Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Announces Jeff Snell to Return as Interim CEO

Milwaukee – (April 26, 2024) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM), one of the largest and longest youth-serving agencies in Milwaukee, announced today that Jeff Snell, PhD, is serving as interim president and chief executive officer effective immediately. Snell is a former president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, who worked with the board of trustees to increase membership, placing the Milwaukee chapter among the largest and most prominent of 2,500 chapters across the country.

Snell’s executive leadership spans the non-profit, youth development, philanthropic, and higher education sectors. He recently completed service as a senior teaching faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he designed and taught courses in social innovation for the Department of Civil Society and Community Studies. Snell’s prior higher education leadership includes serving as an advisor to the president at Marquette University.

Snell’s current Milwaukee volunteer activities include serving as a board member for All-In Milwaukee (AIM), which is transforming Milwaukee by providing scholarships and social capital to first-generation, high-potential college students from limited income households. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is a major community partner of AIM.

“I am excited and honored to once again fill this important role in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee members, and to work with the Clubs’ incredible staff in support of our mission — to inspire and empower all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens,” said Jeff Snell, PhD, interim president and chief executive officer at BGCGM. “I look forward to being back in Milwaukee and reconnecting in-person with colleagues, stakeholders and friends.”

Snell also served as Entrepreneurial Mentor for the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program; co-created a partnership with the New York Times for social innovation education, which was selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as one of 10 winners in a field of 1,000 proposals from 15 countries; and co-founded a statewide coalition focused on improving life outcomes of youth aging out of the Wisconsin foster system, resulting in a state biennium 2021-2023 budget provision of $750,000.

Snell was elected to Alpha Sigma Nu, the international honor society for Jesuit colleges and universities; appointed as a fellow at the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity at Southern Methodist University; and appointed as senior fellow in social innovation at Arizona State University’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation.

Kathy Thornton-Bias has stepped down as president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. She will be available to the Clubs in an advisory capacity through May 31, 2024. Thornton-Bias is stepping back from the work world to recharge and consider new opportunities. Thornton-Bias had been the president and CEO of BGCGM since March 1, 2019.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead the largest youth-serving agency in the city and one of the largest Boys & Girls Clubs in the country,” said Thornton-Bias, outgoing BGCGM president and CEO in announcing her resignation. “My time here has been transformative for me both professionally and personally. As I reflect on our successes as an organization, now is an ideal time for me to take a deliberate step back to consider my next professional steps. I do so with immense gratitude for the wonderful team at the Boys & Girls Clubs, our board of directors, volunteers, and most importantly, the incredible kids who are building bright futures. Milwaukee’s future is in great hands!”

“On behalf of our board of directors, we extend our thanks to Kathy for her commitment to the Clubs these past five years,” said Greg Wesley, BGCGM board chair and senior vice president of strategic alliances and business development for the Medical College of Wisconsin. “Our board is beginning a thorough, equity-informed national search process for our next CEO and will work with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee executive leadership to ensure a smooth transition for the youth and families we serve, our staff and all of our community partners and stakeholders. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

BGCGM is undertaking a national search process for a new permanent president and CEO. This search process is being spearheaded by Wesley and David Gay, BGCGM first board vice chair and development committee chair and Milwaukee office managing partner at Ernst &

Young LLP. Snell will remain in the interim role until a new permanent president and CEO has been hired.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) is one of the largest and longest youth-serving agencies in Milwaukee and the largest Boys & Girls Club in the country. With more than 50 locations in the city of Milwaukee, BGCGM provides youth ages 4-18 with safe, fun, enriching after-school and summer programming including academic support, mentorship, organized athletics, arts, and nutritious meals. The organization’s programs strengthen academic performance, build character, encourage healthy lifestyles, and meet the basic needs of Milwaukee’s youth. More than 80 percent of BGCGM’s annual budget goes toward youth programming. Learn more at bgcmilwaukee.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.