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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

Board of Trustees

Photo of Summit Area YMCA's President & CEO Paul Kieltyka and Board of Trustee Chair Maria Brugg


OUR TRUSTEES ARE AGENTS OF CHANGE

The Summit Area YMCA is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees which is charged with making sure we’re always in a position to help the people in our community develop the skills and relationships they need to be healthy, confident, and connected to others. Our Board establishes operating policies, provides planning and strategic direction, and helps secure the resources we need to promote change in the community and advance the YMCA’s mission.

Photo of Maria Brugg, Summit Area Board of Trustee Chair

MARIA BRUGG

Chair


“As a child, I was part of the swim and soccer programs at the Summit YMCA. After graduating from law school, I moved back to the Summit area and enrolled my children in swim lessons at the same YMCA where I learned to swim. The YMCA is a place where everyone is welcome to better themselves regardless of income or age. It is an organization that strives to help all members of its community. A few years ago, there was a terrible fire in Summit where a family lost all of their belongings. The YMCA was there to help the family and raised thousands of donations from the surrounding community within days. This type of outreach is what the YMCA has always been known for. I am grateful to serve on a board whose mission and vision so greatly serve the public.”

Photo of Michael Colon, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

MICHAEL COLÓN

Trustee


“I have been a member of various YMCAs for 30 years and running. Raising a family in Summit with my wife Sharyn gave us the opportunity to experience a broad range of YMCA programs and services. Our children have participated in numerous Y activities over the years, including swimming lessons, youth soccer, travel basketball, and Adventure Guides. And I plan to play pick-up basketball at the Y for as long as my knees will allow me to! I am proud of the welcoming and inclusive culture of our Y, as well as the benefits it offers to all members of our community. It is my privilege to serve on our Board of Trustees to support our shared mission of sustaining the services, programs and values of our Summit Area YMCA for years to come.”

Photo of Andre Compton, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

ANDRE CROMPTON

Trustee


Photo of Greg Fernicola, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

GREGORY FERNICOLA

Trustee


“I have been connected to the YMCA for decades, starting with a family membership at the Shore Area YMCA in the 1960s where my five siblings and I were on the swim team and regularly participated in the many other activities that the Y had to offer. When I moved to New York City in 1986, I joined the Y of Greater New York and remained a member until 2006 when I moved to Summit. My family is active at the Summit Y, my wife and I regularly work out and my two daughters participate in the many programs offered such as aquatics, tennis, soccer, and camp. I have been impressed with the YMCA organization and its mission that everybody is welcome, regardless of financial ability or background. I am very fortunate to work with a number of talented individuals on our board. “

Photo of Lisa Grennon, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

LISA GRENNON

Vice Chair


“Born and raised in Summit, the YMCA has always been at the heart of my hometown. The YMCA was where I grew up going to camp, learning to swim, and working out with friends when I graduated from college. When we moved back to Summit we enrolled our children in swim lessons and both swam for the Seals. The Learning Circle was our daycare and pre-K. The Y hosted numerous birthday parties for my kids. The YMCA truly is the cornerstone of our community and it serves everyone. You cannot walk into the YMCA and not smile at the positive feelings surrounding you. I am honored to serve on the Board of Trustees and look forward to ensuring the YMCA is there for others as it was for me and is for my family.”

Photo of Thomas Hall, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

THOMAS HALL

Trustee


“The YMCA has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a toddler, I took swimming lessons at the Somerset Hills YMCA, where I went on to compete as a member of the swim team for thirteen years. I was also a very active participant in what is now referred to as Adventure Guides and a youth leadership program. My high school years found me adding work as a lifeguard, swim instructor, volunteer swim coach, and front desk receptionist at the Y to my swim team activities, meaning that the majority of my days were spent at the Y. On returning to the area I joined the Summit Area YMCA, where my two daughters have remained active in the swimming programs from when they were six months old to today as they are both members of the swim team. I am proud to be a member of the SAY community and am fortunate to be able to serve as President of the Swim Team Parents Organization in addition to my role on the Board of Trustees. We are blessed to have such an amazing resource in our community and one that does much more for people than providing a place to work out. As an inclusive organization that supports the development of children, active and healthy lifestyles, and social responsibility, the YMCA is unparalleled.”

