J. SMITH YOUNG YMCA NAMES JEN FULLER-ALLEN AS NEW CEO
Jen Brings 20 Years Experience to Organization YMCA Board Selects First Female Leader of YMCA Leigha S. Smith, Chief Volunteer Officer of the Board of Directors of the J. Smith Young YMCA is pleased to announce the selection of Jen Fuller-Allen as the new CEO of the J. Smith Young YMCA.
Fuller-Allen will officially begin her role on June 1st, 2021 replacing the current interim CEO, Billy Freeman. In making the announcement, YMCA board President Leigha S. Smith noted the historic nature of the appointment. “We’re excited to have Jen move into this role as the first female to lead the YMCA locally. She has demonstrated her ability in playing key roles with the YMCA and has helped move the YMCA forward in day-to-day operations. After we formed the CEO Selection team, it became clear to us that we had the very best possible candidate right here.”
Fuller-Allen is a graduate of UNC Asheville where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and Elementary Education, a graduate of Winston Salem State University where she earned a Masters in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction and Appalachian State University where she earned a Masters in School Administration. Fuller-Allen has been an employee at the J. Smith Young YMCA since 2001, serving in numerous capacities including youth development, membership, and wellness.
Prior to her work with the YMCA, Jen worked in the Winston Salem/ Forsyth County & Davidson County school systems as a teacher and administrator. She resides in Lexington with her husband Michael and their 3 children, Elaine, Julia and Thomas. “We are so thankful for the interim guidance that Billy Freeman has provided our Y. His knowledge and experience helped us fulfill a gap while the committee searched for a new CEO. By promoting Jen to this role, we are able to combine the experience that Billy shared, with Jen’s extensive programmatic experience. The two of them have been a great team in helping us strengthen our YMCA. “I grew up in this Y, and a piece of my heart has always been here. Though I've held many different positions throughout my time here, my job has always remained the same at the Y, in every role: to help others in every way and to do something that matters. Page 2 Fuller-Allen states, “Our Y is more than a community, it’s a family to some who have no other family, it’s a place that is based on a sense of belonging and a sense of unity that is missing in so many other areas of our world these days. The J. Smith Young YMCA is for all, and as I step into my new role, I will continue to make sure that everyone in our community feels welcome and is served.”
### About the Y For 50+ years, the J. Smith Young YMCA has helped our neighbors learn, grow and thrive. Yet we’re called to do so much more. Our community faces new challenges that create a greater need than ever for the work we do every day. Fortunately, where some see obstacles, we see opportunities for our members, volunteers and staff to make a difference. While the pandemic has required us to modify the way we have always done things, our mission of strengthening the foundation of our community remains the same. In 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, our Y became a vital community resource. In just a few short months, the Y served over 90,000 evening meals to children, hosted multiple blood drives, served 100 children in childcare for essential workers and Summer Camp and most recently are serving 225 children in a virtual E-Learning academy.
