Board of Directors
MacKenzie Boone
President of the Board
Ascend Real Estate
Marivic Louey Vice President Kern Energy
Amir Zabrani Treasurer Bank of the Sierra
Alan Avery Secretary Kern Family Health Care
Rob Duchow
Immediate Past President Southern California Gas Company
Alex Balfour Cushman and Wakefield/Pacific Commercial Realty Advisors
Greg Broida BroidaCo Auto
Juan Campos California Resource Corporation
Alex Dominguez Klein DeNatale Goldner
Michael George Safe 1 Credit Union
Jimmy Gill Gold Leaf Farming
Cherif Guirguis LinQride Inc.,
Larry Koman Koman Homes
Ben LeBeau
LeBeau Thelen, LLP
Matthew Lemon Tri Counties Bank
Roberta Nilsson Banc of California
Jon Sampson Wells Fargo Advisors
Timothy J. Simmons MOC Incorporated
Bryce Sterling StructureCast
Zane Smith Executive Director
Barry Hill Associate Executive Director
Legacy Board
Ken Carter Watson Realty
Jason Cohen
UBS Financial Services, Inc
David Couch Kern County Supervisor
James & Barbara Kurfess Retired
Janice Meek Retired
Michael Olague Bank of the Sierra
Ben Stinson Stinson’s Office Supplies
Gloria Williams
Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County
Letter from our Board President
For many across the United States, spring symbolizes a time of change. The world around us bursts with beauty and life, the days grow longer, and we finally get to enjoy some muchneeded sunshine after the winter gloom. With 2025 marking the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Calendar—signifying wisdom, adaptability, and transformation—I can’t help but draw a parallel between these qualities and the changes we are witnessing at the local Clubs.
In recent years, BGCKC has faced its fair share of challenges. From navigating the impacts of a nationwide pandemic, to expanding into a major nutrition program serving over a million meals annually, we have constantly adapted to meet the evolving needs of our community. We’ve introduced new programs to support our kids on their journey into adulthood and even returned to our roots with Artfest. Change is something we know well.
Each year, our dedicated team of community leaders strives to support our Club kids not only on a social and emotional level, but by learning and growing right alongside them. We listen closely to the needs of children, parents, schools, and employers, and adapt accordingly. This commitment ensures that all Club kids have access to top-tier career training before they graduate from high school, setting them on a trajectory for long-term success.
As we’ve expanded our teens programming to include opportunities for advanced learning and career training, we’ve been able to serve more at-risk teens than ever before. When we identified the need for programs and partners to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, we quickly grew into a resource for this underserved community—an area that was initially unfamiliar but one we knew we could learn about and expand into.
Despite the strides we’ve made, including serving over 15,000 kids in Kern County through both registered membership and community outreach, thousands of children—especially teens—still leave school every day without a safe place to go.
Every year, I have the privilege of being a small part of this incredible change. Whether it’s the addition of new school sites, a slight increase in membership, or the continuous improvement of our programs, the progress is evident. This year, as I step into the role of Board President, my goal for the coming term is growth. We have something truly special here at the Clubs, and I encourage you to visit for a tour to see firsthand the many smiling faces who benefit from Club resources.
Our talented team and our wonderful kids are our greatest assets, but we are beginning to face a new challenge: space. Our Niles Street location, the Armstrong Youth Center, is bursting with potential, and we are eager to maximize its use in the coming years.
Now more than ever, our community’s involvement is crucial in shaping the future of our youth. Whether through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word, your support can make a lasting difference. I encourage you to join us in creating brighter, more promising paths for the kids in our community. Together, we can help them reach their full potential.
WELCOME 2025 LEGACY BOARD MEMBER
This distinguished honor is presented to an alumni Board Member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County who has provided significant support to the governing Board of Directors, Staff and most importantly, the children in our care. Individuals selected to join this prestigious council will have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the Club beyond their tenure as a governing Board Member and as a Legacy Board Member will continue to be an advocate, stakeholder and friend to the Club in perpetuity.
Michael Olague is the Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer for Bank of the Sierra. He is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the tactical initiatives that support the organization’s policies, goals and objectives. He oversees 32 branch offices, 4 commercial banking regions, and loan and deposit service operations for the bank. He has over 40 years experience in the banking industry. During his banking career, he has held a number of positions including Regional President, Retail Sales Director, and Middle Market Banking Manager.
