YMCA 30 UNDER 30

On behalf of the staff team and board of directors of the YMCA of Upper Palmetto, we are happy to announce that Rachel Basmaci, Senior Program Director at Indian Land YMCA, has been selected from 220 nominees representing more than 70 Y associations nationwide for the third annual 30 Under 30 Class honored by the Emerging Leaders Resource Network.

In the summer of 2017, the National Emerging Leaders Resource Network Steering Committee embarked upon a strategic planning process. Through research, we identified a substantial imbalance between the proportion of Millennials as it relates to the total workforce in the USA and the percentage of Millennials who make up the YMCA workforce. In other words, the YMCA workforce is aging as the rest of the country’s workforce is getting younger. After conversations with our stakeholders, we determined the need to create a recognition program for emerging leaders across the Movement. This program seeks to identify and formally acknowledge 30 full-time YMCA leaders under the age of 30 for their accomplishments and recognize their potential to lead our many Y Associations in the coming decades.

2020 and 2021 have been years unlike any other across the nation and throughout the YMCA Movement. Leaders from all over have committed to doing what it takes to ensure their community has the support they need to stay strong through this trying time. Because of this, the National Emerging Leaders Resource Network Steering Committee felt it was imperative to continue to recognize the work of our under 30 colleagues working beside us each day.

About Rachel

Rachel has worked or volunteered for the YMCA since she was 12. At her previous Y, she worked in every department the Y had, but spent most of her time in Camp and Sports. She was part of the Leaders Club program where she volunteered thousands of hours which led her to the Role Model Award and Volunteer of the Year for 2013. After graduating with her Masters in Health Education and Behavior, Rachel became the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) coordinator for the YMCA of the Suncoast, where she ensured people of all health risks have an opportunity to take back their health. She also served as the Clearwater YMCA’s Leaders Club Advisor. Rachel transitioned all in-person DPP classes to online at the start of COVID. She offered to work as a Wellness Coach and Fitness Floor Association when Ys opened back up.

After nearly a year as the DPP coordinator, Rachel accepted a job as the Senior Program Director to open the new Indian Land YMCA. She moved states and opened up a new YMCA as one of two directors that hired, onboarded and trained all 85 employees the new YMCA needed via phone and FaceTime since in-person interviews were limited due to COVID. She oversees Aquatics, Wellness and Child watch, and briefly oversaw the Afterschool care program. She also serves on the Wellness and Aquatics Quality Circles for the YMCA of Upper Palmetto to continue improving the quality of opportunities we offer our members.

When she’s not at the Y, Rachel enjoys traveling, coffee and SCUBA diving. Her journey at the Y has been filled with every area the Y has to offer. Rachel says, “I love to learn, lead and teach! I love to take any opportunity I can get to learn something new or work with and teach others.”

Congratulations Rachel!