FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Minnick

Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA

570-764-0294

Jason.Minnick@wvymca.org

WILKES-BARRE (July 8) - The Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA has named Jennifer Brennan its Chief Operating Officer.

Brennan first joined the GWVA YMCA in 2015, serving as Child Care Director of the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA from 2015-2021. She was promoted to Vice President of Child Care for the entire Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA in 2021 and has spent the last five years expanding YMCA child care programs in Luzerne County to serve 932 children and 712 financial aid recipients.

“I’m honored to transition from Vice President of Child Care to Chief Operating Officer at the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA,” said Brennan. “The heart of my work has always been serving children and families. This new role allows me to build on that foundation by supporting the people, programs, and partnerships that strengthen our community. The mission remains the same, only the opportunity to make an impact has grown.”

The program Brennan directed has earned several accolades in recent years. The Keystone Stars program has named five of the seven YMCA sites "four-star" facilities, the top honor available for child care organizations in Pennsylvania.  

In her new role, Brennan will oversee the operations of the association, which governs four YMCAs (Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Hazleton and Freeland), YMCA Camp Kresge in White Haven and three child care facilities (YMCA Dr. Charlotte L Casterline, MD Early Learning Center, YMCA Mericle Family Center for Early Childhood Education and YMCA Child Care at Bear Creek) in Luzerne County. Brennan will operate under the direction of GWVA YMCA CEO, Jeremy Popiel, who moved from his role as COO to CEO on July 1.

A graduate of Dowling College in Oakldale, New York, Brennan started her YMCA career at the YMCA of Long Island in 2004. Brennan has over two decades of progressive leadership experience within the YMCA, beginning in youth programming, camp and member services and advancing to executive oversight of multi-site childcare operations.

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About the YMCA

Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening the Greater Wyoming Valley community for over 160 years. Now through six branches, the GWVA Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across Northeastern PA.