A Bakersfield native, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in business from California State University Bakersfield and is a graduate of the University of Virginia Graduate Banking School. He has served on Mid State Development Board, Kern Community Foundation Board, Advisory Board for the CSUB Business School, CASA Board, Boys and Girls Club, and Bakersfield North Rotary Club.
Bank of the Sierra is in its 47th year of operations and is the largest independent bank headquarters in the South San Joaquin Valley.
Michael Olague Bank of the Sierra
As a Bakersfield High School junior, Joseph Frank is already making a name for himself in the world of performing arts. But his remarkable dedication, passion, and talent, has also earned him the prestigious 2025 Youth of the Year award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County—an honor awarded to a Club member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and a dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.
Joseph’s journey to becoming Youth of the Year wasn’t done overnight. It is the culmination of years of hard work, countless hours of practice, and an unshakable belief in his ability to succeed. As a child, Joseph was always drawn to the stage. “I was always inspired by performers who graced the stage with confidence and talent. Their passion moved me deeply, and over time, it influenced my decision to pursue a career in the arts.”
Joseph’s dedication to the arts began early. In 4th grade, he decided to join his school’s drama program, where he met Frank Sierra, a staple of youth theater in the area and a key figure in Joseph’s formative years. Through Frank’s guidance, Joseph participated in school plays, where he became fascinated by every aspect of the arts— the choreography, singing, costumes, sets—everything was a new experience for Joseph. “At first,
I was intimidated by the complexity of it all, but Frank encouraged me not to be afraid and motivated me to become the best performer I could be.”
As Joseph’s talent and skills continued to grow, Frank recognized his potential and eventually encouraged him to audition for BGCKC’s performing arts group, Music Fusion. “Music Fusion was unlike anything I had ever done before. The music was challenging at first, and although I excelled at dance, balancing both disciplines was difficult. However, Music Fusion offered a supportive community where mistakes were welcomed as opportunities to learn. My peers motivated me to push further and work harder to achieve my goals. With each performance came new experiences that taught me more about myself and the people around me.”
It was Joseph’s passion for using the arts to impact his community that caught the attention of BGCKC staff, who encouraged him to compete for this year’s Youth of the Year award. Joseph was selected for his leadership in the organization’s performing arts program, where he not only performs but helps to lead the group as well. “My time with the group has also come with new responsibilities. We take turns leading warm-ups or helping shape songs, which has taught me leadership skills and patience. I’ve even become a team choreographer, challenging myself to create and teach choreography in various genres. These experiences have not only helped me grow as an artist but have also instilled in me valuable life lessons and character traits I will continue to carry with me throughout my career.”
The Youth of the Year award comes with a
Joseph Frank III pictured with his 2025 Youth of the Year Award
Joseph with MacKenzie Boone, Board President and Zane Smith, Executive Director
Joseph, Lyle, Maddie and Sydney with his Scholarship Check
scholarship and an opportunity to represent BGCKC at various community events throughout the year, as well as at regional, state and national Youth of the Year competitions for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For Joseph, however, the true honor lies in the chance to continue using his platform to inspire others. “ I believe that by using the skills and experiences provided by my local club, I could be a role model for not only my community’s youth but youth across the nation. I’m excited to bring my local efforts to a larger scale. Through mentorship and support, I hope to inspire the next generation to take the first step toward their own success, just as others did for me.”
Aside from his work with BGCKC, Joseph is involved in various school and community projects. He is currently serving as Junior Class President at BHS and Student Advisory Board Representative for Kern High School District. In addition, he is involved with the dance club, drama club, economics club, ecology club, and the Spanish honor society at Bakersfield High School. He also teaches dance to youth at various organizations in the area. “I’m heavily involved, often looking for ways to better my campus and help the student body. These positions have taught me abilities such as leadership, conflict resolution, and how to connect with and understand my peers.”
Looking to the future, Joseph plans to attend college and then pursue a career in the arts. He envisions a world where the arts are accessible to all, and where
young people from all walks of life have the opportunity to develop their talents and use them for the greater good. Joseph acknowledges that he would not be where he is today if it weren’t for his mother, Christy. “One of my most influential role models, my mother, is also my biggest supporter. She has sacrificed so much for me. Much of the energy and passion behind my performances comes from seeing my mom’s face in the crowd.”
