YWCA Mankato Announces New Executive Director
It is with great pleasure YWCA Mankato announces its
new Executive Director, Ceceli Polzin. Polzin comes to the agency with over 30 years of
marketing, communications, event planning, and fundraising experience in the greater Mankato
area. Additionally, she has demonstrated leadership in community relations, particularly around
diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and health improvement teams focused on health equity.
Polzin has been involved in various community-based initiatives focusing on creating a healthier
community through education, awareness, and action. She is committed to continuing that focus
at the YWCA as well. Says Polzin, “The mission of the YWCA, “eliminating racism, empowering
women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all’ is the reason I was drawn to
this position, and fuels my motivation to elevate the important work we have and will continue to
achieve. I see my role as the Executive Director as to ensure the greater community sees,
experiences, and understands the vibrancy YWCA Mankato brings to our region.”
YWCA Mankato has been without a permanent Executive Director since late 2021
when Natasha Lopez-Rodriquez left the organization. In November 2021, Kim Danger began
serving as Interim Executive Director. During the interim period, the board of directors and staff
paused and reflected on the organization’s direction and role within the greater Mankato
community. With the guidance of an external consulting company, Excelsior Bay Group, the
agency embarked upon a year-long strategic planning effort that wrapped up in late 2022. The
new strategic plan will guide the agency’s programming, hiring, and event decisions over the
next three years.
Trisha Duncan was part of the strategic planning process. She says, “We are very proud of the
new strategic framework we have developed over the last year. We were fortunate to receive
input from community stakeholders. We are excited for Ceceli to start developing the work plan
around this framework.”
As the executive director, Polzin will oversee and establish policies, programming, and events
for YWCA Mankato, including women’s leadership, racial justice, and youth programming within
the parameters of the new strategic framework. Polzin starts her new role on April 3, 2023.