The East Boston YMCA this week announced the successor of former Executive Director Joey Cuzzi. Ann-Margaret Gutierrez will fill the role of executive director of the East Boston YMCA left vacant since Cuzzi retired last year. Gutierrez will become only the third executive director at the Eastie YMCA after Cuzzi and Eastie YMCA founder Wendy Zinn. Zinn now serves as a regional vice president for the Greater Boston YMCA.
“My career at the YMCA of Greater New York has given me the opportunity to conduct life changing work,” says Gutierrez. “I am ready for the next challenge that will allow me to continue doing work that helps staff and youth reach their fullest potential while providing opportunities for me to grow.”
Gutierrez’s involvement with the YMCA began seventeen years ago where she held many roles within various different departments in the Greater New York area. Her dedication and commitment to these programs have strengthened her ties to the YMCA and allowed her to excel in each title she has held thus far.
In her most recent position, Gutierrez served as senior director of youth for the family and community programs at the YMCA of Greater New York. During her ten years in this role, she held many key positions, gaining countless noteworthy accomplishments.
Gutierrez established the Bronx YMCA New American Welcome Center, established various youth camps, and initiated new community partnerships. These partnerships provided monetary, voluntary, and in-kind resources for low-income families, and sponsored college tours and scholarships.
A graduate of Audrey Cohen College, and a long-time veteran of the YMCA, Gutierrez also served as the new beginnings high school director and adolescent program director at the West Side YMCA in New York. Gutierrez demonstrated similar roles managing several youth programs, as well as creating and implementing its first peer education program and LGBTQ support programs for teens. Expanding outside the New York area, Gutierrez was fortunate enough to travel to Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Thailand with the YMCA Global Teens program to provide leadership development and service learning projects.
Building on her strengths, Gutierrez was instrumental in helping to merge the Grosvenor Neighborhood House with the local YMCA. As program director at the Grosvenor Neighborhood House YMCA she established new programs for adolescents and served as the director of its AmeriCorps program.
“The YMCA of Greater Boston prides itself on attracting top talent to guide each branch in youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility—the Y’s areas of focus—and strengthening communities,” says Kelley Rice, spokesperson for the YMCA of Greater Boston. “It’s our goal to promote within and we are excited to see Ann-Margaret thrive in this new role and apply his skillset to continue to positively impact the youth and surrounding neighborhoods in Boston.”