Our favorite takeaways and lessons learned from the 2025 Community Rec Magazine cover stories.
Another year is now over, and it’s time to look back at the six cover stories that helped defined the work of Community Rec Magazine in 2025. The end of the year is always a time to reflect, and as someone who is very nostalgic, this is one of my favorite articles to write.
From how CEO Mike Brown led with love at the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth, to how the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston acts as the heart of the city, our cover story subjects inspired an entire industry. It was a pleasure to detail their stories, and here are my favorite takeaways from this year’s issues.
YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth
Beginning with Mike Brown and the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth, we learned leadership rooted in empathy, love, and personal resilience can transform an organization’s culture and impact.
This is evidenced by Mike Brown’s journey and how his care-focused leadership at the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth has driven growth, staff development and a bold, people-centered vision.
“The truth is, what I look back on is what I tell my staff today — the secret sauce to a YMCA is that love and kindness,” said Brown. “My thing about life is you can go through hardships and abuse but it’s possible for someone to be lifted by other people. I don’t really concentrate when I tell my story on my own tragedy as much as what I’ve learned from it. I just want to teach people everything I can.”
JCC Indianapolis
In the March/April issue, Sam Dubrinsky, the CEO at JCC Indianapolis, shared how her purpose-driven leadership — shaped by early experiences witnessing communities in crisis — has fueled her commitment to strengthening the JCC Indianapolis.
This is through deep community connections, inclusive diversity and thoughtful, listening-centered leadership that positions the center for growth and greater community impact.
“The moment you walk into the JCC Indianapolis, you can feel the warmth of the community,” said Dubrinsky. “I’ve often said Indianapolis is a well-kept secret. It’s a city with a lot of opportunity to enhance the community and provide services that support community wellness. From the moment I stepped foot inside the JCC, I knew I wanted to be here.”
Missoula Family YMCA
For the May/June issue, we saw firsthand how despite having just one branch, the Missoula Family YMCA’s deep community connection and adaptive leadership enables it to serve over 15 counties.
This reach helped launch a record-breaking nearly $20 million capital campaign for an expanded campus and fill critical local needs — especially in childcare and youth development — proving a “small but mighty” organization can be an essential community backbone.
“To serve over 15,000 unique individuals, it takes an incredible leader like Heather Foster,” said Melanie Brock, a YMCA board member. “Heather’s enthusiasm for the Y’s mission to create a safe, welcoming space where everyone can thrive is contagious and inspires the hundreds of Y volunteers to pitch in. She’s built an incredible team of dedicated staff who roll up their sleeves and tackle every task with a smile on their faces. Under Heather’s leadership, the Missoula Y staff and board truly have evolved into a family and a community backbone.”
YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region
In the July/August issue, readers saw how under the leadership of Boyd Williams, the CEO of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, the Y embraces bold structural changes and strategic partnerships.
Such initiatives include specialized product-line teams, health care collaborations, cutting-edge fitness technology, AI tools, and in-house physical therapy to continually innovate, better serve its community and set a new standard for what a modern YMCA can be.
“We’re cutting edge, and currently first in the country in offering several state-of-the-art fitness and wellness products,” said Williams. “We don’t settle. We find ways to be different and lead change. I get up every day challenging myself to lead our organization differently, better and more responsive to the ever-changing needs in our community.”
YMCA of Greater Seattle
For September/October, the story of Mai Nguyen, the COO of the YMCA of Greater Seattle, in our annual DEI issue showcased the power of fostering empathetic change in the community.
The Y is intentionally doing so by embedding equity into its strategy and operations through removing barriers, aligning measurable goals to impact, and expanding inclusive programs so all community members can truly belong, participate and thrive.
“Celebrating people’s differences, bringing in communities with diversity of thoughts, ideas and cultures — that’s our YMCA,” said Nguyen. “For us, that will never change as long as I’m here. But the real strength of the Y lies not in any one individual, but in the collective passion and commitment of its people. As we invest in young leaders, nurture new voices and welcome all who seek to build a better future, we ensure our mission endures. Together, we pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable community — one where every person has the chance to belong, lead and thrive.”
Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston
Finally, readers saw how the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston has become a central, resilient community hub, driven by deep local support and commitment to “Tikkun Olam.”
After a major renovation and reopening, membership has doubled. This reflects how the JCC’s diverse programs, strong leadership, and community engagement make it indispensable to Houston’s social fabric.
“Leadership in today’s Jewish and nonprofit communities is exciting, challenging and often complex,” said Joel Dinkin, the CEO of Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston. “True leadership lies in integrating these elements with purpose. At the heart of my work — and what I’ve valued most — are the meaningful relationships we build. The success of the J is built from meaningful relationships and a true sense of trust and belief in our desire and abilities to make a difference in our community.”
Thank you to all our readers for another awesome year of learning and developing relationships. I look forward to even more advancements in the industry in 2026.
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