Lakeland Native Takes The Helm at Growing YMCA

4-minute read

TJ Wright, a 28-year-old Lakelander, grew up in the YMCA.

Now he’s the Y’s West Central Florida CEO.

The West Central Florida YMCA encompasses three branches including its Family branch on Cleveland Heights Boulevard with a large addition nearing completion, as well as six after-school sites.

On May 20, its board promoted Wright to CEO, a role he took up June 1.

Wright had been the interim CEO since Jan. 29, when previous CEO Natalie Dyal resigned.

The new role, Wright said, feels “amazing.”

Growing up at the Y: Wright grew up in Lakeland’s Webster Park neighborhood. He has spent much of his life at the Y, starting at 9 years old in its Par 3 First Tee program, learning how to golf. 

“I fell in love with the branches,” he said. “We would play golf in the morning and swim in the afternoon.”

At 19, he began working at the YMCA’s Par 3 as a program coordinator. He went on to run the Par 3 program and the YMCA’s Lake Wales location, then became the YMCA of West Central Florida’s vice president of administration, then its chief operating officer.

Along the way he graduated from Southeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s in Nonprofit Leadership. 

“Coming out of the pandemic… a lot of doors opened up because (the Y) had to survive,” he said. “I was very fortunate and willing to wear multiple hats and that’s what propelled me to where I am now.” 

The renovation: He’s taking the reins during a pivotal time for the Y. Its Lakeland Family branch renovation is a $25 million project, which Wright said has been fully funded by donors. 

“We were jam-packed,” he said, “had no space available in youth sports. (We needed) additional space in the field house for more youth sports programming, more summer camp programming.”

Rodda Construction has kept the project on schedule, he said.

The five-phase renovation is slated to be completed by May 2026.

• The field house is expected to be completed by October. It will have a full basketball court, an indoor turf field, an elevated 1/10-mile walking track, a cardio deck, and strength-training equipment on the first floor.
• The child care building is partially completed; the pavilion has been enclosed, allowing for more indoor play. They’ve also added an indoor turf room and a commercial kitchen. Renovations to the classrooms in the child care facility are expected to pick up in the fall and be completed by May 2026. 
• After the field house is completed, the Y plans to renovate its existing building with updated locker rooms and expanded parking.

New programming on the horizon: According to Wright, the Y is hoping to be able to offer more running-related programming once the new indoor track is complete.

He said they will be able to expand youth sports programming and have more availability for summer camp participants. 

He expects the Family YMCA will also be able to add more exercise classes and club sports such as volleyball, soccer and basketball.

Wright said they would like to use the commercial kitchen to partner with Lakeland Regional Health to offer nutrition classes, teaching its members how to lose weight through exercise and better eating habits. 

Wright said he hopes local organizations will rent the new facilities when they’re not being used. 

The other branches: Wright said the Y is also exploring how to make renovations to the  Fontaine Gills Family YMCA and searching for funding opportunities. 

Although the YMCA branch in Lake Wales closed in 2023, Wright said the YMCA will open an Early Learning Center at the McLaughlin Academy of Excellence in Lake Wales in the fall, which will offer voluntary pre-kindergarten and early childhood education.