Ryan Power New Executive Director at Montecito YMCA

The Channel Islands YMCA has appointed Ryan Power as the new Executive Director of the Montecito Family YMCA. Power brings a breadth of experience in recreational management, having worked as the General Manager at La Costa Beach & Tennis Club, the Operations Manager at Pierpont Racquet Club, and leadership positions with the City of Ventura, the City of Malibu and Conejo Recreation & Park District. His knowledge base includes youth programs, aquatics, and group fitness. He holds a BA in Education from Cal State Channel Islands. 

In his position, Power will continue to foster community relationships with local schools, and the Y’s partnership with Montecito Unified School District and the Adelante Charter Schools.

I met with Power at the Montecito Family Y, where we talked about his goals and excitement for the organization in conjunction with our town. He asked me to walk the property with him while pointed out areas he is planning to implement. As a dedicated yoga practitioner, he is planning to enhance that at the Y, along with adding Tai Chi, a pickleball court complete with coaching programs and tournaments, and increased community awareness of the Y’s swimming pool, which features a family swim area, lap lanes and swim lesson lane. Power will also be looking at enhancing mental health and senior programs, and increasing programs for locally underserved kids for summer and after school. 

Here are the highlights of our conversation:

Q. What are your goals through 2024 and 2025?

A. With the support of our Board of Directors, the Montecito Rotary Club, and our dedicated members and staff, we were able to gather 210 backpacks and $2,000 worth of school supplies for Adelante Charter School. We ran an enriching and exciting summer camp program there and this will be a great way to see those kids off to a great start for the school year. 

We are always adding more and more to our group fitness calendar, and over the next month we will be debuting classes, including Tai Chi and Les Mills’ BODYPUMP^™ – which incorporates barbells for a high energy work out 

I began my role here shortly after a membership survey revealed strong enthusiasm for pickleball. I’m very happy to share that we’ll be adding this great sport to our facility offering open play, clinics, tournaments, and more to meet that membership demand.

I am excited that we currently have spaces open in our preschool. As a parent I know how hard it is to get childcare and our on-site Preschool program benefits from access to swim lessons, dance classes, yoga and more.

Your top focus for the Y?

The big picture is we are currently working on our long-term strategic plan. We are in the phase right now of interviewing stakeholders and gathering key data to inform the status of community needs and how we can best serve. We will remain committed to our key priorities: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. However, I do think that our new plan will incorporate belonging and bridge building. Loneliness and isolation are real issues for the health of individuals and communities. The YMCA is well-positioned to make an impact and create connections.

What is the CIYMCA Board’s focus for the Montecito Y? 

We are fortunate to have a dedicated board led by our Chair, Gabby Garcia. Gabby and I have two visions for this year. The first is to strengthen our volunteer board by recruiting new and diverse talent. We have many goals we want to achieve, including future building and program expansion, and adding new talents and skills to the team will be important. Second, we have plans to be more visible in our community through events and outreach. We want to ensure that we are meeting community needs, expanding partnerships, and ensuring that the YMCA is seen as one of the best charities in the community.

Your plan for local support and funding?

We raise funds annually to support our operations, mission-based programs, and financial assistance for those who cannot afford the cost of programs. This year our goal is to raise $120,000. Our nonprofit is here to serve the community, but in order to do that, we need community support. The more we raise, the more we can achieve together. We need the support of local foundations, businesses, and individuals to meet our goal and ensure that programs like Livestrong for cancer survivors remain free of charge and that our preschool remains open to families who cannot afford care independently. Donations also help fund scholarships for membership and programs for individuals and families from all over.

What is the coolest thing about your job?

There are many wonderful nonprofits out there, but what sets the YMCA apart is its universal inclusivity. In my daily work, I have the privilege of witnessing the diverse range of people we serve – infants in parent-child swim classes, youth participating in after-school programs, young adults enjoying the pool, seniors practicing yoga, and everyone in between. Our members come to us for their health and happiness, creating a vibrant and positive work environment. I am truly inspired every day by the impact we make. I am very happy to have had a career that led me to this team at the Montecito Family YMCA. Our team here is very diverse, engaging, knowledgeable, and all care deeply about our members and this special place.  

411: www.ciymca.org/montecito