National YMCA Emerging Leaders Resources Network Announces Two Dallas YMCA Leaders As 2023 Top 30 Under 30
On December 13th, The YMCA of the USA's Emerging Leaders Resources Network (ELRN) honored Alyssa Morales and Danielle Beatty, from the White Rock YMCA, as 30 Under 30 winners for their outstanding leadership.
ELRN's first effort to highlight the accomplishments of young staff was the debut of 30 Under 30 in 2018. This award recognizes staff who embody the YMCA mission and formally acknowledges 30 full-time YMCA leaders under 30 for their accomplishments and potential to lead YMCA Associations in the coming years.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas is excited to honor Alyssa Morales and Danielle Beatty for this esteemed award.
Alyssa Morales
Alyssa Morales assumed the role of Membership Coordinator during the Y for All program renewal period in 2022 at one of the largest branches in our Association, situated in a socially and economically diverse community where nearly one in five program participants receive financial assistance. Currently supporting over 250 members through the Y for All program, Alyssa outlined three areas of focus upon accepting the role, highlighting one-on-one meetings with program applicants, creating Spanish-language marketing materials, and establishing community partnerships. In the past year, Alyssa has achieved her milestone goals, successfully meeting with over 300 individuals, assisting recipients in job applications, and building strong community relationships while managing her other responsibilities.
Under her leadership, membership has grown by over 600 units since April 2022. Alyssa created and managed a bilingual monthly newsletter, fostering a sense of community among Y for All members. Additionally, her efforts have resulted in monthly in-kind gifts and increased membership retention. She played a key role in the 2022 Angel Tree, serving 132 children and 66 families.
Alyssa's impact extends beyond numbers, as she builds authentic relationships in the East Dallas community. She has collaborated with school administrators, notably strengthening ties with Mount Auburn Elementary, leading to board-supported supply drives. Her connections have linked Y for All recipients to external resources, showcasing her commitment to community service.
Danielle Beatty
Because of Danielle’s efforts, our YMCA was able to retain and expand our youth dance program after the COVID-19 pandemic. The program consistently sees growth, and Danielle has built and strengthened community partnerships that have helped expand the program's impact. Over half of the program participants receive financial assistance, yet Danielle was still able to end the year with a net positive revenue line working with another nonprofit organization that provided a donation of costumes for the season. Danielle intentionally engages with stakeholders in the community to ensure our Y is able to continue to carry out our mission.
In addition to program growth, Danielle was responsible for doubling our social media reach and raised $10,000 for the Y’s annual campaign. She also mentored another local nonprofit to assist them in expanding their program marketing reach so they could serve parts of East Dallas that they were not yet serving.
Dance studios often lack racial and economic diversity due to studio locations and the cost of the programs. Danielle has worked tirelessly to ensure that her program is reaching communities that otherwise might need access to youth dance opportunities. Our YMCA’s youth dance program is truly for all, and that is because of Danielle’s passion and intentionality. The Y is a more equitable organization because of Danielle and how she implements and markets her programming.
Read more about the award, selection process, and honorees here.