FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

YMCA OF THE USA ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF FOUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

New members' expertise spans public health, finance, academic and human resources fields

CHICAGO, October 11, 2006 - Virginia Bales Harris of Atlanta, Ann Ostergaard of Pittsburgh, Michael W. Scott of Chicago and Judah C. Sommer of Washington, D.C., have each been elected to the board of directors of YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource organization offering support and leadership to the country’s 2,617 YMCAs.  The election of these volunteers to the 25-member board was announced here today.  The normal board term is three years with eligibility for a second three-year term.  Ms. Harris fills a vacant and unexpired term and becomes eligible for a full term at its conclusion. 

Virginia Bales Harris filled various leadership positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over her 35-year career including serving four years as a Deputy Director of the agency. In 1988, she became founding Deputy Director of a unified CDC organization, the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which focused attention on preventing and controlling chronic diseases and their associated risk factors. In that role, Ms Harris was  instrumental in creating the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, targeting youth in an anti-smoking program, creating a comprehensive school health education initiative and starting a national heart and stroke prevention program. While with the CDC, she was also instrumental in developing the agency’s partnership with YMCA of the USA around YMCA Activate America™, the YMCA’s comprehensive response to this nation’s crisis of inactivity, obesity and chronic disease. 

Ann Ostergaard led her own Pittsburgh-based firm, Ann Ostergaard Associates, from 1986-2004, specializing in human resources consulting to mid- and small-sized organizations.  Earlier she held vice president of human resources posts with Dollar Bank of Pittsburgh and Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York.  Ms. Ostergaard also held positions in New York with companies involved in advertising, retail sales, accounting and nonprofit work. She is past chair of the board of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, having been a board member since 1980.  She received her bachelor’s degree from Smith College, Northampton, Mass., and makes her home in Pittsburgh.

Michael W. Scott is past president of the board of the Chicago Public Schools System and has been appointed to Chicago’s Olympic Committee by Mayor Richard M. Daley.  While leading the Chicago Public Schools, he conceptualized and launched parental involvement conferences that included Chicago parents in the educational development of their children, succeeded in banning junk food from school cafeterias, restructured the school transportation policy and created an Office of Business Diversity. He previously served as general manager of Prime Cable, vice president of regulatory affairs of Comcast Corporation and chief cable administrator for the City of Chicago.  He received a bachelor’s degree in urban planning from Fordham University, New York.  He and his wife Diana make their home in Chicago.

Judah C. Sommer is managing director of Goldman, Sachs & Company, Washington, D.C., where he heads global government relations for the organization. An attorney, he became managing director in 1997 after joining the firm in 1984.  Previously he was a partner in the law firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and served in various positions for Sen. Jacob Javits of New York.  A strong supporter of the YMCA, Sommer has volunteered in various capacities for the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington for the past 20 years.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law.  Sommer and his wife Debbie are residents of Bethesda, MD.

About munity service organization and charity of choice. YMCAs serve 20.2 million people, including 9.5 million children, through a broad range of programs.  YMCAs are for people of all faiths, races, ages, incomes and abilities. Visit www.ymca.net