With his boundless energy, unwavering dedication, and a clear vision for his future, Joseph Frank is a shining example of what it means to use one’s talents not just for personal success, but for the benefit of others. As a rising star in the performing arts and a dedicated advocate for his community, Joseph’s story is a reminder of the power of creativity, compassion, and hard work. And with the Youth of the Year award under his belt, it’s only the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary journey.
Joseph delivering his Youth of the Year speech
Sometimes it just takes one person to say, “You can do this!” to inspire confidence and bold moves. A pivotal moment for us was when Kevin Harvick came to play with our kids and through our fence, noticed illicit activity at one of the houses adjacent to our Armstrong Youth Center on Niles Street and asked, “Does that go on every day in front of your kids?” Followed up by, “We have to do something to get you that property so you can safeguard your kids and do something amazing!” So, after a generous donation from the Harvick Foundation matched by the Wheeler Foundation, we purchased the property on Monterey and bulldozed the dilapidated houses creating an open space for us to dream about.
With this new opportunity came a lot of brainstorming and visualizing how the property could help us better serve our youth and offer
teens activities that would help them get future ready. We quickly realized that property could be a huge solution to the challenges we faced with all the growth in the past couple of years, as well as the expansion of our Life and Workforce Readiness Program for teens and young adults. With limited space, we were running multiple teen programs that continued to be impacted by competition for programs for our school -age children and increased team members in our current club house.
What if we could expand our robust teen program in a facility built specifically to address their social-emotional learning, educational needs, leadership development, workforce readiness, paid internships and future ready activities? Our board quickly agreed that the additional space was overdue and that our teens deserved to have access to life changing programs housed under one roof.
So, where do we stand now? We have multiple partners in the process including an architect, an engineer, a former board member volunteering to help oversee the construction process, a consultant that used to be a successful executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs in Utah and oversaw several successful capital campaigns, a committed dynamic board of directors, the ingenuity and expertise of a
strong executive Boys & Girls Club team, and a stellar track record for keeping our commitments to the youth of our community at 71 separate locations throughout Kern County.
Our hope is that in the next few years we will have completed a healthy capital campaign, our teens’ state of the art/future ready building is in the works, our NilesMonterey Streets Club property is now enclosed in a safe campus environment, and we have moved the needle in our commitment to helping the youth entrusted to our care build great futures for themselves, families and community.
Please consider this an open invitation to visit us for a tour of our Club and hear about how we plan to get our kids future ready in a program built around their needs, dreams, and potential.
Summer Jobs Program student conducting business development classes at Beale Library
Zane Rock interning at KGET-TV 17
2024 Summer Jobs Graduating Class
Active 20-30 Club of Bakersfield
Vince Aguilar
Justin & April Ahart
Paul Andre
Timothy & Caitlin Ashlock
Ariel & Abby Auffant
Alan Avery
Alex M. Balfour
Larry & Kay Bardin
Adam Belter
Cathy Bennett
Aimee Blaine
MacKenzie Boone
Greg & Rose Broida
John & Jean Browning
Charles & Theresa Bush
Chris Caratan
Juan & Sabrina Cazares
Elsie Collins
Gary & Donna Cross
Mickey & Alex Cushine
Mike & Maggie Cushine
Matt Damian
Chelsea Dow
Ken & Marjorie Dow
Mark & Becky Evans
Alexandria Fabbro
Melissa Fortune & Bruce Beretta
Christine Frazier
Fanny Gama
Justin & Megan Garant
Monica Gonzales
Renee Goodwin
Diana Gordan
Robert & Jerry Haner
Matthew & Shelly Hewett
Barry Hill
Cynthia Huggins
Edgar Jacobs
Larry Koman
Allan Krauter & Anna Agenjo
Bernie & Lynn LeBeau
Michael Lewis & Barbara Rycerski
Quon & Marivic Louey
Zachary Martindale
Erlinda Martinez
Natalie Martinez
Renee Massey
Janice Meek
Peggy Miller
Ruth Miranda
Chris & Jovan Molina
Alex & Kristin Monsibais
Jonathan & Mary Anne Mueller
Dale Oprandy
Randy & Mary Richardson
Bruce Saathoff & Tony Cervantes
Saber Insurance Agency
Darin Schwicker
Tim & Christy Simmons
John & Christina Sistrunk
Paul Skarphol
Zane & Amy Smith
Mark Steele
Bryce & Ashlyn Sterling
Keith Stonebraker
Carol Sugimori
Linda Sullenger
Robert Tafoya & Sandra Serrano
Josh & Susan Wall
Gloria Williams
Deborah Wood
Celebrating Two Decades of Dedication: A Tribute to an
It is not every day that we have the privilege of acknowledging a career that has spanned over two decades, especially one that has touched so many lives in profound ways. Here we are recognizing a truly remarkable individual, Natalie Martinez, whose commitment to the community has not only shaped the future of so many students and their families but has also left an indelible mark on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County where she has served for the past 20 years.
