Clifford Grimes joins Boys & Girls Clubs Greater Houston as VP of Public Affairs, while
Zenae Campbell takes the helm at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area
HOUSTON, October 23, 2023 – Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) announces two major leadership changes, with one executive coming to Houston from Atlanta and another departing Houston for Austin. Clifford Grimes, previously Director of Organizational Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, joins BGCGH as the new Vice President of Public Affairs, Southwest, while Zenae Campbell, BHCGH Vice President for Programs and Operation for the past 10 years, has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, effective Nov. 13, 2023.
In his new position, Grimes now leads federal, state and advocacy efforts to ensure relevant public sector funding increases and to effect policy to ensure Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and out-of-school time are prioritized. He will also work to expand existing relationships and to identify and pursue governmental funding opportunities.
Additionally, Grimes will steer the organization’s branding and marketing efforts, strategic and operational planning processes and board governance. He will also develop unique opportunities to deepen the organization’s impact for youth, families and communities in its footprint.
“Clifford has been a thought leader and innovator as Director of Organizational Development for our national organization and in other positions in the nonprofit sector over the years,” says Kevin Hattery, BGCGH President & CEO. “He has inspired and empowered Boys & Girls Clubs organizations to achieve success through leadership development and through the opportunities he champions for our youth. His exemplary communications and strategic organizational skills have enabled other BGC leaders to effectively grow and expand the footprints of their Clubs, while achieving strong fiscal outcomes.”
“I’m honored and excited about my new role with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, an organization I have worked closely with over the years,” says Grimes. “I look forward to working with our corporate, nonprofit and governmental partners to expand opportunities for greater government funding to deliver evidenced based programs that benefit our members, their families and communities in the five-county area we serve. The Houston area continues to grow, and we must meet the needs of our constituents with outstanding programming to help them prepare for the future.”
During Campbell’s time in Houston, she contributed to unprecedented Club growth and helped to double Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston’s footprint. The initiatives she has led during her tenure have included establishing new operating models, expanding teen services, creating the first-ever BGCA NFL-sponsored teen club, and deepening the quality of programming as well as leading the organization through the pandemic. In Austin, she will oversee corporate strategy, operations, financials, brand reputation, resources development, talent recruitment and stakeholder relationships.
“Over the past decade, Zenae has been instrumental in advancing BGCGH to the organization we are today, from implementing new delivery models to introducing new programs to developing staff to exponentially growing our footprint to serve thousands of youths every day,” says Hattery. “At the core of Zenae’s leadership has been an unwavering commitment of ‘putting kids first’ in our daily operations and strategic thinking. While we will miss her leadership at BGCGH, Zenae’s passion has been firmly imbedded in our culture, which will now benefit another community in the Boys & Girls Clubs movement.”
As Campbell prepares for her new role as BGCAA CEO, she says the position is both a privilege and an opportunity. “As a longtime champion of the Boys & Girls Club, I’m thrilled to expand my ability to serve staff, parents, students, and area Clubs to impact the Austin area. Empowering local youth to excel both in and out of the classroom yields innumerable benefits. I look forward to finding new ways to continue to support Club kids and the greater Central Texas community in partnership with my fellow BGCAA staff, the board, and our many supporters.”
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, please visit www.bgcgh.org.
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Link to photos here
Photo Credit: Courtesy Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston
About Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston
Our mission is to inspire and enable all youth, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Our vision is to put success within reach for our Club members and keep them on track to graduate high school. We help them realize a positive plan for the future that includes good character, citizenship, workforce readiness and a healthy lifestyle. Our footprint includes 26 Clubs in five counties. Each year, more than 50,000 youth ages 6 to 17 walk through our doors for our afterschool and summer programs. At our Clubs, youth are provided meals, strong role models, homework assistance, organized athletics, character development and access to the arts. Membership costs just $10 per school year and $25 for the entire summer. We are a United Way funded partner. For more information, visit our website www.bgcgh.org. At Boys & Girls Clubs, we do whatever it takes to build great futures!
BGCGH Social media handles
Instagram: @bgchouston
Twitter: @bgcghouston
Facebook: @BGCHouston
Hashtag #BGCGH
More about Clifford Grimes
Clifford W. Grimes is the new Vice President of Public Affairs & Organizational Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston where he leads federal, state and advocacy efforts to ensure relevant public sector funding increases and to effect policy to ensure Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and out-of-school time are prioritized.
Grimes previously served as a Director of Organizational Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Utilizing his vast experience and consultant skills to assist leaders to perform at their best and to believe in what is possible – to increase performance and navigate organizational change to effect successful outcomes.
Prior to joining BGCA, Clifford served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for the United Way of Southwest Alabama. In this capacity, he provided leadership and guided organizational development to achieved long term, sustainable revenue growth; community impact that changes lives for generations and positioned United Way as a major philanthropic leader in southwest Alabama communities.
Clifford has held senior level positions in United Way organizations throughout the United States, in fund distribution and community initiatives to resource development, agency relations and community planning. He has received numerous awards and honors from both governmental and not-for-profit organizations and has led/presented at numerous conferences and workshops nationwide.
More about Zenae Campbell
During her tenure at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, her accomplishments were many, including partnership development:
- Texas’s 21stCentury community partner funding program which resulted in Clubs opening in various schools in Spring Branch ISD to help fill a need in this community for meaningful after-school and summer programming.
- After Hurricane Harvey, Zenae and the management team worked on restoring Club operations within days of the storm passing through so that children had a place to go amidst school closures and home repairs/cleanups.
- Held drive-thru food pantries at Clubs with Houston Food Bank and initiated other food-related services to address food insecurity during the Covid pandemic.
- Partnered with the Santa Fe Resiliency Center to provide free programming for children and teens in Santa Fe, TX dealing with issues from the high school shooting, incorporating Social and Emotional Learning.
Prior to her time at BGCGH, Zenae served as district administrator for five years in the Sacramento City Unified School District, managing multimillion-dollar budgets and providing strategic oversight and management to student programming. Her resume also includes work for the Sacramento County Child Protective Services, the California/Nevada Community Action Partnership, and the Anti-Defamation League of Sacramento, where serving and strengthening communities was her primary focus and passion.
As BGCAA CEO, Zenae’s responsibilities include leading the organization’s strategic direction, oversight of organizational operations, financials, programming, brand reputation, talent recruitment, resource development, and stakeholder relationships. The CEO also serves as the organization’s primary ambassador and lead communicator, working to grow and deepen BGCAA impact in the community by helping Austin youth build great futures. Zenae, in collaboration with her team, will also oversee the organization’s clubs. As CEO, she will report to BGCAA Board Chair Cate Prescott.
Zenae earned her bachelor’s in political science from the University of California, Riverside, and a master’s degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. She has a certificate of leadership from Harvard Business School. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her husband, Julius, and two children, spending weekends cheering from the sidelines of their softball and T-ball games. Zenae’s other loves include relaxing with family and friends, watching movies, laughing and celebrating holidays.
