Thomas Russell ’11 remembers the decision that put him on the path to his new position as Executive Director at the Central YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California. 

“I can draw a direct line from The Bush School to my career trajectory and successes,” Thomas said. Spring quarter AMP Week, Marty Leeds offered a course held at a community pool in Shoreline. By the end of the week, students would earn their lifeguard certifications. I took that class, and the rest is history.”

After graduating from Bush in 2011, Thomas attended the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Art History. While there, Thomas put his lifeguard certification to use, working at a Seattle YMCA pool. Thomas’ work ethic, leadership abilities, and commitment to the communities served by the branch helped him earn the title of Director of Aquatics after he graduated from UW in 2015.

When Thomas applied for an Aquatics Director position in San Jose in 2016, he says it was more out of curiosity than anything else. When he was offered the position and declined it, the YMCA returned with another offer: Senior Program Director. He accepted, and he’s been in San Jose since.

Now, in the role as the Executive Director at the YMCA, Thomas’ scope far exceeds aquatics programs. He oversees total operations for the Central YMCA, including leading the Board of Managers, and leads aquatics strategy across the YMCA of Silicon Valley’s 10 aquatic locations.

“What I learned at The Bush School is so far beyond what was taught in classes,” Thomas said. “As a student at the University of Washington, I realized I’d felt more challenged at Bush. I experienced so much growth and development in my time in the Middle and Upper Schools at Bush. When I started there, I was quiet, timid, and shy. By my senior year, I’d been voted Senior Class Senator and won the Coach’s Award as Captain of the Varsity Baseball team. I learned so much about leadership from those experiences.”

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the communities served by the YMCA of Silicon Valley, which in-turn meant a drastic decrease in membership activities. Spurred by his love of community, Thomas said he’s eager to re-engage the people for whom the Silicon Valley YMCA’s were a mainstay.

“We are focused on rebuilding post-COVID,” Thomas said. “How have our communities' needs changed? How do we meet those needs? What do we need to change about our business model to ensure our Y is here to serve Silicon Valley for another 150 years. We’re in a transformative period and it’s an exciting time.”

He also shared that in the next several years, Google will develop millions of square feet of office and retail space in the heart of San Jose, which will greatly change the makeup of the Y’s service area.

“These challenges are all opportunities. We are uniquely positioned to elevate our impact and unlock potential we weren’t able to tap into pre-COVID. COVID has taught us we can be nimble and flexible, and I am confident we’ll be able to meet the needs of our rapidly growing and changing communities. The Y truly is a force for good”

As he reflects on his path to Executive Director, Thomas holds Bush at the center. 

“You never know how a decision you make at sixteen might impact the rest of your life. I had ideas about what I wanted to do—I still imagine getting my pilot’s license someday—but it was the decision to register for that AMP week experience that set this course. And beyond that, some of my closest friends to this day are from my graduating class at Bush.”