Natalie’s journey actually began in a pre-school classroom, where one of her students just happened to be the daughter of BGCKC’s Executive Director, Zane Smith. Zane observed how well Natalie worked with young children and knew he needed to recruit her for the Boys & Girls Club. Her passion in working with and her ability to manage these preschoolers immediately stood out.
Natalie started her BGCKC career in the Art Room helping with arts and crafts just three days a week. Soon after, Natalie moved into the role of Area Program Director and Facilities Manager taking on 16 of the [then] 32 club locations. Natalie remained in variations of that role for the following 10 years. In Natalie’s second decade with the Club, she became a Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention educator, building and managing 14 learning gardens at BCSD locations to help support healthy eating habits for Kern County youth.
Over the years as Natalie’s role evolved, she took on more responsibilities within the organization. With each transition, she demonstrated an unparalleled ability to adapt, grow, and thrive. As she took on leadership roles, she continued to infuse every project with the same enthusiasm and commitment that initially defined her approach to teaching. Her work went beyond simply imparting knowledge; it was about instilling values of resilience, self-discipline, and community.
Natalie now serves as the Club’s Director of Community Outreach and Volunteerism where she oversees all volunteer activities as well as coordinates numerous community events. In this role, Natalie regularly coordinates with volunteer groups to help engage the community with the Club, but probably the most significant responsibility she has is leading a team of over 200 volunteers at the Club’s annual fundraising event, Artfest.
As one can imagine, coordinating and managing over 200 people leading up to and during an event is no small task.
In Natalie’s current role she also organizes and coordinates many community events, helping to promote the Club and its services to the community. In addition, Natalie also
organizes distributions of much needed household items to families throughout Kern County. These items are donated by local firms and suppliers of which Natalie has forged important partnerships. These efforts truly go over and beyond the traditional services of a Boys & Girls Club but are nevertheless essential for our community. “Our agency is about making things happen and providing life-changing help to support our community and its youth,” Natalie stated.
Through her involvement in various positions within the organization, Natalie has had a direct hand in shaping the culture of the youth development program. Her ability to connect with both students and colleagues alike has fostered an environment of trust and collaboration, making the organization a welcoming space for all who seek guidance and support. Many of the young people who have come through the program have gone on to achieve great things, thanks in no small part to the direct and indirect efforts from Natalie. But the Club has also had an impact on Natalie, “the Club has given me a sense of stability and family. I have undergone some monumental life-changing experiences during my 20 years at BGCKC. It is not just a job for me, but a lifestyle.”
As we look back on her two-decade journey, it is clear that Natalie’s influence extends far beyond the classroom and the Club. Her legacy is one of compassion, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every young person. She has been a mentor, role model, and friend to so many, and her work has undoubtedly changed the course of many lives for the better.
On behalf of everyone whose life has been touched by Natalie, we extend our deepest gratitude. It is rare to find someone who has dedicated so much to the growth and development of others, and we are fortunate to have had Natalie with us for these past 20 years. Her impact will continue to resonate for generations to come, and we look forward to the many more lives she will continue to inspire in the years ahead.
Thank you, Natalie, for everything. You are a true pillar of our community.
Natalie working with our friends from Dollar General during the 2024 Toy Distribution.
Natalie Martinez Director of Community Outreach and Volunteerism
Natalie working with Club team members during a community outreach event.
KERN COUNTY
