The YMCA of the South Sound strives to strengthen communities with purpose and intentionality every day. To meet that goal, the South Sound Y is always working to improve their team and recently they added three new team members.
Those positions include Kolanye Bykoff as Executive Director of Youth Development, Kyesha Liekly as Executive Director of Community Engagement, a new role focused on developing innovative approaches to service delivery through strong stakeholder engagement, and Claudia Suastegui as the new Director at the Shelton Family YMCA. The South Sound Y is made up of three facilities including two in Olympia – Briggs YMCA & Plum Street YMCA – as well as the Shelton YMCA.
Over the course of Kolanye’s nonprofit career she has spent eighteen years working for YMCAs in Whatcom, Pierce, and Kitsap Counties. During this time, her roles and titles have changed, but her focus on fostering youth voice, program innovation, and developing creative partnerships have remained at the center of her work. As Executive Director of Youth Development in the South Sound Y, Kolanye will utilize all her experience and skills to create more equitable outcomes for youth and families in our region.
In the newly created role of Executive Director of Community Engagement, Kyeshia will focus on the creation of policies and structures that remove barriers and foster equity and inclusion for all. As an AmeriCorps volunteer in the Greater Seattle area, she supported school retention efforts, access to basic needs and mentorship programs. She then moved those skills over to assisting the Seattle-based nonprofit, Choose180 where she formed a youth-led Advocacy Division that supported youth around Washington State.
As the new Director of the Shelton Family YMCA, Claudia brings with her a 20-year career at the Caldwell Branch YMCA of Treasure Valley in SW Idaho. Serving most recently as the Youth Development Director, Claudia says “I love the Y … it is where I have a sense of belonging.” She feels the South Sound community has everything it needs to thrive – deep roots, a beautiful environment, and a willingness to help one another.
To learn more about the South Sound Y please visit their website at www.southsoundymca.org