A community center is more than a building. It is early reading in a quiet corner, a senior’s balance class on a Tuesday, a teenager who finds a mentor after school. Patricia Clynes, chief financial officer of the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, builds the financial and operating systems that make those moments possible and scalable.
Clynes points to a three-year stretch defined by smart expansion and deep partnership. The first-of-its-kind Speer YMCA opened as a hub for youth development and neighborhood engagement, signaling what happens when trusted partners align around student success. In parallel the organization advanced the redevelopment of a signature campus into a mixed-use site that will pair mission services with attainable housing for local employees, including YMCA staff. Those choices widened reach, modernized programs and set a fresh bar for what impact can look like in St. Pete.
Inside the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, the future of work is intentional. Clynes helped shape a strategic plan 2025 and beyond, a roadmap that emphasizes targeted onboarding, mentorship and continual upskilling so staff grow into emerging roles. Scholarships support continuing education. Cross-functional learning helps teams blend financial discipline with service, program design and member experience. The aim is simple and demanding—equip people to lead well today and be ready for what comes next.
Clynes keeps teams focused through consistent communication, clear metrics and a steady drumbeat of wins that show why the work matters. Her own compass directs her to drive excellence through servant leadership, as every step creates lasting change. That mindset turns spreadsheets into outcomes children and families can feel.
The entrepreneurial thread that led her to the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg started long before a boardroom. Clynes built a career at the intersection of finance and service, then chose the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg because mission and numbers meet there every day. She invests in partnerships, strengthens systems and refuses to separate stewardship from heart. Under her guidance operations became faster and cleaner, which freed time and resources for programs that change lives.
A Titan 100 Honoree, Clynes is known for connecting big-picture vision to the smallest operational detail. She forges collaborative relationships, inspires teams to stretch and pairs accountability with empathy. Recognition matters less to her than having more kids safe and learning after school, more families accessing wellness and more staff growing into leaders who reflect the community.
Vision over the next five years is clear. The YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg will extend services into underserved neighborhoods, invest in facilities that welcome everyone and attract top talent eager to serve a dynamic region. Financial foundations will stay strong so reach can grow without compromise. Clynes measures progress in durable results—a campus that anchors a block, a program that raises confidence, a workforce ready to meet tomorrow—because that is how a city’s health improves one step at a time.
