You just never know where Snowball graduates will turn up! The Operation Snowball prevention education and leadership development retreats are offered around the world; 360 Youth Services is proud to offer the Chapter from Naperville. When 360’s new CEO Katy Leclair began October 5, we were delighted to discover that she is a Snowball graduate.
It was more than 15 years ago that her family moved during the second month of her freshman year of high school. The transition was very difficult and left her feeling isolated. Soon she found herself retreating from activities that she had previously loved. One day on the bus ride home from school, a student from her new neighborhood in Orland Park invited her to attend an Operation Snowball retreat.
She says, “To this day, I don’t think he knows the difference he made in my life.”
At the retreat, she made new friends, developed a support system and learned new communication and leadership skills. She would go on to join a group called YES Prevention which led to a multi-city tour in Australia to advocate for stricter regulation of heroin.
Since that time, Katy has earned a J.D. degree as well as business degrees, and held numerous positions at the Y. She was Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer at the Greater Joliet Area YMCA where she managed four YMCAs. Recently, she learned about the programs and services at 360 Youth Services and enthusiastically accepted the position of CEO of the organization firmly committed to the Snowball tradition.
And that’s where Katy is now.
