Emily Marshall
Last week the Cook County Family YMCA announced that it had hired Emily Marshall as its branch executive director. Although Marshall will not officially begin her new job until May 13, 2013, she agreed to talk to the Cook County News-Herald about how she is preparing for the new role.
When the YMCA announced Marshall’s appointment, it relayed her history of employment at the Y—as member service desk attendant, lifeguard, swim instructor, camp counselor, Camp Miller program director, family program specialist and now the aquatics director at the downtown Duluth YMCA facility.
However, the YMCA news didn’t share that Marshall “grew up at the Y.” In a phone interview on April 22, Marshall said she was born and raised in Duluth and first participated in Y activities in baby swim classes. That was followed by her attendance at the YMCA family residential camp with her parents when she was a toddler. Her mother worked as a nurse at YMCA Camp Miller and her father served as president of the YMCA board for 10 years. She has spent time at YMCA Camp Miller every year of her life—as a camper, a counselor and as program director.
Marshall is incredibly enthusiastic about the YMCA. “I’m lucky to have found my calling in life at an early age,” she said.
Marshall is excited about getting to know the people of Cook County. Her family has visited the area for years, cross country skiing or hiking—and shopping. “My mom loves to shop at Sivertson’s Gallery!” she laughed.
Marshall had been considering applying for the job at the Cook County Family YMCA since she first learned of it and has spent months researching the community. She has visited several times and will be at the May 5 Ham Run Half Marathon to help out and to get to know people.
For now, she is helping the Duluth YMCA transition a new person into her role and she is learning about operating a YMCA branch. “I won’t be moving until June. We have three branches and I will spend a few weeks shadowing the other branch executive directors and taking some training,” Marshall explained.
And, she’s compiling a long list of questions, she said. She’s familiar with the YMCA system, but said she has a lot to learn about her new role. “I don’t want to come in with all the answers,” Marshall said. “I want to hear what people want. The great thing about the Y is that it works with the community to find out how to meet its needs. It won’t be a cookie cutter facility.”
Noting that the YMCA building won’t be complete in June, the News-Herald asked Marshall where she would be working. Marshall said that is one of the many details yet to be worked out. “I’ll have an office… somewhere. I can work out of anywhere,” she said.
She is excited about being able to watch the progress on the building. “I got a tour when I interviewed. You can kind of see the outline of the pool. Going through the future fitness area, I can see it’s going to be just great,” she said.
Marshall added that the YMCA will eventually be offering tours of the construction site. “We’ll give people a chance to put on a hard hat and come check it out.”
Marshall said she also wants to meet with community members to get their vision of what the Cook County Family YMCA will be. She said she knows there are some great programs in place and she wants to work to strengthen them. “We don’t want to copy or duplicate what is being done. We want to tailor the Y to meet the needs of the community that are not being met.”
“I know there is so much to be worked out. There will be a learning curve,” she said.
While she is learning, Marshall said she is open to suggestions. Even though she is not the Cook County Family YMCA director until mid-May, she said she would be happy to talk to people now. “I’m unofficially official,” she said, “Give me a call!”
Marshall can be reached at the Duluth YMCA at (218) 722-4745 ext. 131 or by e-mail to EMarshall@DuluthYMCA.org.
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