Michael Brunker:  

Life Married since 1976 to Maria Colonna (Warren Fitzgerald HS -72) with five children (Maria-1978, Michael-1981, Mario-1985, Michelle-1990, Marianna-1994), and four grandchildren (Kolu-2015, Cruz-2017, Duke-2020, and Sierra-2020). Moved to San Diego in 1980 to coach basketball at San Diego State University. I served as the Executive Director of San Diego’s “inner-city” Jackie Robinson Family YMCA for twenty-two years. While at the JRYMCA, located in San Diego County’s most critical community we increased the branch staff from 8 to over 90, the Board of Managers from 12 to 35, and the budget from $450,000 to over $4.2 million in FY2018. The 2010 Positioning for the Future strategic plan included a $34M Safe At Home Capital Campaign that totally rebuilt the facility in it's original location. On July 1, 2019, I accepted a new position within the organization that led countywide partnership efforts from the Y’s local corporate headquarters office. I supported the execution of the YMCA’s strategic plan by identifying, establishing and entering into new partnerships that directly align with the Association’s vision to double impact, serving more people throughout the county. On January 4, 2021, I retired from the YMCA after twenty-three years to reFIRE as the first Chief Executive Officer at The Third Option City. The Third Option City is a strategy to unite the country one city at a time by developing loving relationships honoring our similarities and celebrating uniqueness, by providing a journey of self discovery, and by forming truth-telling partnerships. The CEO, is a new po...Expand for more