147: Purpose and a Paycheck w/Trina Clarke

“My mindset has always been, we have a finite amount of time on this earth. And I don’t want to get to the point where I look back and feel like I’ve wasted my entire career time, doing something that didn’t make me happy, or didn’t make me fulfilled, or for me, didn’t make me feel like I was impacting my community in a positive way.” ~ Trina Clarke

This week’s podcast is filled with inspiration and impact. Our guest, Trina Clarke, runs the Cumberland County YMCA in Nova Scotia, Canada. While most YMCA’s struggled because of the pandemic (with many of them closing), Trina and her team took a road less traveled and their YMCA actually got stronger by doubling down on their commitment to both their why and their community.

One of our listeners said it perfectly “Trina is so genuine and is able to articulate well, with vulnerability and clarity, how she leads.”

Trina’s story from her roots in childcare through her 27 years at the YMCA is thoroughly engaging. You may want to bookmark the episode to listen to again, and you definitely want to share it with a friend!

  • 05:32 From childcare to community impact
  • 09:35 Aligning values: this is what we stand for
  • 12:09 Leading from the heart
  • 15:45 When you put in the work, you do change
  • 2016  People or profits, do you have to choose?
  • 25:46 Advice for soulful leaders
  • 31:21 All the parts, and in one place there is flow

TRANSCRIPT

Watch on Youtube

Trina Clarke
Trina Clarke is the CEO of the YMCA of Cumberland. During her 27 year career at the YMCA Trina has worked in various roles encompassing people of all ages. One of her greatest learnings to date is that whether you are trying to convince a three year old to put on their jacket or a government official to support a community initiative the strategies employed are very similar and patience truly is a virtue.

She was born in Amherst NS in 1972 and other than a brief period of residence in New Glasgow as a child and in Fredericton while attending UNB, has lived in Amherst her entire life. She has been married 29 years to husband Kenny and is the mother of 3 children; (Hannah) 27, (Landen)25, and (Jenna)21.

When not representing the YMCA, Trina is an avid reader, loves walking the marsh, photography and camping. She also loves traveling and her favourite place to be is at the beach. Trina truly believes that the YMCA plays a pivotal role in creating a strong and vibrant community and works every day with her team to accomplish that goal.

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