News
October 6, 2016Capital District YMCA Promotes Melissa Bellew
The Capital District YMCA is pleased to announce the promotion of Melissa Bellew to the position of District Executive Director for the Schenectady and Duanesburg branches.
In her new role, Melissa will lead our efforts to expand the Y in Schenectady County and manage the growth of our newest branch, in Duanesburg. Melissa will be chiefly responsible for successfully managing the day-to-day operations of both branches; forming strategic partnerships with key business, civic, and social leaders; and growing the number of children, adults and families served by the Y.
Melissa has a solid reputation for consistently exhibiting professionalism, diligence, attention to detail, and a demonstrated ability to create positive change.
Most recently, Melissa has served as Executive Director of the Schenectady branch. Prior to that, she served as the Director of Program & Member Engagement for 17 months, overseeing the Y’s Healthy Living Center, chronic health programming, and product groups.
Prior to joining the Capital District YMCA, Bellew served as a public defender and private attorney in Kentucky for 17 years, representing the rights of the indigent. Bellew also served the YMCA of Central Kentucky for 18 months as their Director of Member & Wellness Initiatives, overseeing branch development, membership, and wellness efforts.
“Melissa’s sincere dedication to serving the needs of others makes her an excellent choice to lead our Schenectady and Duanesburg branches,” noted Dave Brown, President and CEO of the Capital District YMCA.
When asked to comment on her new role, Melissa noted that she’s reminded of a quote by Rosalynn Carter, which expresses Melissa’s efforts to help her staff successfully respond to the needs of our members and our community: “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”
Bellew is also a champion cyclist at the state & national level, and an avid adventure seeker. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University in English and Spanish and a Juris Doctorate law degree from the University of Kentucky.
The Capital District YMCA is one of the 35 largest associations of YMCAs in the country and one of the largest membership-based community service organizations in the region.
Melissa assumes her District Executive Director duties immediately.
