A Message from Our Alliance Executive Director


For over 20 years, the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs has championed opportunities for youth in the Commonwealth, preparing them to be the problem-solvers, innovators and leaders who shape our world.


Our advocacy builds upon that commitment by ensuring their voices are heard in communities and at the state and federal level as we champion policies and solutions that will have the greatest impact on the youth of this country.


The Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs represents the interests of all 40 traditional Boys & Girls Clubs in the state. The Alliance provides a mechanism for joint decision-making and cooperative action among Clubs in Massachusetts and seeks to promote and strengthen relationships with public and private stakeholders in order to increase support for Clubs.


At Boys & Girls Clubs our motto is “Whatever it Takes." We provide caring mentors, a safe place, and innovative, quality programs designed to empower youth to excel in school and lead healthy, productive lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged Clubs like nothing in our history. 


As we prepare to help write the next chapter for Massachusetts’ youth, we invite you to learn about the great work Boys & Girls Clubs do throughout the Commonwealth and to see the ways that you can help and support our vision for young people.


Together we can be champions for youth, ensuring that no matter where a kid is from or the circumstances that surround them, that doesn’t determine their access to positive experiences and opportunities that ensure all kids have a great future!

 

With Gratitude,

 

Jennifer Aldworth

Club Kid Since 1981

Executive Director

Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs

2024 MA Alliance Board of Directors

Each member of our Board of Directors is a leader who has made significant contributions to Boys & Girls Clubs Movement.

Julie Gage
Board Chair

Julie currently serves as Executive Director of the James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn. She joined the BGCA Movement in 2004 and served as the Arts & Education Director and then Director of Program Development of the Woburn organization before becoming the Executive Director in 2014. In 2018, she was named Executive of the Year for the Northeast Region by The Professional Association. Locally, she serves on her community’s Coalition Against Substance Abuse and is also a volunteer for the American Cancer Society.

Andrea Howard
Vice Chair

Andrea has served as CEO of West End House Boys & Girls Club for 20 years. She served with a variety of other Clubs prior to that and was selected as a BGCA Woodruff Fellow. She has an MPA from the University of South Alabama. She serves on the National Advisory Committee for the Arts for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Additionally, Andrea serves on the Board of Directors at the Music and Youth Initiative and on the Board of Advisors for the Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts.

Eileen Cavanaugh
Secretary

Eileen currently serves as President & CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke. She oversees five clubhouses, serving over 350 youth daily. She is an MA-certified elementary teacher who has worked in afterschool and out-of-school programming for over 20 years. Additionally, Eileen is a graduate of the Boys & Girls Club of America Leadership Summit, a mastery level program facilitated by the Harvard Business School specifically for Boys & Girls Club professionals.

Bill Kiley
Treasurer

Bill was appointed as Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Fall River in September 2019, having previously served as Finance Director since joining the organization in April 2005. His
prior professional experience includes 3 years of Public Accounting, 2 years as Internal Audit with ITT Sheraton, and 12 years as a Controller in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Bill is a 1985 graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. in Business Administration. He currently serves as the Assistant Treasurer of the Bristol Community College Foundation Board of Directors and on the Human Rights Committee for People Incorporated.

BGCA Representatives on the Massachusetts Alliance Board of Directors


The five Boys & Girls Clubs of America appointed board positions are currently held by:


  • Sam Gray, Vice President, Northeast Region
  • JR Kenny, Director, Government Relations
  • Jason Penegar, Vice President, Controller
  • Karen MacDonald, Director of Organization Development, Northeast


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