Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Susan Becker, the new executive director of the Greystone YMCA.
The new executive director of the Greystone YMCA is not new to the facility.
Susan Becker began her career with the Y as a part-time swim instructor 20 years ago at the Greystone location.
Between then and now, she’s served the YMCA of Greater Birmingham and the community in several key roles, including aquatic director at Greystone, executive director at the Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook YMCAs and group vice president.
In April, a full-circle opportunity presented itself.
Kristen Harris, Greystone’s executive director for more than 20 years, took the helm of the Birmingham YMCA’s flagship branch in Hoover.
“We decided with my connections and my familiarity with this area, this branch and the membership here, that I would be the perfect candidate to come back,” Becker said.
She said returning to the Greystone Y, located between Hugh Daniel Drive and Alabama 119 along the U.S. 280 corridor, felt like coming home.
“A lot of people come up and say, ‘You taught me how to swim’ or ‘You taught my son how to swim,’ and oh my gosh, yeah. I have a lot of history here,” she said of the Greystone YMCA, which is located between Hugh Daniel Drive and Highway 119 along the 280 corridor.
“I really feel a true sense of community. We are family to a lot of our members,” said Becker, who continues to supervise the Trussville, Pelham and Alabaster branches as a group vice president.
“I can't tell you how many times a day we have somebody who tells us what an impact the Y has made to them. And, for a lot of our seniors, we’re the only people they see every day. We are family to them.”
Community service was an early goal for Becker during her college days at the University of Alabama.
“I remember in college, I always said, ‘Boy, I would really love to work for a nonprofit,’ and then you end up going another direction when you graduate because you're getting a job. Who knew that by learning to teach swim lessons, it would lead me to the Y?”
When you see over a thousand people a day, it’s the interactions that set your pace for the day. That’s the beauty of it, and that’s the beauty of working at the YMCA. I’ve always said a bad day at the YMCA is like a good day anywhere else. The YMCA is a great place to work. I love it.
Susan Becker
What does Becker’s role look like on a typical day?
For starters, there is no typical day.
“When you see over a thousand people a day, it’s the interactions that set your pace for the day. That’s the beauty of it, and that's the beauty of working at the YMCA,” she said. “I've always said a bad day at the YMCA is like a good day anywhere else. The YMCA is a great place to work. I love it.”
Serving preschool age kids through seniors, Becker said the Greystone membership is more diverse than people may imagine.
“We have so many activities and programs for our membership of all ages,” she said. “That is something I would love for people to know more about. When you come in with a family membership, there's something for everyone in your family to do.”
An in-house preschool, community outreach opportunities, water aerobics, strength and conditioning training and group classes are among dozens of programs, events and activities available at the Greystone YMCA. There is also a new, technology-based E-Gym customized to each user.
“Anyone who tries the E-Gym gets addicted to it. It's almost like playing Pac-Man,” Becker said, pointing to a screen showing a game-like exercise route. “It's interactive, engaging, and it's easy. It’s been one of the most successful things that we have added.”
The location doesn’t just focus on those looking to get in shape. It also offers a whole range of wellness programs.
A free Parkinson’s support program at the Greystone Y is available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with monthly group support.
“It has been an incredible program for us, and we have gotten a lot of great support from our community and from business partners in our community to help us support that program,” Becker said.
Following the success of the Parkinson’s support program, Becker is planning a cancer survivorship program later this year.
The summer lunch program is another area of community outreach she’s looking to grow. The program provides nutrition to at-risk children in each of the areas she serves.
“Doing the work we do in the community, and the outreach we do with many people in the community, … that's what makes me super happy,” she said. “And that's what makes me so excited to still be working for the YMCA 20 years later.”
