Fry Family YMCA Executive Director Erika Wood Retires After 43 Years of Service

After 43 years of dedicated service to youth, families and communities, Erika Wood, Executive Director of Fry Family YMCA, has announced her retirement from the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.

Erika’s YMCA journey began on Chicago’s South Side at the West Communities YMCA when she was just 12 years old. Encouraged by her mother, a Chicago Public Schools teacher, to spend her summers volunteering, she began helping with preschool programming, participating in YMCA Leaders Club activities and later teaching swimming lessons. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong connection to the YMCA and inspired her career path.

“The YMCA was where I felt like I belonged, like I was making a difference and connecting with other people,” she said.

Erika landed her first YMCA job at age 16 and jokes that she has “been getting paid by the Y ever since.”

Inspired by her experiences, she pursued a degree in recreation and was offered her first Program Director position while completing her internship at Lawrence Hall for Boys, a community-based service agency committed to helping heal the effects of childhood trauma. Her career later took her to YMCA of Metro Denver for 10 years before returning to the Chicago area to join the Indian Boundary YMCA team in Downers Grove and eventually helping lead the Fry Family YMCA’s Safe ‘n Sound afterschool program for more than 15 years.

Throughout her career, Erika said she was never motivated by titles.

“Titles didn’t matter,” she said. “The learning, the people, and the programming fueled me.”

Among the moments she is most proud of was helping the YMCA respond during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fry Family YMCA quickly adapted to provide emergency childcare and support families during an incredibly challenging time while continuing to create safe, engaging experiences for children.

When reflecting on servant leadership, Erika says that it is the foundation of her approach.

“It’s our responsibility to make a difference,” she said.

Erika says what she values most is the opportunity to help people feel connected and supported, while creating experiences that bring communities together.

“The Y has given me a lot,” she said. “It allowed me to dream.”

As Erika’s time with the YMCA comes to a close, leaders across the organization reflect on her lasting impact.

Fry Family YMCA Advisory Board Chair Adam Johnson shared, “Erika’s 43 years of service reflect a lifetime of commitment to community, families, and the mission of the Y. We are deeply grateful for her leadership.”

YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago President & CEO Adam Alonso added, “Erika’s legacy is one of compassion, leadership, and unwavering dedication to strengthening community. On behalf of the entire Y community, I wish her and her family all the best that life has to offer.”

Her final day with the YMCA will be Friday, July 3, 2026.