Chris Demetriou was promoted to Executive Director of the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA in July of 2020. Born in Long Island, NY, Chris started his Y career as a Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer, quickly growing within the Y movement and holding several roles in sports, wellness, membership, and operations. One of his fondest memories at the Y was teaching Adapted Sports programming. After working with the children in his program, Chris knew he wanted to make a greater impact in the community through the Y.
Growing up, Chris played college basketball at the Division III level and, to this day, credits his amazing mentors for preparing him for life after college. He has received numerous awards, including the 2013 AYP/YPN James Naismith Award, 2015 YMCA of Greater Brandywine E.A.G.L.E. Award, and 2020 Horizon West Who’s Who.
Chris is proud of the incredible impact the Y has made in the West Orange Community and believes there’s much more to be done. Through outstanding partnerships and collaborations, they have organized multiple food distributions and drowning prevention programs, and they continue to provide a safe space for youth to learn, grow, and thrive while out of school.
Chris has been married to his lovely wife (who he met at the Y) since 2015. Together, they have two beautiful kids who are learning how to swim and participating in youth sports at the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA. He’s a proud fan of the NY Giants, Yankees, and Knicks!
My Y: “Our jobs are some of the most important jobs, especially in our world today. We never know what challenge someone is facing when they walk through our doors. If we can positively affect them in some way, through spirit, mind, and body, then we have done our job. My wh(Y) is to be a change agent for our community.”