William Morales appointed commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth and Families

 Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that William Morales has been appointed Commissioner of the Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF), which provides vital resources to Boston’s youth and senior populations.

“William has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to make sure Boston’s children and teenagers are getting the care, attention and services they need every day,” said Mayor Walsh. “His commitment to his community is astounding, and his strong leadership and compassion for all residents, from our youth to our elders, will continue to benefit the people of the City of Boston. I welcome him to our team and look forward to working together for the future of our City.”

In his role as Commissioner, Morales will serve within Mayor Walsh’s Health and Human Services Cabinet and will oversee many of the key functions and programs of BCYF, including an array of out-of-school-time programs, elderly and family-centered programs, recreational activities, youth violence prevention and intervention efforts that connect at-risk youth to services and youth employment opportunities. BCYF is in every neighborhood in the city, and Morales will be responsible for coordinating cross-site programming between the centers that serve residents of all ages and circumstances.

“As a native of Boston who personally saw and felt remarkable change in my community thanks to youth-driven programs and institutions, I am honored to have been named as Commissioner of BCYF,” said Morales. “The youth and families of Boston are incredibly important, and I will do my best to serve their needs and interests in any way I can.”

Morales is currently the Executive Director of the historic Boston YMCA Achievers Branch of the YMCA of Greater Boston, and has oversight of the Egleston Square Youth Teen Center.  He oversees the continued growth of both programs, which addresses the comprehensive needs of teens within Roxbury and surrounding communities by offering a wide variety of programming, including discussion groups, sports, recreation, arts, and educational enrichment opportunities, to prepare teens to transition into college and successful careers pathways.

During his tenure at the YMCA, Will was instrumental in advocating for older active adults (seniors) and he helped secure resources for the Roxbury YMCA Seniors on the Move program.

“The YMCA applauds Mayor Walsh’s appointment of YMCA leader Will Morales,” said James Morton, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston.  “Will’s deep understanding and concern for Boston’s people and neighborhoods will ensure that he puts people first as the leader of BCYF.”

A native of Roxbury, William has a longstanding passion for serving the Boston youth community; he is also a local youth trauma responder working at times with the Boston Police Department, and the BCYF Streetworkers to address area violence.  William previously worked as the Senior Director at Wheelock College where he founded the Office of Community Partnerships & Programs, he also served as the Chief Operations Officer of Youth Enrichment Services.

Additionally, Chris Byner will serve as Deputy Commissioner of Programming of BCYF and Michael Sulprizio will serve as Deputy Commissioner of Operations and Finance.

"I have worked with Will on many different projects over the years and I am so excited to have him join our team at BCYF," said Chris Byner, Interim Executive Director of Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF).  "He will be an invaluable asset in guiding BCYF in our critical efforts to support Boston's children and families."

Morales graduated from Springfield College with a B.S. in criminal justice and currently working towards attaining his M.B.A in management from Cambridge College. Morales is expected to begin on Monday, March 7th, 2016.