William “Bill” Best has been named the new executive director of the Youth & Family Counseling Agency of Oyster Bay-East Norwich, bringing a background in social work and a focus on strengthening community connections to the local nonprofit.
Best began work on Aug. 12, succeeding Barbara Rakusin, who is retiring after years of leading the agency. Rhonda Hargrove, president of its board of directors, said the search began after Rakusin informed the board last fall that she planned to leave in July.
The YFCA worked with the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, at Adelphi University, to conduct the search. Hargrove said that the organization received about 75 applications, narrowed the field to nine candidates and interviewed six before selecting three finalists.
Best was among the first candidates interviewed. Hargrove said that the board was impressed by his professional experience, his understanding of clinical services and his commitment to building relationships with the community.
“We met with Bill the second time, and there was no contest,” Hargrove said. “He really wants to step in the shoes of people in the community, and I thought that was really important.”
Best, 59, grew up in Cutchogue, and earned a degree in psychology from Stony Brook University and a master’s in social work from Adelphi.
“I always wanted to work with youth and families,” he said. “That’s always been my passion. So I’ve worked with foster care. I’ve worked with the juvenile justice system, runaway and homeless youth, homeless adults, formerly incarcerated, but I really wanted to get back to working with families and youth.”
Best is also an adjunct professor at Adelphi. He learned about the Youth & Family Counseling position through a connection at the university.
The agency’s small size and close ties to the community, he said, were among the qualities that attracted him to the position.
Best added that he plans to spend his first months learning the agency’s operations and observing before making major changes. His responsibilities include managing staff and the budget, meeting program requirements, developing community relationships and identifying unmet needs.
“I would never go in and start making changes,” he said. “Barbara did a great job. The agency is awesome. I’m going in to take a step back and watch for a while.”
Hargrove said that Best has already gotten involved in the agency’s programs and community outreach. Shortly after he started, he took part in the Tobay Mini Triathlon, and raised $1,800 for school supplies for 25 YFCA families. That experience, he said, illustrated the value of being able to identify a need and respond quickly.
“There was a need,” he said. “I was able to, you know, have fun with it that day.”
The agency’s director, Hargrove said, must understand both the clinical and administrative sides of its operations. The director also oversees programs such as the Neighbor to Neighbor store, which offers household items, linens and clothing to community members at no charge.
Best said he hopes to expand services for older teenagers and young adults, potentially focusing on people between ages 16 and 24 who struggle with anxiety, depression, social isolation or other challenges as they transition into adulthood.
“I think they were very affected by the Covid pandemic,” he said, “and I think there’s a lot of disconnect with social media.”
Best also suggested community activities, including a possible winter walking series, to help people build connections and improve their emotional resilience.
Collaboration with other local organizations, he said, will be central to his approach. He has been meeting with community members and agencies to learn more about available resources and to identify opportunities to work together.
“In this, it is about the people you know, and not for prestige, but to help meet the needs,” Best said. “So I think the connections are about meeting the needs of the community, and everyone’s got different fingers and specializations.”
Hargrove said that Best’s willingness to engage directly with residents and organizations has already made a positive impression. “He’s starting to make inroads in the community, just finding out and meeting people, shaking hands,” she said. “I think that he is going to be so incredibly beneficial to all of us.”
Best said his goal is to help people through difficult periods and make sure residents know they’re not alone. “Life is hard,” he said. “It’s good, but it’s hard. And so, how can we help people through the hard parts?”
For more information on the YFCA, its work and how to contribute, visit YFCAOysterBay.org.
