Denise Lam is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. In her role, she oversees the day-to-day operations at the Y, as well as several divisions, including Real Estate, Facility Management, Capital/Construction, Information Technology, Purchasing/Procurement, and Diversity & Inclusion.

Since joining the Y in 2006 as Director of Operations, Denise has served in a number of positions, including Associate Executive Director, Executive Director, Group Vice President, Senior Vice President of Operations, and Senior Vice President of Integrated Business Systems.

A firm desire to serve the community has been consistent throughout Denise’s career. Prior to the Y, Denise was the Chief Executive Officer at the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, a comprehensive nonprofit social service agency serving Chinese and other immigrants and refugees on Chicago’s North Side and western suburbs. Her early work with Chicago’s immigrant community and her service as a Board Commissioner for the Chicago Council on Human Relations allows her to contribute a unique multicultural perspective to the YMCA movement.

Denise sits on the Executive Committee for the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) and is the co-chair of the Health Promotion and Public Education Interest Group for CLOCC. She is a board member of the Chinese American Service League and of Instituto del Progreso Latino. She also serves on the Innovation Advisory Committee at the Museum of Science and Industry. She is a fellow of the Leadership Greater Chicago and is an executive coach and mentor.

Denise was born in Hong Kong. She has a BA in Psychology from Brigham Young University- Hawai’I and a Master’s degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Organizational Development from Springfield College, Massachusetts. Denise currently lives with her son, Kylin, and her mother in the northern suburbs of Chicago.