Leadership
Veronica Wong-Rizo Becomes First Woman to Lead YMCA of Fort Worth as CEO
By News Desk ·
Key takeaways
- Veronica Wong-Rizo became the first woman to serve as president and CEO of YMCA of Fort Worth, succeeding Mike Brown.
- Wong-Rizo spent 13 years in leadership positions at the YMCA of Greater San Antonio before taking the Fort Worth role.
- YMCA of Fort Worth ran a $4.9 million deficit in 2025 on revenue of $29.1 million, according to its Form 990.
- Wong-Rizo said she wants to meet 100 people in her first 100 days and that the Willow Park branch decision now rests with her.
Veronica Wong-Rizo became president and CEO of YMCA of Fort Worth earlier this month, the first woman to lead the organization and the successor to Mike Brown. The Fort Worth Business Journal, an American City Business Journals title, profiled her appointment on October 28, 2026.
Wong-Rizo's Path From San Antonio to Fort Worth
Wong-Rizo spent 13 years in various leadership positions at the YMCA of Greater San Antonio before taking the Fort Worth post. She is an El Paso native who studied human performance and sports with a communications minor at Metropolitan State University of Denver. A mentor who serves as a CEO search consultant for the YMCA urged her to apply. "I think this is your calling," she recalled the mentor saying.
Wong-Rizo succeeds Mike Brown, who began in the role in 2021 and left at the end of 2025, by then earning a salary of $366,000, according to tax filings. Chief Operating Officer Eddie Dobbins served as interim CEO during the transition.
On being the first woman to lead the chapter, Wong-Rizo credited her parents. "It just says a lot for the Fort Worth organization that they're good with moving forward with their first female leader," she said. She also said she wants to meet 100 people in her first 100 days and that the organization's staff peaks at around 1,500 in the summertime.
The Deficit and Branch Network She Inherits
YMCA of Fort Worth ran a $4.9 million deficit in 2025, following a $5.8 million deficit in 2024, according to the company records on akta.pro. The organization reported revenue of $29.1 million last year, up from $24.1 million a year prior, while expenses rose 14% to $34 million, per its Form 990 filed in August. Program services generated $22.7 million, and contributions and grants fell to $6.2 million from $11.9 million. Net assets returned to around pre-pandemic levels at a little more than $25 million.
The same records describe a network of more than 10 locations in the Fort Worth area, including downtown, Bedford, Benbrook, Eastside, Hood County, Joshua, Northpark, Northwest, Ryan Family, Sports Complex and William M. McDonald branches. YMCA Camp Carter spans 360 acres along the Trinity River, and its cabins accommodate 184 individuals for overnight stays. The organization also expanded before and after school childcare to 54+ school sites across Fort Worth ISD and other districts, and established outdoor education field trip partnerships with 20+ public, private and charter schools.
Willow Park Branch Decision Awaits New CEO
YMCA of Fort Worth announced plans in 2025 to add a Willow Park branch, but the project was halted during the leadership transition. The Fort Worth Business Journal reported that its future will be up to Wong-Rizo. The organization operates 10 branches as well as the YMCA Youth Achievement Services and YMCA Camp Carter-Equestrian Center, and it doled out more than $2.5 million in scholarships, discounts and in-kind support over the course of 2025.