Fostering empathetic change with Mai Nguyen and the YMCA of Greater Seattle.
After over 30 years of leading mission-driven organizations in the nonprofit sector, Mai Nguyen knows a thing or two about serving her community.
But regardless of the situation or goal at hand, Nguyen has been powered by one consistent calling: building equitable systems that scale impact and expand access for all people.
It’s a passion she learned at the young age of five when her father built a boat for their family to escape persecution in Vietnam by sailing out of the country. Thanks to the kindness of mentors and nonprofit community, they then found their way to Seattle, Washington.
Because of her family’s resilience and sacrifice and the kindness of the church, Nguyen was able to grow into a leader who is driven by empathy and understanding.
That core pursuit is why in October 2024, Nguyen was named the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the YMCA of Greater Seattle. Nguyen is second in command behind president and CEO Loria Yeadon, the first woman and first person of color to lead the YMCA — as well as the first woman of color to lead one of the 20 largest YMCAs in the U.S. Both Yeadon and Nguyen share their centering on equitable access to programs that promote whole person health.
“Joining the YMCA of Greater Seattle was an opportunity to bring my passion for community, operational excellence and equity to an organization with deep local roots and broad reach,” said Nguyen. “As a first-generation refugee from Vietnam, the Y’s mission resonates on a personal level. I know what it means to rely on community support — and now I help shape how similar support is delivered. It’s one thing to talk about equity; it’s another to build it into every decision we make.”
Immediate Impact
The YMCA of Greater Seattle is the community’s founding nonprofit organization, having been present in the region for over 150 years. This Y’s 14 health and wellness centers, two overnight camps, 40 day camp partnership sites, five early education centers, and 11 social impact service sites serve more than 200,000 individuals annually across King, South Snohomish and Pierce counties.
Despite the expansive size and influence of the YMCA, Nguyen’s leadership is already leaving a mark just one year into her tenure.
Andy Sharpe, the District 2 executive and assistant vice president of operations, said Nguyen’s arrival has brought focus, structure and clarity to the organization during a pivotal time in its history.
“In less than a year, she’s sharpened our attention on key performance indicators that truly move the needle: 90-day and 13-month member retention, new membership, and program growth,” said Sharpe. “Her leadership has not only provided operational discipline but also aligned our association around shared, measurable goals as we move forward into 2025 and beyond. In her unique role as COO and CFO, she helps us balance operational excellence with strong financial stewardship and sustainability.”
Sharpe explained Nguyen’s leadership style is one rooted in intentionality and alignment. A primary focus for her has been building a strong, empowered team by promoting talent from within and attracting high-caliber leaders from outside the Y.
“As someone who was recently promoted to associate vice president, I’ve seen firsthand how Mai champions leadership development and believes in investing in people,” said Sharpe. “She leads with both clarity and curiosity — asking the right questions to challenge our thinking while staying grounded in the mission.”
Nguyen said this direct way of communicating and development is essential to ensuring the Y is promoting equity in the community. She credits that intentional empathy to her personal history.
“Immediately, I think from my immigrant perspective and about how we bring together communities,” said Nguyen. “Then I ask direct questions along those lines: How do we serve communities who don’t speak English or don’t understand the culture? How do we learn from where their lived experience comes from and integrate it into the work we do? We must really broaden our horizons and think there’s more than just one way of doing something. We need to adjust, embody those differences and create a new normal.”
Being More Equitable
After direct questions, the next step in Nguyen’s mission is putting the ideas of equity into actionable programs that make a difference in Seattle, with corresponding KPIs that hold teams accountable to impact.
Specifically, the organization is enhancing efforts on foster care assistance and working with youth in the community who don’t have a stable family environment, have experienced homelessness and are trying to figure out how to survive.
Also, the Y is moving more into the landscape of providing what Nguyen calls “health equity work” for active older adults transitioning into later stages of life.
“It’s been amazing to learn the breadth and depth of what we do here,” said Nguyen. “I’m still learning because there’s so much we do. We’ve tried to ensure all our programs continue to reflect the diversity of our communities. We’re really leaning in more to have these conversations and talk about belonging and inclusion.”
