The YMCA of Greater Montgomery has been a cornerstone of the community since it was founded in 1868. In fact, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. helped provide a key capital campaign gift and served as an inaugural board member for the historic Cleveland Avenue YMCA branch in Alabama.
This storied history is continuing to evolve after the YMCA named a new CEO in June 2024 — AJ Hernandez.
Since his arrival, the organization has embraced a new motto that guides everything the Y does: “Innovate Within, Impact Beyond.” This initiative means to galvanize Hernandez’s team around the idea that not only are they improving their selves but their approach for the community.
“It was a good theme and it’s stuck,” said Hernandez. “I’ve always prioritized staff development kind of uniquely. How can we think about doing something differently? How do we get better before we can go help others be better? That’s really where [the theme] came from. Our team worked on creating that together and once we got that vision down, it’s really been our calling card.”
Since adopting this creed, the YMCA has experienced 12% membership growth each of the last two years, an increase in annual campaign fundraising to $1.6 million and revenue growth of over $6 million in the past 20 months. This level of success has transformed the center from being part of the city to being a community anchor.
That change happened partly due to Hernandez’s life experiences, which shaped how he now leads the YMCA today.
A Path to Leadership
Hernandez’s journey with the YMCA first began at a young age. He grew up in a low-income, single-parent household.
“My dad was incarcerated and my mom basically had to raise me, my brother and sister on her own,” said Hernandez. “I had to help get my brother and sister to and from school so my mom could work. The YMCA was the first place we got a scholarship from to be able to go to afterschool programs.”
It was through that opportunity Hernandez was able to have fun and grow as a kid. It showed him the avenues for sports, which elevated his leadership development. These experiences enabled him to earn further scholarships to private school, boarding school and college.
A foundational figure in his journey was the site supervisor at the Cleveland Family YMCA, who Hernandez remembers fondly as “Ms. Ruby.”
“She was the first non-family adult role model who poured into me and showed me the potential that was inside of me,” said Hernandez. “I got to see her not too long ago. You may not know the impact you’re making in youth, and she didn’t realize that 25 years ago. But then you see the fruits of your labor right down the road.”
By being a product of meaningful youth development, he felt a continued call throughout his life to return to the YMCA and never look back. Now, he’s returning the favor from Ms. Ruby by pouring into more future leaders.
“Key points of my story revolve around me never saying no to any chance to lead,” said Hernandez. “I remember always seeking out ways to grow into leadership roles as I achieved results and built teams that thrived. Many of the leaders I’ve been blessed to coach are now executives, VPs and CEOs around the country.”
Organizational Buy-In
Thanks in part to Hernandez’s leadership, the team at YMCA of Greater Montgomery is united in their mission to both innovate and make a big impact in the community. Kentrella Jones, the association director of impact at the YMCA of Greater Montgomery, said Hernandez’s vision has helped shape a YMCA culture grounded in purpose, accountability and innovation.
“AJ leads with clarity and trust, empowering staff to think boldly, collaborate deeply and remain anchored in the YMCA’s mission,” said Jones. “His commitment to people, development and strategic alignment has strengthened the organization’s capacity to lead with confidence and respond meaningfully to community needs. Under his leadership, the YMCA continues to grow as both a respected institution and a catalyst for positive change.”
Caleb Cooper, the VP of operations and strategic partnerships at the YMCA of Greater Montgomery, echoed Jones’ thoughts and said Hernandez has galvanized staff members and the entire city.
“AJ will always be the first to do what he’s expecting and has no qualms when it comes to celebrating success,” said Cooper. “We’ll continue to stay on the leading edge of community development, remain mission-centric and always willing to take risks. No risk, no reward.”
Hernandez said one major factor that’s played into the Y’s success is the team prioritizes “impact beyond” among all else.
To do this, the Y focuses on key community partnerships that create meaningful experiences for all, and staff continue to find ways they can reach others intentionally.
“The team that has been built over the last two years is remarkable and a testament to the vision and impact of our YMCA,” said Hernandez. “Lastly, our community connections with elected officials locally, regionally and statewide are remarkable. We have important relationships with city council members, county commissioners, legislators and our governor who serves on our board. It’s a unique and elite level of volunteers who are working to place the Y in the best position to go forward in all communities.”
Focusing on Family and Youth
For many families, the YMCA of Greater Montgomery is their first point of connection to leadership development, civic engagement and a sense of stability.
Jones said whether through youth programs, leadership initiatives or community partnerships, the YMCA creates spaces where individuals are encouraged to discover their potential and build meaningful relationships.
To reinforce this mission, the organization recently introduced Y Towns — interactive, real-world roleplay communities at multiple branches. These spaces let children explore careers, build confidence and connect learning with imagination through hands-on themed environments supported by local businesses.
“Our Y Towns are state-of-the-art child watch spaces that enhance children experiences within the Y,” said Hernandez. “They’re community-based with sponsored replicas of businesses in our area. I think our Y Towns are something very unique in the Y world.”
Adding Y Towns was imperative for Hernandez who believes while YMCAs have amazing programs, children on memberships are not valued enough.
“If I’m a child who’s on a membership and who’s valued just as much as anybody else, why would I want to go to the Y?” said Hernandez. “Especially if I can’t go swim and if I can’t go do these things with my parents who are trying to go to their workout. So, that’s where we’ve really enhanced our child watches with the Y towns.”
Hernandez said the Y has also gotten more intentional with its youth programming through inclusive practices. For example, a staff member was recently hired who specializes in adaptive programming not only for community programs, but during child watch.
“It’s one thing to be accepting, but it’s another to actually put practices into place to make their experiences better,” added Hernandez. “It’s just been a priority for us. We’ve tried to get good about engagement experience, because we recognize we want everybody’s experiences when they come into the Y to be consistent and uniquely theirs.”
Going Up and Beyond
As the YMCA of Greater Montgomery looks toward the future, Jones said its role as a force for good remains central. By continuing to invest in youth leadership, deepen community partnerships and expand access to opportunity, the YMCA is building pathways for long-term impact.
“Rooted in belonging and guided by purpose, the organization isn’t just responding to community needs — it’s helping shape a stronger, more connected Montgomery for generations to come,” said Jones.
Being a trusted community anchor — a space where people feel seen, supported and empowered to grow — has enabled the YMCA to reach beyond expectations under Hernandez’s leadership.
It’s that continued mission to serve over 70,000 individuals annually across 17 facilities that’s pushing the former YMCA kid with big dreams to make a real difference in the community.
“I believe our greatest success is how we lead together as an organization and how our leaders sacrifice to pour into the community and meet needs,” said Hernandez. “Our senior leadership team is incredible with thought, energy, intentionality, and growthminded focus which has spread to our executive leaders and program director teams. We’ve been able to recruit nationally for roles because of our vision and results which starts with innovating within so we can always impact beyond.”
