City University of Seattle names Loria Yeadon 2026 commencement speaker

By AI, Created 8:46 PM UTC, June 01, 2026, /AGP/ – City University of Seattle will have YMCA of Greater Seattle CEO Loria Yeadon address graduates at T-Mobile Park on June 13. The ceremony marks the first commencement under President Suzanne Elise Walsh and highlights a milestone speaker whose leadership has shaped one of Seattle’s largest nonprofits.

Why it matters: - Loria Yeadon will speak to City University of Seattle graduates at a time when the YMCA of Greater Seattle is marking 150 years of service. - The selection links CityU’s adult-learner mission with a leader whose career has moved from engineering to law to nonprofit leadership. - The June ceremony is the first commencement under President Suzanne Elise Walsh, JD, adding another milestone for the university.

What happened: - City University of Seattle announced that Loria Yeadon, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Seattle, will be the keynote speaker at the 2026 Commencement ceremony. - The ceremony is set for June 13 at 1:00 p.m. at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. - Yeadon is the first woman and first person of color to lead the YMCA of Greater Seattle in the organization’s 150-year history. - CityU said the event will be the first commencement under President Suzanne Elise Walsh, JD.

The details: - Yeadon said her path from electrical engineer to patent attorney to nonprofit leader reflects the kind of nonlinear journey CityU graduates know well. - Yeadon said she is honored to speak at the event, especially as the YMCA of Greater Seattle celebrates 150 years of serving the community. - CityU was founded in 1973 and serves working adults, veterans, caregivers, and mid-career professionals across the U.S. and in six countries. - The university is headquartered in Seattle and will hold commencement at T-Mobile Park, 1250 1st Ave S. - CityU offers more than 65 degree and certificate programs in business, education, health and social sciences, and technology. - CityU says it has more than 20 years of leadership in online learning and is recognized as a Top 10 educator of adults nationwide. - The university points to employer connections that include Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Google.

Between the lines: - The speaker choice reinforces CityU’s branding around resilience, flexibility, and mission-driven leadership. - Yeadon’s background may resonate with graduates balancing work, family, military service, or career change. - Walsh framed Yeadon’s career as an example of using past experience as an asset rather than leaving it behind.

What’s next: - CityU graduates will gather at T-Mobile Park on June 13 for the 2026 Commencement ceremony. - More information is available at cityu.edu. - The YMCA of Greater Seattle said it served more than 214,000 people across the Puget Sound region in 2025 and awarded over $8 million in financial assistance. - The YMCA operates 13 local Ys, three overnight camp properties, 40 day camp partnership sites, 59 before- and after-school partnership sites, seven early education centers, and 11 young adult shelter and housing facilities.

The bottom line: - City University of Seattle is using its 2026 commencement to spotlight a Seattle nonprofit leader whose career path and leadership story mirror the university’s focus on working adults and real-world advancement.