CLARYVILLE — Frost Valley YMCA is pleased to announce that Riel Peerbooms has been appointed as the new CEO following the retirement of long-time CEO Jerry Huncosky.

Peerbooms is uniquely qualified for the position, with over 30 years of experience working with non-profit organizations, specializing in youth service, education, and development. He has served as the Executive Director of Trail Blazers Camp, Inc. since 2008, leading the way in development and strategic planning, operations, donor management and recognition, as well as program management and educational design. These are just a few of the many incredible accomplishments Peerbooms has seen in a career that has been devoted to serving children through education and camping before joining the Frost Valley YMCA team. He is expected to take office on March 3, 2023.

Peerbooms has also served as a member of Community Board 9 in Brooklyn, NY for 5 years, as well as serving as their Chair of the Economic Development Committee since 2018 and their Chair of the Education Committee since 2021.

Peerbooms’s background in education is what led him to become an industry leader for non-profit camp organizations. According to Peerbooms, “My early experiences in camp influenced every subsequent role, as a science teacher, high school guidance and crisis counselor, community leader, and business executive. The camping perspective provided me with an ability to find uniquely effective and creative solutions to the challenges of the competitive non-profit landscape.”

Frost Valley YMCA is a values-driven organization that fosters youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility through outdoor educational and recreational programs for all. Located in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, Frost Valley provides year-round access to nature and fun through programs such as summer camp, adventure trips, farm camp, equestrian programs, group and family retreats, family weekends, school trips, teambuilding, and more. Frost Valley, a not-for-profit organization chartered through the YMCA of the USA, is guided in this pursuit by its core values which serve as pathways for guests as they bond with nature and each other: Caring, Community, Diversity, Honesty, Inclusiveness, Respect, Responsibility, and Stewardship.