A Letter from Alumnus and Our Director of Operations Workforce Investment Act intern, Club Member, Teen Leader/Keystone President, Athletic Coordinator, Program Director, Area Program Director, and Director of Operations are all titles that I have had with the Club over the last 25 years. Add in two tours of duty in the Marine Corps and you almost have my full story. It’s often said that the Boys & Girls Club isn’t a career, it’s a life style and even though I am extremely proud of my service to this great nation and all that I learned while being overseas, my heart has and always will be with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County. The Club has created opportunities for me that I could never have imagined. Opportunities included being able to repay the generous people who donated to the programs that I was involved in as a kid through my military service and establishing enrichment programs for children in impoverished and underserved parts of Kern County. The Club is about relationships and mine are vast and deep. My supervisor was also my mentor when I was 15 years old and pushed me to set goals and work towards making my dreams come true. My Club family include people that I have grown up with, raised my children with, cried with, laughed with and banded together in celebration of what our Club means to thousands of kids and families in our community. My biggest lessons were to embrace my passion for service, find the joy in the work and to support our team with every resource, talent, gift and crazy idea I could muster. I’ve gone from a goofy teen playing basketball in the gym to a leadership role with over 600 employees and 14 school district partners looking to me as a representative of our great agency. I was gone from the Club for six years, but we never lost touch. The Club was there in San Diego when I graduated from Boot Camp; the Club was there while my wife was in the hospital delivering our daughter; and the Club was there with an open heart, open mind and the offer of a job when I was honorably discharged. When I was 15 our Executive Director asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told him I wanted to be in his chair running the Club. At the time, we had one location and for me that was the entire world. Now we have 67 locations and my sight is still on his chair. All the lessons, experiences, failures and successes continue to move me forward to the goal that the Club help me set so very long ago. Until then, I’m across the hallway in my office doing whatever it takes to be the best for the kids entrusted in my care. Check back with me in 2030…I just might be Chris Molina, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County!
Board of Directors Kristin Monsibais, President of the Board Williams Adams & Company, CPAs Theresa Bush, Vice-President Aera Energy LLC Amir Zabrani, Treasurer Mission Bank Matt Damian, Secretary Tri Counties Bank Alex Balfour Cushman and Wakefield/Pacific Commercial Realty Advisors MacKenzie Boone Ascend Real Estate Jason Cohen UBS Financial Services, Inc. Justin Cummings Rio Acai Bowls Rob Duchow Southern California Gas Company Michael George Safe 1 Credit Union Rasmus Jensen Valley Republic Bank Chad Jones California Resources Corporation Larry Koman Koman Homes Ben LeBeau LeBeau Thelen, LLP
Chris Molina - Staff
Derek Robinson Kern County Fire Department Lisa Rollans Berry Petroleum Emily Salters Community Voluteer
Chris Molina Director of Operations
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Zane Smith Executive Director