Staff Stories
Jack Ball
Fitness Coach - Downtown Berkeley Y |
Tracy Rogers
Personal Trainer - Irvin Deutscher Family Y |
Ben Pantner
Aquatics Director - Irvin Deutscher Family Y |
Sebastian De La Rosa
Teen Coordinator - Albany Y |
Audi Huang
Academic Manager - YMCA-PG&E Teen Center |
Toni Browne McCree
Associate Executive Director - YMCA Early Childhood Services/Head Start |
Jack Ball was a middle school physical education teacher for thirty-eight years and spent much of that time at King Middle School in Berkeley. Many students know “Mr. Ball” and he is well known in the Berkeley community. Jack retired in 2002 and decided to become a personal trainer. He got certified and was hired at the Downtown Y as a fitness coach and to assist with the senior fitness program. In addition, Jack now helps coach the Y triathlon program, drawing from his experience in coaching the Cal Tri Team for twelve years. Jack is in his seventies and still competes in triathlons. He loves working at the Downtown Y because of the diverse clientele.
Tracy Rogers was not always interested in exercising. From an early age, Tracy had health issues and she thought that due to her limitations, exercise was not for her. A friend recommended to Tracy that she should join the Y and then her love of exercise began. Tracy decided to enlist the help of a personal trainer when her workouts hit a plateau. Shortly after, Tracy pursued a new career and became a Personal Trainer at the Irvin Deutscher Family Y, certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Tracy inspires and motivates others to realize their potential, despite limitations or roadblocks.
Ben Pantner grew up in Pleasant Hill and took swim lessons at the Irvin Deutscher Family Y. He started working at that Y when he was sixteen, as a swim instructor. Shortly after, Ben obtained his certification to lifeguard. He was recommended to become a summertime coordinator, overseeing three pools in the area. Ben went to University of Nevada at Reno, yet would return home during weekends to work. After one year at UNR, Ben decided to move back to Pleasant Hill and attend school in the area, while continuing to work at the Y. Ben became the Aquatics Director in 2008 and conducts First Aid trainings to other Y employees in our association. Ben is passionate about teaching others and it doesn’t stop at aquatics.
Sebastian De La Rosa grew up at the Y. He remembers his mom working at the Albany Y as a fitness instructor, he played basketball at the Downtown Y, was an Albany Y Kids Club kid in elementary school and a Y-Camp camper. Sebastian started working at the Y because it was such an important part of his childhood and he wanted to keep a connection to that and share his experience with others. He was a camp counselor and Kids Club staff member when he attended St. Mary’s High School in Berkeley and was a summer camp director during college while at Fordham University in NY. After he graduated from college, Sebastian decided to work at the Y full-time as the lead advisor for the Y’s Youth and Government program, a site director for the middle school club and camp director. Sebastian is currently the Teen Coordinator and enjoys his job since he has the opportunity to make an impact in the community. Sebastian said, “I like working for the Y because every day I have the feeling that my job positively contributes to our community. The Y has always entrusted me with the great responsibility. I have been empowered and promoted by my supervisors who have given me some amazing opportunities.”
Audi Huang has been involved with our Y-Scholars Program at the YMCA-PG&E Teen Center for the past nine years. He started as a mentor for one student and worked as a program counselor and the case manager for twelve students. As the Academic Manager, Audi is a humble individual who leads by example and by setting high expectations for his staff and 180 program participants. His strong passion for educational outreach stems from his own personal experiences as a first-generation college-bound student. Audi graduated from UC Berkeley. Currently, as the Academic Manager, Audi is developing projects to increase access to various avenues of academic support and college advising opportunities for students from all backgrounds.
Toni Browne McCree grew up in Berkeley and attended Berkeley High School. She moved to the east coast to attend Howard University. Toni returned to the Bay Area to attend law school at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco and held various jobs in the legal sector. In addition to that, Toni was a substitute teacher in Oakland. Toni decided to look for service oriented work in her community where she was raised. She had studied consumer education and advocacy at Howard University so that attracted her to the family service worker opening at the Y. She was particularly interested in the child and family education aspects of the job and supporting families in achieving their goals. Toni knew the Y offered an array of health education and fitness classes and felt that the Head Start program focus on early childhood education and parent involvement would provide an opportunity for her to use her skills and parallel her career interest.
