Louly Hay-Kapp loves to work out and she's long been dedicated to helping families in need.
Those two traits are central to the Y's mission of strengthening communities, and after working for 11 years at the Covington Y Kapp will become the permanent executive director today.

"She works hard for the Y, has the experience, has the right attitude and the right drive, and she's the natural choice," said Dalton Knox, chairperson of the local Y board.

Her experience comes from serving as interim executive director for the past two years, and she'll permanently replace former director Mike Chism, who said he will return to the Y when he finishes a year-long military pursuit.

"I'm honored and excited about the challenge," Kapp said Friday. "I can work toward a great future for the Y. My love for this community, having grown up here, is strong, and the Y is such a stronghold here.

"I have learned a tremendous amount under Mike's leadership and plan to carry that forth."

 Chism said he couldn't be happier with the selection.

"Her last assignment was as the Interim Executive Director for the two years that I was deployed. During that time frame she proved herself a capable and dynamic leader. Her promotion bodes well for the future of the Y in Covington," Chism said in an email.

Kapp joined the Y in 2004 as its membership and community development director and was quickly promoted to associate executive director, where she worked to develop new facilities and programs, including starting the annual Cheerios Challenge road race.

Before that she served as a mediator and arbitrator for the superior court, where she often partnered with the Y as she looked for resources to help the families and individuals with whom she worked.

The Covington Y has a budget of around $1 million and provides an array of physical fitness, sports and after school programs for its more than 3,000 members.