Patti Habeck has been appointed as executive vice president of brand & mission advancement at the YMCA of the Fox Cities, effective Nov. 5.
Habeck joins the YMCA’s senior leadership team and will lead the organization’s philanthropic strategy, brand and community engagement, and communications efforts in support of its 2030 ONE MISSION ONE VISION Strategic Plan. She succeeds Sue Pawlowski, who retired after a 47-year career with the YMCA of the Fox Cities.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Patti to our team,” said Bret Salscheider, President and CEO of the YMCA of the Fox Cities. “Her depth of experience across multiple sectors of our community — and her ability to connect people around a shared purpose — aligns powerfully with our mission and the vital services the Y provides every day.”
Habeck joins the Fox Cities Y from New North Inc., where she served as president and CEO. Prior to New North, she spent 14 years at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin — joining in 2011 as Northeast Wisconsin regional manager, rising to executive vice president in 2015, and serving as president and CEO from 2017 to 2025. Under her leadership, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin grew into the largest hunger-relief organization in the state, reaching more than 550,000 people annually. She began her career in the Fox Cities at the Building for Kids Children’s Museum and the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.
Habeck’s leadership has been recognized widely, including the 2026 UW-Eau Claire Lifetime Excellence Award, induction into the Titan 100 Hall of Fame (2025), and the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Athena Leadership Award (2018). She holds a bachelor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire and a master’s degree from UW-Platteville.
“The YMCA of the Fox Cities has an extraordinary foundation — a passionate team, deep community roots, and a bold vision for what comes next,” said Habeck. “I am honored to join this organization and to help strengthen the relationships and resources that will carry its mission forward for generations.”
