Our Leadership

Rick Valdez
Executive Director

Rick Valdez is Executive Director of South Valley Family YMCA. He has served in that role since 2004.

Rick Valdez is Executive Director of South Valley Family YMCA in San Jose. He has served in that role since 2004. Prior to his current position, he was the Operations Director at East Valley Family YMCA and the Health and Wellness Director at Central YMCA. Valdez has been the driving force behind South Valley YMCA’s annual Teeing Off for Teens Golf Classic, raising thousands of dollars each year to benefit programming for teens in the south San Jose community.

Julie Dougan
Associate Executive Director

Julie Dougan is an Associate Executive Director at South Valley Family YMCA, overseeing membership, aquatics, health and wellness, and facilities. She has held a variety of positions in membership and health and wellness at three branches of YMCA of Silicon Valley over the past several years.

Julie Griswold
Associate Executive Director

Julie Griswold is Associate Executive Director for community programming, overseeing child care, after school, camp, youth sports, teen, and family programming. She began her YMCA career as a camp leader and swim instructor and has served in a variety of roles at three branches of YMCA of Silicon Valley over the years, including Aquatics Director, Sr. Director for Child Care and Teens, and Membership Director.

Lori Brooner
Kids Club Coordinator

Lori Brooner is Kids Club Coordinator for South Valley Family YMCA’s onsite child care. She began her YMCA career in 2006 as a preschool teacher at the branch’s child care site at Sakamoto Elementary School before becoming the Y’s Center Director at Oak Ridge Elementary School and the branch’s Administrative Director.

Suzanne Epstein
Child Care Program Director

Suzanne Epstein is Child Care Program Director for South Valley Family YMCA. She began her YMCA career in 1992 as Center Director for YMCA child care at Los Paseos Elementary School and has worked at many other branch child care sites. Since assuming her current role in 2002, Epstein has led the department as it has grown to serve more than 500 children each day. She received a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and child development from San Jose State University.

Jesus Raygoza
Youth and Sports Program Director

Jesus Raygoza is Youth and Sports Program Director for South Valley Family YMCA. He directs activities in youth sports, physical education, ballet, karate, and summer day camp. Before starting his YMCA career, he supervised an after-school program at Horace Mann Elementary School for children who resided in San Jose’s downtown community. Raygoza received a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a concentration in sports management from San Jose University.

Liz Gonzalez
Youth and Family Program Director

Liz Gonzalez is the Youth and Family Program Director at South Valley Family YMCA. She directs activities in after-school programs, child care, camp, and Family Fun Club. Prior to starting her YMCA career in 2006, she worked for Upward Bound and the Educational Talent Search program, where she served children predominantly from low-income households and first generation, college-bound students residing in eastern communities of San Jose. Gonzalez received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in recreation management from San Jose State University.

Bryan Cook
Youth and Teen Program Director

Bryan Cook is Youth and Teen Program Director for South Valley Family YMCA. He directs activities in the branch’s Youth and Government program, Adventure Guides, and summer day camp. He began his YMCA career in 1993 as a Camp Counselor at the Ridgewood YMCA resident camp, YMCA Camp Bernie, in Port Murray, New Jersey. Over the next 12 years, he served on the camp’s summer staff in a variety of roles, including Senior Counselor and Program Director. In 2006 he transferred to Southwest YMCA in Saratoga, California, as Child Care Site Director for Discovery Charter School in western San Jose. He assumed his current position in 2008. Cook received a master’s degree from San Jose State University.

Caitlin Williams
Membership Director

Caitlin Williams is Membership Director at South Valley Family YMCA. She began her YMCA career in 2004 working our front desk in the membership department before being named Membership Coordinator and then Membership Director.

Jessica Kravin
Associate Aquatics Director

Jessica Kravin is the Associate Aquatics Director at South Valley Family YMCA, overseeing aquatics programs, including swim lessons, swim team, masters swim, and swim clinics. Jessica began her YMCA career as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Downtown Berkeley YMCA. She also held positions in aquatics at the Downtown Oakland YMCA and the Santa Barbara Family YMCA before beginning at South Valley in 2010. She is a graduate of Laney College.

Kim Miller
Wellness Coordinator

Kim Miller is the Wellness Coordinator at South Valley YMCA. She began her YMCA career as a wellness coach/personal trainer in 2008. She has worked with more than 300 members in the Weight Loss Challenge, helping them make lifestyle changes and develop habits to lose weight and lead healthy lives. She received a bachelor’s degree in German and is certified as a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Sarah King
Group Exercise Coordinator

Sarah King is the Group Exercise Coordinator for South Valley Family YMCA. She has grown up at the Y, starting as an after-school volunteer and on the swim team as a child before joining our staff in 2006. Sarah has worked in many roles in several departments at the Y, including membership, aquatics, wellness, and group exercise. She is a certified personal trainer and exercise instructor.

Joan Khooshabeh
Child Care Director, Allen at Steinbeck School

Joan Khooshabeh is Child Care Director at South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Allen at Steinbeck School. Prior to starting her YMCA career in 2000, she was a preschool director for several years.

Ninveh Bodaghi
Child Care Director, Sakamoto Elementary School

Ninveh Bodaghi is Child Care Director at South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Sakamoto Elementary School. Prior to starting her YMCA career in 2005, she worked for several child care centers as a teacher and director. Bodaghi received a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent development and a master’s degree in psychology.

Ana Antonio
Child Care Director

Ana Antonio is Child Care Director at South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Hacienda Elementary School. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Santa Barbara.

Nicole Somrak
Child Care Director

Nicole Somrak is Child Care Director at South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Los Paseos Elementary School. She began her YMCA career more than 20 years ago.

Lovedeep Sahota
Child Care Director

Lovedeep Sahota is Child Care Director for South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Oak Ridge Elementary School. She began her YMCA career in 2005. She received a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree.

Tiffany Moraga
Child Care Director

Tiffany Moraga is Child Care Director for South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Reed Elementary School. Prior to her work at the Y, Tiffany held other positions in child development.

Louise Pourbabei
Child Care Director

Louise Pourbabei is Child Care Director for South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Simonds Elementary School. Prior to her work at the Y, Louise worked as a preschool teacher. She received bachelor’s degrees in nursing and child development.

Kristina Ogle
Child Care Director

Kristina Ogle is Child Care Director for South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Terrell Elementary School. She began her YMCA career in 2005.

Jessi Shute
Child Care Director

Jessi Shute is Child Care Director for South Valley Family YMCA’s child care site at Schallenberger Elementary School. She began her YMCA career in 2001. Prior to working for the Y, Jessi was an art teacher.

Rebecca Boylan
Director of Philanthropy

Rebecca oversees fundraising efforts, development & personal operations at South Valley Family YMCA. Boylan started her career with the Y back in 1998, as a child care teacher, summer camp director and youth sports coordinator. Since then she has been at 4 branches and now calls South Valley Family her home. Boylan brings a dynamic energy to the team at South Valley and her passion to give every child an opportunity to participate in Y programming ensures her success.