Photo of Mary Lin, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

MARY LIN

Trustee


“I joined the Berkeley Heights YMCA when I moved to New Jersey in 2018. As I met other members and staff and learned about the programming for youth and the underserved in the community, I became more involved, volunteering my time and promoting the organization within my network. I am proud to be a part of the Board of Trustees in supporting an organization that is inclusive and has a lasting impact on the community.”

Photo of Michael Lombarbo, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

MICHAEL LOMBARBO

Trustee


“I joined the Summit YMCA in 2015 after learning about the organization and its mission from colleagues in the Summit area, and shortly thereafter became a member of the Summit YMCA Advisory Board and have been an active member ever since. Both of my children are graduates of The Learning Circle and I am grateful for the education that they were provided and the friendships that they have made along the way. I recently had the opportunity to join the Board of Trustees and it is a privilege to work with management and the Trustees to support an organization that has such a positive impact on our family and our entire community.”

Photo of James "lex" Maultsby, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

JAMES “LEX” MAULTSBY

Trustee


Photo of David Metzler, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

DAVID METZLER

Trustee


Photo of Thomas Mulligan, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

THOMAS MULLIGAN

Trustee


“The YMCA has been an integral part of our family for decades. Our 3 children learned how to swim at the Y and had their first experience on the soccer field through the YMC’s youth soccer program. The friends my son made in the Adventure Guides program are still one and the same over 20 years later. The Summit Seals swim team took up a good deal of time during the colder months for two of our children. The quotes on the back of the swim team’s t-shirts still ring true with our children as they navigate their career paths. Today, as Carolyn & I approach empty nester status, we find ourselves in the Y several times a week with my time split between the gym and the pool. The Summit YMCA has been part of the fabric of our 23 years in Summit. Our children have learned many life lessons at the YMCA and we still have someone to greet us every time we walk in the door. I’m happy to have the opportunity to serve on the board and make sure the family-friendly appeal of the Summit YMCA is there for decades to come.”

Photo of Lynley Noviello Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

Lynley Noviello

Trustee


“We first came to the Summit YMCA as a family to enroll our kids into swim lessons when we moved from NYC. It was such a welcoming place and our kids thrived in all activities – soccer, basketball, summer camps. We also loved the Y for the variety of group classes and the exercise facility. In the group classes we felt like it was a community and made many “work out” friends. After meeting many people and some on the board it became clear to us what incredible work the Y did for our community whether it be senior programs, youth sports, the Family Packs program to serve those with food insecurities, the Teen Center, etc. We were amazed and excited to do more with the Y to ensure the Y continues to serve and be a pillar in our community. It truly is the heart of the community.”

Photo of Stacie Powers, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

STACIE POWERS

Trustee


Photo of Robert Radest, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

ROBERT RADEST

Trustee


“I have been an active member of the Summit YMCA for more than 20 years, and a member of the Summit YMCA Advisory Board since 2016. I joined the Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustees in ______, and chair the Capital Campaign Committee. Prior to our commitment to the YMCA, Nora and I were, and continue to be, strong supporters of the Summit Education Foundation (SEF), and several other philanthropic organizations in Summit and elsewhere.
When I joined the Board of Trustees, I was amazed to find out how many individuals and families that the Y helps with financial assistance, physical, and emotional support in the 8 towns in our service area, from Springfield to Stirling. I am honored to be a part of this effort, without which our community wouldn’t be the special place to live and work in that it is.”
Board Member Since 2019

Photo of Norman Sanyour, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

NORMAN SANYOUR

Trustee


“One of the first things I did upon moving to Summit in 1998 was to join the Y. Almost immediately, it became a hub of family activity, with my 5 children participating in the soccer and basketball leagues, climbing the wall, enjoying family swim, and exploring nature on countless Adventure Guide campouts. The Haunted House was an annual highlight, as well. Now, with the kids growing up, we come back for group exercise classes or to work out in the gym. The mission of the Y resonates with the whole family so I am proud to take an active part as a trustee to help promote and advance those principles.”

