New CEO Takes the Reins at Naugatuck YMCA

The Naugatuck YMCA's new chief executive director and CEO was part of a team in Waterbury that was tremendously successful in revitalizing the city's YMCA. 

Now, Talbot, who officially started in her new role in Naugatuck this month following the retirement of Bill Kane, says the team of employees and community members who make the Naugatuck Y a great place for the community will help make the local Y even stronger.

"In terms of goals, we would like to propel the Naugatuck YMCA into a very healthy future in the Naugatuck community," she said. "That means developing programs and member services that the community needs. I think we do that currently, but of course the community is always changing, the needs of the community are always changing and we need to adapt to that as well." 

From 1999 to August 2013, Talbot served as the finance director at the Greater Waterbury YMCA.  During her tenure in Waterbury, she was part of a team that secured a total of $3.57 million in grant funding, which helped the organization begin to revitalize itself.

In 2008, she took on the added responsibilities of interim associate executive director where she was accountable for a $2 million budget. She helped design and implement a complete restructuring of the membership/marketing department, which resulted in an increase in member mission knowledge of 38 percent and a 66 percent increase in member comfort (feeling welcome) at the Y, ultimately leading to an increase in membership by 34 percent, according to a news release from the Naugatuck Y.

Prior to working at the Waterbury Y,  Talbot was business manager at Wolcott Organization for Retarded Citizens, Inc. from 1996 to 1999 and program director at Computer 4 Kids, Inc. from 1994 to 1996.

"...I am honored and excited to join and lead this amazing team of staff, board members and trustees," she said. "The Naugatuck YMCA has proudly served the communities of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls for 120 years, and I look forward to continuing this legacy of service to the children, adults, families and seniors as together we continue to build on our history in creating our future."

She said the Y is looking to perform an assessment of what the members and the community believes are the needs of the organization. 

"What tends to happen is we think we know what the community needs but typically we don’t listen to what the community is saying," she said. "So this is the opportunity for people to say, 'no we really want this program or we really need this program.' It’s an opportunity for them to be invested in the future of this organization.