YMCA of Greater Seattle announced on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019 that Shaquan Brown has been named as the new Executive Director of the Matt Griffin YMCA.

Shaquan joins the Matt Griffin branch after serving as Associate Executive Director of the Auburn Valley YMCA since October 2017.

“Shaquan is the perfect fit for our Matt Griffin YMCA and community,” said Shalimar Gonzales, District Executive for the YMCA of Greater Seattle. “He is passionate about quality service, diversity inclusion and equity, and building strong and resilient communities. Shaquan has taken Auburn to the next level since his arrival and we’re looking forward to seeing him in action in SeaTac.”

Shaquan has worn multiple hats throughout his career and comes to the Y with a great deal of leadership and operational experience. He started his career in New Jersey in 2007, where he worked his way through the YMCA ranks, while gathering meaningful experiences along the way. Shaquan has hands on and supervisory experience in all departments of the YMCA and is responsible for the implementation of the first Day Camp and school-aged childcare site for the Wayne community. While in NJ, Shaquan led the development of the multi-statewide strategy for engaging at-risk youth, which led to the development of the 7th Grade Initiative. He continued to work with the NJ and PA State Alliance to create the Middle School Initiative, where all Middle School students received access to the Y in hopes of increasing physical activity, developing social skills and improving leadership skills. Shaquan later partnered with Board members and led the opening of a 25,000 sq. ft. satellite branch in an underserved community, focused on providing access to those who otherwise couldn’t afford the YMCA. In Auburn, Shaquan focused heavily on operations, efficiency and innovation.

“When the opportunity presented itself to work for the Matt Griffin YMCA, I was extremely excited,” said Shaquan. “The Matt Griffin YMCA has been the flagship organization in the community that provides all people, especially the young the encouragement to reach their fullest potential in spirit , mind and body. Furthermore, SeaTac is the most diverse city in Washington and I’m eager to prove to the community that we are welcoming, inclusive and safe for all. It’s an honor and privilege to work in the SeaTac community and I look forward to taking the branch to the next level.”