Congratulations and welcome to the state’s newest CEOs: Laura Sweitzer is President and CEO of the Tom A. Finch Family YMCA in Thomasville, and Mark Pritchett is CEO of the Goldsboro Family YMCA.

Sweitzer, who had served as interim CEO since former CEO Billy Freeman’s retirement in July, was named to her new role on August 24. She has served as Associate Executive Director there since 2018 and is a leader in building community, collaborations and service. She began her career in youth programming in 1998, and under her direction, the Y’s child care center earned its 5-Star license and serves more than 200 children annually. 

“We are thrilled to name Laura as our next CEO and believe she is the right leader to move our organization forward,” says Sara Faulkner, Chair of the Tom A. Finch Community YMCA Board of Directors. “Laura’s experience in operations, community engagement, leadership and strategic thinking, along with her deep commitment to the Y’s Christian mission to serve all, make her the ideal servant leader to be our next CEO.” 

Pritchett succeeds Bruce Griffin, who retired as Goldsboro's CEO in June. Prior to his new CEO role, he had served as Executive Director of the Dover Foundation YMCA, part of the Cleveland County YMCA in Shelby, NC, since 2015. A veteran of the ARMY, Pritchett served as a school administrator for 15 years, working to lower dropout rates and increase graduation rates.

He believes that connection and collaboration are the building blocks of a strong community. Mark has seen this through Partnership for Community Prosperity (P4CP), a community initiative of 40+ agencies addressing housing, food deserts and lack of public transportation as three major problems in Cleveland County. 

Mark has joyfully and passionately served his community as a Y leader and believes that he has found his calling, purpose and life’s work and mission. He wakes up every morning excited about the fact that he will have an opportunity to make a significant difference in someone’s life .