Neal Denton
Senior V.P./Chief Government Affairs Officer, YMCA-USA
Neal Denton leads the Y’s advocacy for federal policies and funding that are important to the Y's ability to strengthen communities.
Prior to joining Y-USA in October 2012, he served as the Senior V.P., Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships for the American National Red Cross for six years. Among many accomplishments, Denton led efforts to secure significant funding from Congress for Red Cross Disaster Services, Biomedical Services and Service to the Armed Forces. He also served as the Senior V.P., Service to the Armed Forces and Chief of Staff to the President. Before the Red Cross, he spent 20 years as CEO of the leading national trade association of nonprofit fundraisers. He began his career in Washington, D.C., in 1985 as a staff assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A Certified Association Executive, Denton is past Chairman of the Public Policy Committee of the American Society of Association Executives and a member of the Public Policy Committee of Independent Sector. He also serves as a guest lecturer at the Georgetown University Government Affairs Institute. Denton is a U.S. Army veteran and holds a bachelor’s degree in specialized studies from Ohio University.