“Y” the YMCA?
LEARN ABOUT THE YMCA WITH NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF LINCOLN, RENEE YOST
“Strengthening community” is their cause. At the YMCA, they believe that positive personal and social change can only come about when we all work together. Renee Yost, President and CEO of the YMCA of Lincoln, is on a mission to reiterate that message to our community – and Lincoln Kids wanted to give her the platform to do so.
Renee has had a lifelong passion for the YMCA. She grew up in Fremont, graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, and married her high school sweetheart. They eventually called Lincoln home, and welcomed two kiddos into the world. During her career, Renee has held several corporate positions, including CFO for the past 11 years. When the CEO position at the Y opened up over the summer, she was excited for the chance to to lead the organization, calling it her “forever dream job.”.
As President and CEO, Renee is charged with assessing the YMCA’s overall health and setting the strategic direction on a number of fronts (facilities, programs, membership, staff, outreach, etc). With over 750 part-time and full-time employees, their goal is to offer state-of-the-art facilities, services, and programs to the community, with ongoing improvements each and every year to elevate the overall member and program participant experience. The Open Doors Financial Assistance Program is at the heart of what they do, as it provides children, families, and seniors with financial support to participate in YMCA membership and program activities. While the work never ends, her hope is to truly remove access barriers for all to participate in our community.
Renee is passionate about what she does, and it’s fulfilling for her to see her hard work pay off in different ways. She loves when a project or organization she has been involved in has success, and appreciates the skills she’s built through those experiences, even if the outcome wasn’t always positive. Integrity and authenticity, kindness, compassion, and accountability are a few values that are particularly important to Renee. These values, along with the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, guide her daily choices, influence the way she engages with others, and help her contribute positively to the community.
“My hope for our YMCA over the coming years is that we continue to focus on meeting the ever changing needs of the community through our programs, and taking care of our members and staff. It’s important that we remain financially sound so that the YMCA has the capacity to take on community needs when and where called,” Renee said.
She’s learned a lot over the years, and when it comes to being a parent and having a career, Renee said this:
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. There were so many times when I wondered if I was neglecting my kids because of my career. I was so critical of myself, especially at times when I was baking cookies at midnight because I forgot my child needed them the next day. I realized it’s good for your kids to see you juggle all of those responsibilities and how involved you are in your community. Whether you choose to be a working or stay-at-home mom, don’t feel bad about your choice. There’s no right or wrong answer – do what works for you.”
Get to Know the “Y”
From youth development, to healthy living and social responsibility, you’ll find programs, classes, memberships, and family events including:
Child Care Programs
Swimming, Dance, & Gymnastics
Educational Programs
Youth Sports
Active Older Adult Classes and Groups
Annual Turkey Trot 5K/ 1 mile Fun Run
YMCA Camp Kitaki
Lincoln’s YMCA Locations
Cooper, 6767 S. 14th Street
Copple Family, 8700 Yankee Woods Dr, Ste B
Fallbrook, 700 Penrose Dr, Ste B
Northeast, 2601 N. 70th Street
Learn more at ymcalincoln.org.