
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