Above / Look for the Century Walk YMCA sculpture at the Fry Family YMCA, located at 2120 95th Street, where Stephanie Kuzelis has assumed the role of new executive director.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago is pleased to introduce Stephanie Kuzelis as the new Executive Director of the Fry Family YMCA in Naperville. As Executive Director, Kuzelis will lead the entire staff at the Y center and will manage and oversee all center amenities and programs, and work to strengthen community partnerships to ensure that the Y continues to be a valuable community resource for local families.
Kuzelis has worked in the education field her entire 22-year career, 19 of those years in management and operations. She started out as a fifth-grade teacher in North Carolina before moving back to Illinois and resuming her love for teaching at the Chicago International Charter School, where she taught second grade. It was here that her management skills were first noticed and she was asked to serve on the school’s Regulations Committee to review and recommend staff policies and provide peer coaching. From there Stephanie went on to work as Center Director for Education at the Sylvan Learning Corporation in Barrington, and then in various management roles at a number of learning institutions in Westmont and Naperville, including at the Goddard School in 2009.
She comes to the Y after a successful few years as the Regional Director of Operations setting up The Learning Experience early education centers in South Elgin and Lake Zurich. Consistent throughout her career is her success with staff development and building high-performing, passionate teams.
Kuzelis Brief Bio
Kuzelis was born in St. Charles, Illinois, but fondly describes Naperville as “practically my back yard growing up.”
She noted that she and her friends as well as family spent a lot of time in Naperville and that she and her friends “would eat their way through Ribfest” every July.
“I also lived and worked in Naperville briefly in 2009, so you can see why it was important for me to come back to an area that I know and love. I constantly try to instill a sense of giving back to the community in my four children. I have a lot of respect for Naperville residents. They are very dedicated, engaged, and proud of their city and it would be my honor to contribute to that,” said Kuzelis.
“It was very important for us to attract and hire an Executive Director who not only has the professional experience and leadership skills but who also knows Naperville and has a true understanding of the community’s unique needs,” said Denise Lam, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Stephanie to the Y team and we think she will fit in perfectly.”
“I see the role of a Y center Executive Director as a problem-solver, and as a mother of four I would say I have had a lot of practice in that area!” noted Kuzelis regarding her vision and approach as she assumes her new role. “The Executive Director role needs someone with ample personal, professional, and local experience to keep the ship moving and steer it through stormy waters. There is no denying that we are in challenging times right now. And I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do know that I have the passion to advocate for this community, the ability to listen to different perspectives, and the desire to work collaboratively with community partners – pandemic or no pandemic, so I think my chances are good!”
Kuzelis leads a very active life and enjoys being outdoors. When not working, you can usually find her attending her children’s numerous sporting activities, spending time with her family at their Lakehouse in Lake Tomahawk, WI, listening to podcasts, or watching sports documentaries. She lives in Downers Grove with her husband, Rob, and their two sons and two daughters. Kuzelis has a Master’s degree in Education and Teaching from Aurora University and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Hartford, Connecticut.
Fry Family YMCA
The Fry Family YMCA is one of six Y centers to have reopened for limited fitness activities and swimming. For the immediate future, the YMCA of Metro Chicago is focused on reopening all of its centers across Chicago and the suburbs safely and smoothly by August 1, 2020. As states start to gradually lift social-distancing restrictions, families with school-age children will need reliable before and after school care. The Y’s Out-of-School-Time programming staff is currently working diligently alongside local school administrators to develop before and after school program models that will operate cohesively with the reconfigured school day to give local families practical options that will continue to keep their kids safe and engaged.
About the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
The YMCA of Metro Chicago is an association of 14 Y centers, five overnight camps, and dozens of extension sites located in the city and across the suburbs. We serve more than 200,000 members annually and help children, families, and communities learn, grow, and thrive through programs that promote academic readiness, character development, violence prevention, and fitness and healthy living. Our impact is felt every day when an individual makes a healthy choice, when a mentor inspires a child, and when a community comes together for the common good. Learn about how the Y is working for a better us at ymcachicago.org.
Story and Kuzelis photo submitted by Man-Yee Lee for the YMCA of Metro Chicago
