Leading with Belonging and Bold Vision at the YMCA of Columbia Willamette

Nonprofit leaders know that creating meaningful change in legacy organizations requires both bold vision and deep empathy. In this episode, Spencer is joined by Bess Goggins, President and CEO of the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette, to discuss leading transformative change, building a culture of belonging, and the role of communications in advancing equity. This episode is ideal for health nonprofit leaders navigating complex systems, team culture, and digital engagement strategies.

About the guest

Bess Goggins is the President and CEO of the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette and the first woman to lead the organization in its 157-year history. She began the role in May 2025, bringing nearly 20 years of nonprofit leadership to advance the Y’s mission of community well-being, belonging, and opportunity across the Portland metro and Southwest Washington region.

She previously served as CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend, where she led strategic growth and secured a $1.7 million Early Literacy grant from the Oregon Department of Education to expand K–3 tutoring. Bess holds dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Communications and dual master’s degrees in English with concentrations in Technical Writing and Rhetoric. Now based in Portland, she is inspired by the YMCA’s commitment to holistic health, inclusion, and thriving communities.

Resources

• The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker: https://www.priyaparker.com/book-art-of-gathering
• Radical Candor: https://www.radicalcandor.com/
• The Oregonian: https://www.oregonlive.com/
• The Columbian: https://www.columbian.com/
• The Reflector: https://www.thereflector.com/
• The Bee: https://thebeenews.com/
• Portland Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/portland
• Coaching For Leaders Podcast: https://coachingforleaders.com/
• The Art of Manliness Podcast: https://www.artofmanliness.com/podcast/
• Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks: https://matthewdicks.com/Books/storyworthy/
• The Fine Art of Small Talk by Debra Fine: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93409.The_Fine_Art_of_Small_Talk

Contact Bess

• Website: https://www.ymcacw.org/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bessgoggins/
• YMCA CW’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ymca-of-columbia-willamette
• Bess’ email: [email protected]