The St. Louis Rams moved to town in 1995 and Adrian Bracy soon was part of that Super Bowl champion franchise.
After departing in 2007 to become the Arizona Cardinals chief financial officer, Bracy returned in 2009 and then faced a new, different challenge.
After serving as YWCA of Metro St. Louis CEO for 11 years, Bracy is retiring.
What drew her back to St. Louis was her calling to “inspire and make a difference in the lives of women and girls,” she told the American.
She took the skills learned during 20 years of work in financial management for professional sports teams and transferred them to her leadership role with the YWCA. She was dedicated to its mission of “eliminating racism and empowering women.”
Among the guests at her June 22 retirement gathering were St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, who had proclaimed the date as “Adrian Bracy Day.”
“I’m blown away. Just, way beyond,” Bracy said.
“That, I am going to take with me … for eternity.”
Brady recently managed the YWCA’s book launch of “HERstory St. Louis: Words of Wisdom to my Younger Self.” Included are letters of advice from accomplished St. Louis women.
She told the Ladue News, “Some are funny, some are sad, but all are inspirational.”
“We hope readers enjoy each page as much as we have. We’re proud to highlight the contributions of women, including women of color, in our community.”
Bracy is working on her own book on leadership strategies for women, drawing on her experience in professional sports and in nonprofit leadership. She expects to work on the book in the first months of her retirement.
“Adrian has led YWCA for 11 years and is retiring at the end of June,” said YWCA Chief Development Officer Leslie Holloway.
“(S)ome clients are traumatized from sexual assault and domestic violence. So, you just can’t close your doors (during the pandemic.)” – Adrian Bracy
“She is a member of the Academy of Leaders and has a letter included in the book. The book is a concrete way for us to express our gratitude for her leadership.”
Jones called Bracy “who I want to be when I grow up.”
Leading the YWCA through COVID-19, Bracy said, was a journey full of “valleys and mountains.”
The organization had to move most of its operations to remote status and Bracy feared for her employees’ safety. She remains proud that “we never closed our doors fully.”
“The clients are…some of them are traumatized from sexual assault and domestic violence. So, you just can’t close your doors.”
Bracy said YWCA staff members met women fleeing domestic violence “at the parking lots, the grocery store, wherever…to get them into safe housing.”
Ruth Saphian, YWCA St. Louis chair, called Bracy instrumental in the YWCA’s success.
“Adrian’s tenure at YWCA has included some of the most challenging times for non-profits, including economic downturn and the COVID-19 pandemic, which made YWCA’s services more needed than ever and more difficult to provide than ever,” she said.
“But YWCA overcame those challenges… That’s more than 8,000 people in our community annually who have benefited from Adrian, Adrian’s team.”
The YWCA, which has operated in the St. Louis area in various capacities since 1904, currently offers various housing and crisis intervention programs for women and girls in need, as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The nonprofit also offers teen leadership training and racial justice-oriented programs.