Guaranteeing equity is achieved at the Y also means removing barriers through financial assistance, language access and technology that makes programs easier to reach.
Examples of such initiatives include Affordable for All memberships, which allows individuals and families to access subsidized rates; scholarships for programs like youth sports leagues and summer camps; Safety Around Water, which provides life-saving skills to families disproportionately at risk due to historical and systemic inequities in swim education access; and chronic disease prevention like the Diabetes Prevention Program, LIVESTRONG at the Y and the Actively Changing Together program where families learn healthy habits.
“It’s about showing how equity can live not just in our values, but in our systems — in how we budget, how we operate and how we prioritize community needs,” said Nguyen. “I’m proud to be part of a team that’s aligning mission with strategy in meaningful ways. That means making sure financial decisions support greater access and operational choices reflect the realities of the people we serve.”
Greg Lewis, the District 1 executive and assistant vice president of operations, said these programs help the Y be more deliberate about championing equity. This is because equality and accessibility are essential to the DNA of the organization.
“An organization committed to positive impact must be intentional about this work,” said Lewis. “It must start with the strategic plan, then it needs to be built into the goals, communicated, reinforced, measured and monitored. Then, we act when barriers are discovered. One great example would be our financial assistance policy where we offer up to more than a 50% discount on membership — under certain hardships — without a lot of paperwork.”
Overcoming Challenges
Despite the positive intentions and mission of the YMCA of Greater Seattle, achieving true parity in the community doesn’t come without tribulations.
According to Nguyen, the recent national conversation surrounding DEI programs and cuts in federal funding have presented challenges for the Y.
“Given the landscape of what’s happening from a DEI perspective, we have to be extra strategic about how we tell people about our programs,” said Nguyen. “We’re changing our language to some degree, but not the intent behind our inclusive work. We also don’t have a bottomless well of money. We’re all facing federal funding cuts and resources are going to be very limited. The landscape is always going to change, but we as an organization must set ourselves up to handle change.”
Sharpe said with these harsh shifts in the industry, the YMCA will be required to make hard decisions and pivot in real time. However, he believes Nguyen is the type of leader who can make a difference in uncertain periods.
“As CFO, she brings the financial acumen and foresight to help us plan responsibly, but she also brings deep belief in the mission and a commitment to the young people and families we serve,” explained Sharpe. “Her support has ensured even amidst change, our social impact work remains a central and protected part of who we are.”
The dichotomy between being adaptive to funding changes and keeping essential services is always at the top of Nguyen’s mind.
She said while the Y has some programs that don’t improve the organization’s financial bottom line, they must remain due to their importance in the community. Because without their impact in Seattle, the mission of the organization will fail.
“These obstacles aren’t going to change the core of who we are and how we operate,” said Nguyen. “We continue to emphasize communities that don’t have access and struggle to come to our gym or access programs. For us, it’s thinking through the work and asking how we adapt in this environment? How do we continue to collaborate with local nonprofits and partners in this space to do the things we’ve been doing? The answer is lead with intentionality.”
An Invested Future
While Nguyen speaks about change and purposeful direction, she said perhaps the most important aspect of the YMCA moving forward is attracting young minds in the surronding area to help build the core of the organization.
Growing and supporting the next generation of leaders to take on the work and to understand the community will be how the YMCA of Greater Seattle can reach new heights.
Once that investment in future decision makers is made, Nguyen said they can use their stories and voices to fight for empathy.
“We need to share those stories more than ever so people in higher power positions will listen,” said Nguyen. “So, when the federal cuts are fully realized at the local level, they will be able to understand the implications of it. But as a YMCA, we must continue to allow people to be seen and heard. Because there are so many communities who are being threatened — like our trans community. How do we create that space as a Y so that community can be loved? But if people aren’t seen or heard, we’re never going to attack the problems we have in front of us.”
It all comes back to Nguyen’s passion for equity and mission to create better conditions for others. After seeing her family fight for a better life, she is now using her voice as CFO and COO to fight for all who call the Y home.
“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.”
