‘What more can we do?’ Coulter King’s pursuit of greater impact

Coulter King’s connection to the Vanderbilt YMCA is not just personal—it is generational. At 35 years old, he represents the third generation of his family to walk through its doors, continuing a legacy that began when his grandfather moved to the Turtle Bay area in the late 1950s and dedicated decades of service to the Y, including time on its Board of Managers.

King’s father and his three uncles learned to swim and play basketball there, fostering lasting childhood memories. Years later, King would follow the same path, learning to swim in the very same pool and forming his own bond to the East Side landmark.

Today, the Vanderbilt Y serves close to 10,000 people—members, community members and visitors—every year. Roughly 410 children learn how to swim there annually.

As a member of the Board of Directors since 2023 and chair of the program and membership committees, King describes his involvement as “coming home.” But his work goes far beyond honoring family tradition—it reflects a deep commitment to the community that nurtured him. Through his leadership, he supports a wide range of programs, from summer camps and aquatics to after-school initiatives that serve middle and high school students across New York City.

Among the most meaningful aspects of his volunteer work are the YMCA’s partnerships with public schools and the programs that provide mentorship to students.

On multiple occasions, he worked alongside the staff at the Julia Richman Education Complex on the Upper East Side. “It was really special to meet the students participating in our Leaders Club program,” King said.

“I have been so consistently impressed, when we are in the room with the high schoolers, hearing them talk about their career plans, or how they’re thinking about a college decision,” he continued. “So much of this work is about setting them up to be prepared for all that life is going to bring, when they are coming out of a time that can be an especially complicated one, full of growth and change.”

While he credited the staff, saying their dedication is at the heart of the Y’s success, Chayenne McPherson, Director of Special Projects at the Vanderbilt YMCA, credited Coulter. She described his contribution as “an unwavering enthusiasm for our cause.” She said, “he consistently asks, ‘What more can we do?’ in pursuit of greater impact.”

Outside of his volunteer work, Coulter is the president and chief operating officer of True Link, a financial technology company that provides credit cards designed to help families protect vulnerable loved ones, such as seniors, people with disabilities, individuals in recovery, or elders, who experience memory loss. True Link gives caregivers the ability to monitor spending and set tailored protections against scams or unwanted transactions without sacrificing the cardholder’s independence.

“No one feels warm and fuzzy about their credit card,” Coulter joked. His early career in financial services gave him industry expertise, True Link added purpose— by giving him the opportunity to make people’s lives “a little better and a little easier.”

He sees a shared thread between his work at True Link and his service at the YMCA: both are rooted in his love for community and family.

Coulter has a 19-month-old son and another child on the way. He said fatherhood has reinforced his desire to ensure future generations can benefit from the same sense of belonging and support that defined his upbringing. And when his son is old enough to learn how to swim, he will be the fourth generation of Kings at the Vanderbilt Y.