Bob joined the professional staff at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz in August 2011 as Area Director. In February 2013, he was promoted to Executive Director. Bob has over 25 years of Boys and Girls Club experience, including 15 years of Executive leadership with Clubs in Fallbrook, San Leandro and San Francisco.

Join the team! Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County could use a great Development Director!

Celia has been active in the community for most of her working life and is a pro at social media, web presence, and event planning.

Maia Yates is honored to be a part of Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County team. She has worked with youth and teens for 15 years in Santa Cruz County. She has a Human Development and Family Studies degree from University of Nevada, Reno. She is finishing up her Masters in Leadership in Education from Pacific Oaks College. Maia is a mother, theater actor, loves being crafty and enjoys family outings within Santa Cruz County. As a Felton/Valley resident she is excited to bring her passion for community, youth development and individual creativity to the Clubs.

Katee began her career with the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz as a teen, getting her first job as an Activities Aid in the summer of 2000. Shortly after entering the Club, Katee knew that youth development was her calling. Since that time, Katee has held many roles within the club and is now the Program Director at the Downtown Branch.

Jennifer is a true Santa Cruz local, having moved only as far away as Los Gatos in the late eighties to attend college. Jennifer majored in child development with a focus on school age and adolescence. She brings with her over twenty years of education and experience, including three years as a Tae kwon Do instructor and twelve years as the Director of an afterschool program in Live Oak.

Michael Herzog brings over 20 years of experience working with youth to the Live Oak Clubhouse. Michael was a former owner of the Santa Cruz Soccer Camp where he established the Leadership Training Program for teens. He has been the director of the Quest Afterschool Program in Ben Lomond and also co-founded the San Lorenzo Valley Leadership Academy. Michael is dedicated to providing a safe and engaging environment for Club kids

Rebbie Higgins brings to the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz administrative office a passion for detail, accuracy, and care for the Clubs’ bookkeeping, HR, office management, IT, and general support to all departments. Rebbie has an eclectic career in science, computer programming, business analysis, and farmers’ market management. She believes deeply in the importance and success of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz’s mission to serve our community’s families. Her own kids are also huge fans of the friendships and activities the Club affords them!

Bryon oversees our Sports and Fitness programs. Along with running our local basketball program, Bryon is looking forward to developing new programs that help the kids learn more about health and physical fitness, while understanding the need to develop their academics.

Daniel has been a valuable part of the Live Oak Clubhouse for over ten years, providing guidance, friendship and athletic training to our Live Oak Club kids.

Jennie started out as a Club Kid in Southern California at the age of 6. She helped out around her Clubhouse and it wasn’t long before she discovered her passion for working with youth. Her first job started at her Clubhouse and she worked there until she transferred to UC Santa Cruz to finish her degree. She searched for a local Club to continue her love for youth development and has been with our Downtown Clubhouse since 2018. Jennie graduated from UCSC in 2020 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. She hopes to continue connecting with youth to give them a comforting place to be themselves and give them a voice. Jennie strives to provide a welcoming environment that fosters creativity, personal growth, and emotional development.

Kelly has returned to her hometown of Santa Cruz after graduating college. Being proud to serve the community she once grew up in, she hopes to touch the hearts of the various members of the Boys & Girls Clubs. Driven to create a safe community where Teens can come together and feel like they can find a home away from home, she’s dedicated to making positive, and significant connections with those around her. Kelly is very passionate about impacting adolescent lives one form or another and being an advocate for those in need.

Lauren Benson is an Artist/Educator with a deep commitment to introducing children to the Art Experience in all its varied forms. Lauren brings her experience as a representational artist working in the fields of animal and botanical illustration, portraiture, comic book illustration, and mural creation, and combines that with a passion for sculpture, photography, paper crafting, experimental painting and drawing techniques, and fabric and fashion design, to introduce her students to the endless possibilities of artistic creation. Lauren is committed to offering her Art Room as a space of support, understanding, and acceptance within which students can feel empowered to experiment and explore their artistic identities.

Silka brings her tremendous office management skills and attention to detail to her role as Development Assistant, and is a valuable asset to the Live Oak Clubhouses’s programming and administration.