[Charlotte, NC – June 5, 2018] – The YMCA of Greater Charlotte is pleased to announce new
branch leadership at the Lowe’s, Simmons, Keith Family, Stratford Richardson, and Childress
Klein YMCAs. Over the past six months, the organization has welcomed five new branch
executive directors whose passion and experience will strengthen the organization’s mission
and operational effectiveness.

The Lowe’s YMCA is excited to welcome back to its leadership team Ashley Morgan, who will
begin as Executive Director in late June. A Mooresville, North Carolina native, Ashley began her Y career 14 years ago as a preschool teacher at the Lowe’s YMCA. During her time at the Lowe’s branch, she held the positions of Preschool Coordinator, Afterschool/Day Camp Director, Family Services Director and Senior Director of Program Operations prior to joining to the Keith Family YMCA as Associate Executive Director in 2017. Ashley holds a BA in Religious Education from Gardner-Webb University. Her broad experience in program management, program development, fiscal management, membership, fundraising and staff development will undoubtedly help lead the Lowe’s YMCA to new and exciting levels of success.

The Y welcomes Astrid Chirinos who began leading the Simmons YMCA in late May. A former
YMCA of Greater Charlotte Association Board Member, Astrid brings invaluable expertise and
vision to our Y’s work in East Charlotte. She is a multicultural trailblazer with a reputation for
bringing together diverse communities to stimulate transformation and ignite economic growth.  Astrid has most recently worked as Chief Development Executive of the Latin American Economic Development Corporation that creates and accelerates economic opportunity projects and programs to empower Latinos. Astrid believes that being a former board member will help her drive stewardship of the Y’s mission and cause, and she is excited to continue transforming our community as Executive Director of the Simmons YMCA.

In April, the Y welcomed Kevin Mills as Executive Director of the Keith Family YMCA. Prior to
joining the Y in Charlotte, Kevin served as Executive Director of the Chickahominy YMCA in
Richmond, Virginia. A South Carolina native, Kevin was a camper at YMCA Camp Thunderbird
and began working for the Y part-time when he was 18 years old. Kevin’s professional YMCA
career began in 2008 as a Program Coordinator with the York YMCA in South Carolina. Kevin has also served as the Associate Executive Director of the Rogers YMCA in Columbia, South Carolina and left the Y for a stint as the Regional Executive Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Kevin holds a BA in History from Greensboro College and a MA in Executive Leadership from Liberty University.

Victor Nicholson joined the Y in December 2017 as the Stratford Richardson YMCA Executive
Director. He stepped into this role after serving as Senior Program & Membership Director of
the YMCA of Newark & Vicinity in New Jersey for seven years. At the Newark Y, Victor successfully led the day-to-day operations of the branch, was responsible for implementing by partnering with Newark Public Schools. Victor is a graduate of St. John’s University. Passionate about investing in professional development, Victor is a recent graduate of Rutgers University’s Emerging Leaders Program, which is an innovative and transformative approach to non-profit leadership training.

In November 2017, Chris Knox was named the new Executive Director of the Childress Klein
and Gateway Village YMCAs. Chris joined the organization after spending four years in leadership roles with the YMCA of South Florida, most recently as Vice President of Youth Development, a role in which he served over 6,000 children throughout the Miami area in afterschool and day camp programming. Originally from Tennessee, Chris learned to swim, play basketball, and even met his wife at the Y. Prior to joining the Charlotte team, Chris shared: “Over my career I‘ve had the opportunity to be a part of several YMCAs around the country. I am excited to join the Charlotte association and more specifically impact the health of our community through the Childress Klein and Gateway Village YMCAs.”

About the YMCA of Greater Charlotte
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth
development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte, comprised of 19 membership locations and two resident camps, engages approximately 274,000 men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Deeply rooted in the community for 140 years, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. www.ymcacharlotte.org