Denny Rydberg, President of Young Life
Denny Rydberg took office as Young Life’s fifth president in July of 1993. He was the first Young Life president to come from outside the organization.
Outreach has increased since 1993 and in 2008-2009 we had an impact on more than one million kids. The mission has gone from outreach in 1,700 school communities to 4,490 school and other outreach ministries worldwide. Our staff has grown from 1,432 to 3,228. Summer camping has grown from 23,085 to 76,612. We have added eight properties: Rockbridge (Virginia), Crooked Creek (Colorado), Washington Family Ranch (Oregon), SharpTop Cove (Georgia), Timber Wolf Lake (Michigan), Lost Canyon (Arizona) and are building one in the Carolinas, Carolina Point, and a second camp for WyldLife at Washington Family Ranch.
Denny was born and raised in Anacortes, Wash. He graduated from Anacortes High School and Seattle Pacific University (’67) with a major in psychology. In 2000 he was named "Alumnus of the Year." Denny has enjoyed a varied career. Before becoming Young Life's fifth president, he had served on three church staffs at the First Presbyterian of Tacoma, Wash., First Presbyterian of San Diego, and from 1984 to 1993 as the director of University Ministries at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Wash., where he led one of the largest and most relevant ministries to college students in the country. He also was formerly co-owner of Youth Specialties and editor of the Wittenburg Door, director of Operations for Inspirational Films, and a writer, speaker and consultant.
He is the author of 10 books including Beyond Graduation, How to Survive in College, Twentysomething, Building Community in Youth Groups and Youth Group Trust Builders.
He and his wife, Marilyn, also helped start a ministry to women golfers on the LPGA tour. Denny also served as chaplain for the University of Washington men’s basketball team and as a chaplain for the Seattle Supersonics of the NBA. Denny and Marilyn have four children: Heather, Josh, Jeremy and Jon.
As of September 2009