Dan started his Y career at the Marin YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of San Francisco, in November of 2009 as a wellness coach and personal trainer. His innate ability to build strong relationships quickly led to Dan becoming an integral part of the Marin YMCA community where he became a friend and mentor to his colleagues, a sought-after personal trainer and Run Club coach. Dan’s strongest gift was to help others become their best selves and to ensure everyone he worked with was seen and appreciated, no matter who they were. Dan immensely enjoyed directly helping people on their wellness journey, so when his potential as a leader was recognized, he brought that same vigor and enthusiasm into mentoring and leading staff.
In February 2017, Dan became the Director of Healthy Living at the Stonestown Family YMCA where he truly flourished. As a member of the Stonestown Management Team, Dan cultivated an environment of growth through being vulnerable and fostering a safe space for others to be vulnerable around him. Through intentional relationship building, Dan was able to create an unparalleled community in his Wellness staff team and expanded his program exponentially to serve members of our community who needed the support. Dan’s selflessness showed in the quality of his interactions with others, work with the community, and personal relationships with members and staff.
In May of 2020, Dan was diagnosed with Stage IV gastric cancer. In a year defined by a global pandemic, systemic racism and political strife, Dan was also battling cancer. He fought his short battle with strength and optimism, while also continuing to learn a new path of wellness that included his diagnosis. He was so determined to beat it! In December of 2020 his health rapidly declined, and he passed away on December 11th 2020.
To all who knew him, Dan was an inspiration to do and be better. He was passionate about knowing what made others beautifully unique and reflecting that back to them. Dan’s gift in connecting with others and helping people understand their passions led so many people to be excited to continue to learn and grow.
If you would like to support the Stonestown Family YMCA or the Marin YMCA with a donation in Dan’s honor and memory, please select a branch and fill out the form below.