Maria Goodwin - CEO

Maria has worked for YMCA South Devon since 2008, originally in the Youth Department until she took over as CEO in 2013.

Maria is passionate about providing opportunities for the children and young people of Torbay that will raise their aspirations and improve their options in life.

In Maria’s spare time she loves spending time with her family and socialising with her friends. In her quieter moments she enjoys reading, yoga, pilates and walking.

Penny Harris - Operations Manager

Penny has worked for YMCA South Devon since 2014, during this time her role has developed and she is now the Operations Manager, overseeing the welfare of all our staff and the smooth running of daily life at YMCA South Devon.

Penny enjoys looking after her 4 grandchildren and when time allows, socialising with friends.

Dee Passenger

Dee Passenger has been teaching in Torbay schools, across all age groups, for 22 years. She has extensive experience supporting children with special educational needs, and her specialist area is Autism.

Dee has recently qualified as a Domestic Abuse Champion to offer support to the families of Torbay. She is loving being part of the Muddy Wellies team and strongly believes in developing positive parent/carer partnerships, and promoting a love of reading, to support children’s early development.

In her spare time, Dee enjoys spending time with her two children, paddle boarding along the beautiful South West coast and walking her Cockapoo, Baxter.

Natalie

Natalie was born and raised in Paignton and is a mum to three strapping lads.

She has worked with young people for many years as a child minder, working for children’s services, a deputy safeguarding lead at a local secondary school, a safeguarding lead in a special school and now as the youth team manager at the YMCA.

In her spare time shes likes to cook, travel and read.

Wendy - Chair

Wendy has run her own consultancy business for over 30 years. Working in the commercial, public and charity sectors, she supports boards and leadership teams on organisational change, driving improvement and business strategies and building teams and partnerships.

Now partly retired, she is enjoying using her skills and experience to help the YMCA achieve its ambitions. In her spare time she teaches Pilates to friends, dabbles in a bit of creative writing, works in the garden and cooks.

James - Treasurer

James is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years experience in the both business and practice, Over the past 23 years he has run an automotive business specialising in the supply of workshop equipment and after-sales service support.

He has now working in a part-time capacity still working in business, but offering time and experience to a number of charitable organisations. Outside of work commitments, he is an active member of the local Parish Church community and enjoys gardening, travelling and socialising, coupled with the occasional trip to the gym!

Patric

Patric has enjoyed a career in people management and human resources. Having previously worked in retail management for 13 years, in 2014 Patric changed his focus to human resources management and now works as a People Partner for a local Housing Association.

He is a proud Devonian, and moved to Torbay in 2001, having previously lived in mid, and north Devon. To relax, other than family time, he enjoys the odd round of golf, DIY, reading and word games.

Rachel

Rachel has been on the board of trustees for YMCA South Devon for seven years. She is retired, has three grown up children and one grandson.

She has had a varied career working front of house in hotels in her younger years and then moved into accounts and payroll positions. More recently, after having a break to bring up her children, she has worked as a primary school teaching assistant. She also volunteered for Home Start Torbay for four years.

In her spare time she loves looking after her grandson, taking the dogs for a walk and having trips away with her husband in their camper van. She also loves sea swimming which she does at least three times a week, all year round. Yes ALL year round without a wetsuit!

Allison

Allison is a former Chartered Accountant and Business Psychologist working primarily in the marketing communications sector.

She worked with the owner managers of small to medium sized businesses helping them develop and improve profitability, man management abilities and the value of their companies.

She is now a full time contemporary artist and a member of the Teignmouth Art Society committee as well as walking her two chow chows, cooking and travelling.

David

David is a former journalist and was editor of the award winning daily newspaper, the Bath Chronicle, before he helped set up a five star hotel and private members’ club that was the Sunday Times Romantic Hotel of the Year. He then set up an ecommerce company, the first on the web to specialise in men’s bags.

He is now Marketing and Communications Lead for Torbay Communities (formerly the Torbay Community Development Trust) and spends his spare time being walked by his dogs, paddle boarding, kayaking, cycling and working out in the gym.

Jo

Jo is currently sharing the Partnerships Manager role for the Imagine This partnership in Torbay, a lottery funded umbrella organisation for VCSE organisations who work with children and young people.

She is a trained secondary and alternative education teacher, with over 35 years of experience in working with young people facing multiple disadvantage.

She has set up and managed several projects for young people in Bristol and Devon, including a specialist centre for young people at risk of homelessness, a therapeutically informed Urban Academy for post 16 young people, and several in-school therapeutic support programmes. She has advised organisations on youth policy and youth homelessness, and has been an adviser and visiting lecturer within higher education.