• Board & Staff
  
• Contact Us
  
• Employment
  
• Conference
        Rooms
  
  
  

A Message from our New President and CEO

As many of you know, NYFS has recently experienced historical change. After 33 years of service to youth and families in our area, Kay Andrews has retired and moved on to her next venture in life and I have been selected by the board to become our new President and CEO.

In keeping with her tireless passion for helping people realize their potential, Kay has formed a new business called KZA Consulting which will coach nonprofit managers on honing their skills and talents. We wish Kay well and are confident in her success.

I personally would like to thank Kay for the guidance she has given me during my tenure with NYFS, especially over the past year and a half while we focused on her pending departure.  This partnership helped prepare me to succeed her and will contribute to a more seamless transition in leadership as I assume the role of President/CEO of NYFS.

Part of the reason I agreed to accept the offer to lead NYFS is because it’s a great organization with a rich history of working in partnership with others in our community. Together, we can provide a greater range of quality programs that serve the needs of youth and families in our area. 

I also agreed to be the President/CEO because of the leadership provided by the board.  Their foresight and decisiveness has helped NYFS become what it is today. I am honored to be entrusted with the task of leading NYFS into the future. We will continue to build upon our tradition of working in community partnership to respond to the challenges and opportunities present in our immediate community and society at large.

At the outset, I don’t think people will notice many changes to NYFS.  We are a sound organization with a talented and dedicated staff.  But we are operating at a time when the world around us is changing dramatically. No longer can we do things simply because that’s “the way we always have done it.” Whether we like it or not, our world is changing at a rapid pace and we must be equipped to embrace and cope with this change or we will be left behind.

And yet one of the ways to cope with change is to be clear about the core principles that guide decisions.  At NYFS we will continue to hold dear to our values of quality, integrity, respect, and creativity.  We are neither naïve enough, nor arrogant enough, to believe that we can do this work alone. We are proud of our goodwill in the community and are aware that it affords us opportunity and responsibility.

I look forward to working with our community partners, clients, volunteers and staff as we craft the next chapter in NYFS history.  I hope you find me worthy of your trust as we continue to realize our mission of preparing youth and families for healthy lives. I am excited at the prospect of new and deepening relationships with you and others who care about our community.

Until then,

Jerry Hromatka
President and CEO
Northwest Youth & Family Services

NYFS serves children, youth, adults and families from all types of backgrounds and circumstances. Many programs are offered on a sliding fee, low-cost or free basis.