Photo of Neal Schweitzer, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

NEAL SCHWEITZER

Trustee


“Our two sons learned swimming at the Central London YMCA during one of my offshore assignments. It was an excellent family experience, and my introduction to the Y. Following our return to the US, we moved to Short Hills, the boys grew up and (thankfully) moved out after college. Around that time, I was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. Soon after treatment, I received an unsolicited invitation from the Summit YMCA’s LIVESTRONG at the YMCA post-cancer fitness program. Recalling our London Y experience, and looking for something to lift my spirits, I enrolled, somewhat reluctantly since I wasn’t a gym goer. In the LIVESTRONG program, we ten men and women, as diverse as any small group could be, all with a familiar recent story, met twice weekly at the Berkeley Heights Y. All of us were out of shape, just balancing on one foot was tough! But the directors always encouraged each of us. For me, during those 3 months, it was the program’s director who changed my idea of fitness and the benefits of health conscious social outreach. Afterwards, I became a Y member, and now, together with a gym buddy from the program, and we work out weekly in Berkeley Heights. I not only feel much better about myself, but want to share what I was given, to help others where I can. And so, when an opportunity came up to interview for a Trustee slot at the Y, I was keen to lend my help. It is funny how life can surprise us when we’re open to change.”

Photo of Justine Segal, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

JUSTINE SEGAL

Trustee


“My first encounter with the Y was when I was researching swim team programs for my daughters. Since swimmers spend so much time alone during practice, I wanted a program that was competitive but also provided friendship and team support; Summit YMCA was a good fit for my family. Five-plus years later, my daughters are thriving — sharing bonds of commitment, hard work, and achievement with their swim teammates. Spending so much time at the Y, my family jokes that the Follow Me to the Summit Y magnet was meant for my car! Now, I in turn want to give back and spend my time supporting the Y’s mission of promoting youth development, healthy lifestyles, and social responsibility. What sticks in my mind is how during Hurricane Sandy when so many of us were without power, the Y opened its doors to anyone in the area who needed a place to power up, shower or just to share stories and commiserate. The Y serves an important role in the community and positively impacts the lives of all groups, children, families, and seniors. I am pleased to be a member of the Y community and the Board of Trustees.”

Photo of Joe Tribuna, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

JOSEPH TRIBUNA, MD

Trustee


“The Y is the community. It’s not a gym. It’s about making a difference. Something near and dear to me and my wife’s hearts is one of my daughter’s teachers, who helped diagnose my daughter with a learning disability, I saw that she was in the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program regaining her strength from cancer, and seeing how the Y has made an impact on her life has been phenomenal. I hope to be here and volunteer for a very long time.”

MARY WELDON

MARY WELDON

Trustee


Photo of Kate Wegner, Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustee

KATE WENGER

Trustee


Kate Wenger grew up in West Windsor, New Jersey, and her family moved to Summit in 2016. As a new member of the community, Kate and her family were welcomed by The Learning Circle where all three of her children either attended or are currently enrolled. Kate has been an active member of PTO at the Learning Circle, serving as both a class parent and President. The Summit Area YMCA has been a cornerstone to the Wenger family, providing a nurturing and fun early childhood education; youth soccer, basketball, and swimming not to mention hosting numerous birthday parties. Kate is an Executive Director for Strategy & Governance for the COO office of Naxitis CIB.

YMCA NEWS

SUMMIT AREA YMCA

BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA | SUMMIT YMCA | THE LEARNING CIRCLE YMCA

In 1886, we were founded as the Young Men’s Christian Association, but today, we are The Y; an association that values, and is made stronger by, its diverse people. We stand for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility — For a better us. We are committed to creating equal opportunity for all regardless of gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values — responsibility, honesty, caring and respect — are integral to everyday operations.

Each year, as one of the area’s leading 501(c)3 charitable organizations, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer financial assistance for our programs and services to those in need.