YouthBridge Welcomes Tom Gatti to Board of Directors

“You can’t stay inside your own ‘zone’ if you’re going to learn and grow as a human being,” says Tom Gatti. It’s a principle that he and his wife have lived by and passed on to their now-adult children. Gatti, partner at Black Twig Marketing and Communications, is the newest addition to the YouthBridge Board of Directors.

When first introduced to YouthBridge by Board Director Dan Bean, Gatti soon made the connection that as a boy growing up in Creve Coeur he had many times ridden his bike by the former children’s home operated by YouthBridge. “Even then, I recall feeling so fortunate that I had a family and really everything that I needed,” he says. As he married and raised children, gratitude and “thinking of others” became a way of life, with the family routinely taking the opportunity to volunteer and immerse themselves in other cultures. Both of his children graduated from military academies and have served in the U.S. Army and Navy.

“I love that YouthBridge is all about youth and helping them become great citizens,” says Gatti. “It was an easy ‘yes’ when Dan asked if I would be interested in joining the board. He’s also been a great role model for me, so seeing how passionate he is about the work convinced me that it would be a good fit.”

Gatti brings more than 35 years experience in sales, business development, and strategic marketing and communications, with a special focus in the manufacturing and construction industries. He was one of the original members when Black Twig Marketing and Communications opened its doors in April of 2006, becoming partner in 2016. Prior to Black Twig, Gatti worked for his family’s display business, owned a construction company and spent nearly 16 years in retail management. He has served on the board of the St. Louis Military Officer Support Foundation and led the local chapters of the Parents Clubs for both the United States Naval and West Point Academies.