New Wave of Branch Leadership Greets Club Kids this Fall
Pictured (L to R) Leah Bradley, Mara Harris, and Erika Arellano.
In addition to the “new normal” of facilitating remote learning at Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County (BGCTC) this fall, three of the seven BGCTC branches have new leaders in their Branch Director positions.
Leah Bradley was named the new Branch Director of the Lacey location of Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County (BGCTC) after serving four years as the Tenino Boys & Girls Club director and brings to the position over ten years of youth development and leadership experience. Leah’s history as a responsive leader made her a strong choice to lead the Lacey Branch. Some of the positions served during her tenure with the Clubs include Program Director, Teen Coordinator, Club volunteer, and Choreographer/Hip Hop teacher. Additionally, Leah served as a Tumwater Youth Program Volunteer, a Residential Advisor with Community Youth Services, and was a member of Intercity Transit’s Citizen Advisory Committee.
Through these experiences Leah gained a solid foundation of providing positive leadership and mentorship to youth and their families; gaining extensive knowledge about youth-related community resources; experience training others to implement programs and to ensure youth/Club safety and quality; and collaborating with diverse communities. Within BGCTC, Leah is known for her superb work ethic, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work with diverse groups and situations. Leah obtained her AA from Peninsula College and is a senior in standing at Evergreen State College having studied Social Work.
Mara Harris served a number of positions with Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County (BGCTC) before being named the Tenino Branch Director, but her Club journey began as a Rochester Branch Club member in middle school. She was selected twice as BGCTC’s Youth of the Year. Mara brings to the Club Director position an array of experiences in various positions at difference branch locations: Program Staff (Rochester), Front Desk Coordinator (Tenino), Teen Director (Tumwater) and Program Director (Olympia). She also served on the Marketing & Resource Development Committee for the Chehalis Boys & Girls Club during the early years of start-up and construction. Mara aims to build strong relationships everywhere she goes and understands on a personal level the positive impact Clubs have on the youth and families they serve. Her mission has been to make a positive impact in the communities she serves and she is excited to continue to grow the Tenino Branch.
Erika Arellano became Branch Director of BGCTC’s newest branch location at the Raj Manhas Activities Center (RMAC) in summer 2020. Born and raised in Colorado, Erika found herself in the Pacific Northwest by way of being a military family. Since 2013, she served as a youth development professional for the Buckley Air Force Base Youth Center implementing a wide range of activities from 4H to Torch Club, interfacing with Boys & Girls Clubs in this role. She also has experience directing operations for 24 Hour Fitness. Her personal interests in health and fitness feed her desire to foster healthy habits in youth. “Health-focused programs allow youth to understand and see the benefits of healthy choices both physically and mentally,” said Erika. “I can’t wait to see kids attending the RMAC branch flourish as we start this new chapter with Boys and Girls Club.”