YMCA of Greater Toronto announces retirement of President & CEO
Medhat Mahdy dedicated his almost 50-year YMCA career to boosting well-being in the GTA
Toronto – March 13, 2023 – Today, the YMCA of Greater Toronto officially announced the retirement of President & CEO, Medhat Mahdy, effective Friday, July 7, 2023. Medhat has spent almost 50 years with the charity. He started as a part-time tennis instructor in 1976, progressing in various roles across the organization including moving to a leadership role at YMCA Canada. He became President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toronto in 2010.
As President & CEO, Medhat has played a crucial role in advancing the Y’s vision of vibrant communities where everyone can shine. During his 12 years as President & CEO, Mahdy championed the charity’s Strong Start, Great Future capital campaign efforts. He led a significant expansion of YMCA locations including the doubling of child care centres to more than 300 sites and the opening of the Cooper Koo Family YMCA, The YMCA at The David Braley Vaughan Centre, The Steve & Sally Stavro YMCA, the Wagner Green YMCA for unhoused youth, and transitional housing for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth at YMCA Sprott House. Work continues on two additional Centres of Community currently planned in Toronto – the McDonald Family YMCA at Queen and Spadina and the Bridletowne Neighbourhood Centre in Scarborough.
Mahdy led the development of the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s current Ignite the Light strategic plan aimed at boosting well-being and promoting equity – a plan that, with the support of more than 5,000 employees at over 440 locations, has withstood the test of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has championed the charity’s work on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB), including deepening the Y’s anti-Black racism efforts through staff training, the launch of the Black Achievers Mentorship program, and building a dedicated DEIB staff team, including a Manager of Indigenous Relationships as part of the Y’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
Mahdy is also the President of YMCA Ontario, which includes 14 regional YMCAs across the province.
“I’m humbled by the many experiences, opportunities and challenges the YMCA of Greater Toronto has provided during the last five decades but mostly I am grateful for the relationships I’ve built with employees, volunteers, donors, partners, and participants,” said Medhat Mahdy, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toronto and President of YMCA Ontario. “When I joined the Y back in 1976 as a part-time tennis instructor, I could not have imagined it would lead me on such a long and meaningful career working together to improve people’s well-being with more Ys, for more people, in more communities.”
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am honoured to have worked with Medhat and thank him for his unwavering dedication and commitment to building strong communities throughout his decades of service to YMCA of Greater Toronto,” says John MacIntyre, Board Chair, YMCA of Greater Toronto. “Medhat Mahdy is a tremendous leader and he leaves a stable and able charity. It’s a legacy I’m confident will help generations to come reach their full potential.”
The YMCA of Greater Toronto Board of Directors is currently completing a formal search for the next President & CEO and the successful candidate will be announced at a later date.
About the YMCA of Greater Toronto
The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead and give back to their communities. For 170 years, the YMCA of Greater Toronto has provided opportunities for people to shine through a variety of programs and services including health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families and seniors. Promoting equity and boosting well-being across more than 440 locations in the Greater Toronto Area, the Y is a leading charity that helps everyone shine. For more information visit https://ymcagta.org.
