Tedd Maxfield stands outside the Austin YMCA Wednesday afternoon. Maxfield took over the executive director position, formerly held by Mark Bjorlie, who retired recently. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

New director has deep-rooted ties to organization

Tedd Maxfield has the YMCA in his blood. Both of his parents worked for the YMCA growing up, which meant he spent a lot of time in Y programs and working there in high school. He spent several summers during college working at YMCA summer camps, so it naturally follows that he would work for the Y after graduating from the University of Wyoming.

“I couldn’t think of anything that was as exciting and had the kind of mission-driven focus that YMCAs have,” Maxfield said. “There weren’t any jobs that I could think of that I believed in as much as I believed in the YMCA.”

That passion for Y-work has lead Maxfield to work in executive roles for more than 21 years with various YMCAs around the country, and it’s that passion that lead Maxfield to become the new executive director of the YMCA in Austin as of May 21.

Maxfield heard about Austin through other Y employees who told him about Minnesota. Maxfield has been across the country serving as director or CEO at various YMCAs, working in Missouri, Ohio and Arkansas.

The YMCA wanted someone with Maxfield’s credentials as well. Y board members, staff and regular members recently wrapped up a strategic planning process that, among other things, identified the need for a capital project to expand and update YMCA space in the community. Maxfield previously organized and led two successful campaigns to build a new YMCA in Nevada, Mo., as well as a re-organization at the YMCA in Little Rock, Ark., over the past several years.

Though Maxfield has only been here two weeks, he’s already thinking about how best to help the YMCA in Austin meet its goals. YMCA officials previously said the Y could undergo an expansion, addition, or even a new building to replace the current YMCA, which was built in the 1960s.

“That will be a big focus … determining what programming will be as we go forward, what the space needs will be and how best to accomplish that,” Maxfield said.

Yet Maxfield hopes to accomplish other goals, like making the YMCA a more inclusive place. He wants to meet as many people as possible during his first few months and encourages people to contact the Y to talk to him. In addition, Maxfield hopes to reach out to Austin’s poor and communities of color to let them know what the Y can offer.

“We don’t turn anybody away because they can’t afford our services,” he said. “We want to be as inclusive as possible.”

Maxfield said he’s already felt welcome in Austin and is looking forward to helping people get in shape. He’s as passionate as ever about the Y’s mission.

“We help people get better,” he said. “We help them grow in spirit, mind and body.”