Our Team

Our team of staff and volunteers impact the lives of more than 9,000 kids and teens in Hartford. We are dedicated to providing a positive environment and a pathway to opportunities and life-changing programs.

Sam S. Gray, Jr.
President & Chief Executive Officer

Samuel S. Gray, Jr. is president and Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford (BGCH). Promoted to this position in October of 2007, Gray is responsible for providing leadership for all aspects of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, which annually provides youth in Hartford with quality after-school and non-school hours programming. He recently led his Board and key stakeholders in raising more than $20M to build a new Boys & Girls Club in Hartford’s South end community. The Clubhouse will open in the Fall of 2021.

Gray began his career with the Boys & Girls Clubs movement in 1991, serving as Program Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Richmond, VA. In his 30 years as a Boys & Girls Club Professional, Gray has worked in numerous program and management capacities in Richmond, Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Gray received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Albertus Magnus College.  He also received his Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership from Albertus Magnus College.  He is a Woodruff Fellow through Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Gray has also received Executive Leadership certificates from Clemson University and Harvard University.  He is currently pursuing a certificate from the University of Georgia’s Sherpa Executive Coaching Certificate program.

Gray is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated and is currently the Vice Polemarch of the Hartford Alumni Chapter.  He entered in the fall of 2017 with the Hartford Alumni Chapter as the only initiate.  He truly lives a life equal to the fundamental purpose of the Fraternity which is an achievement.

Gray has been associated with Boys & Girls Clubs since the age of eight.  He believes that his journey as a club member to a youth development ambassador is a gift.  He challenges youth to dream and exposes them to things they may not otherwise be exposed, to become productive, responsible, caring citizens in our community. What he cherished the most is his responsibility as a father. He can be best described as a caring and supportive father to his three sons, Marcus, Myles, and Mason.   He balances his work life to ensure that he is an example and visible in his son’s life. Gray wants the best for his son’s and challenges them to be better than he is.

Administrative Team

Lisa Pierce
Administrative Manager

Veronica Collins
Director of Human Resources

Victoria Copes
Director of Finance

Jem Miller
Staff Accountant

Humza Uddin
Accountant

Club Operations and Programming

Shawonda Swain
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Joseph W. Bumpers III
Director of Youth Services

Chantel Gray
Director of Youth Services

Brenda Parker
Director of Teen Services

Development

Matt Broderick
Vice President of Development

Dawn Veillette Diana
Director of Donor Relations

Jessica Dolan
Director of Corporate Engagement

Mary E. Kiernan-Gonzalez
Director of Grants & Continuous Improvement

Karen Connal
Director of Marketing & Communications

Board of Officers

Thomas D. Jones III, Chairman
Kevin Henry, Esq., Vice Chairman
Kate Conway, Treasurer
Gregory C. Davis, Esq., Secretary

Board of Trustees

Francis Archambault – Community Partner
Dr. Karlos Boghosian, D.C – So Vita Chiropractic Center
Kathleen M. Bromage* – The Hartford
Lori Budnick, CPA – CliftonLarsonAllen
John F. Byrnes – Assured Partners
Matthew Carbray – Ridgeline Financial Partners, LLC
Michael Cicchetti – Frontier Communications
Sonserae Cicero – Walgreens Co.
Landon D. Chase – Chase Enterprises
Daniel K. Clark – Clark Agency, LLC
Katherine Conway – Travelers
Gregory C. Davis, Esq.* – Travelers
Lisa S. Dunnery – Accenture
Grace Figueredo – Community Partner
Joel Freedman – Community Partner
John Gallagher – University of Hartford
Amy Gallent – Catalina U.S. Insurance Services, LLC
Willis H. Gee, Jr. – Chubb Limited
Jonathan Gengras* – Gengras Motor Cars, Inc.
Kevin T. Henry, Esq. – PKV, LLC
Ray Hernandez – OTIS
Brent Hoffman – AXA XL
An-Ping Hsieh – Community Partner
Marja M. Hurley, M.D. – UCONN Health
Tauheedah Jackson- Coalition for Community School
Jacqueline P. John, M.S. – UnitedHealthcare
Thomas D. Jones, III – Community Partner
Elin Swason Katz – Tilson
Alan J. Kreczko* – Community Partner
Shannon Lapierre – Stanley Black & Decker
Dayna Latino – UnitedHealthcare
Duncan R. MacKay/NUS – Eversource Energy
Bruce Mandell – Data-Mail, Inc.
Cherita I. McIntye, PhD – ESPN
Earl F. McMahon – Reid & Riege PC
Eboni S. Nelson – University of Connecticut School of Law
Sydney E. Parkmond – Henkel Corporation
Bimal Patel- Hartford HealthCare
Jennifer M. Quigley – Community Partner
Brian Runkle – Webster Bank
Ari Santiago – IT Direct
Wendy E. Sherry –  Cigna Connecticut and Payer Solutions
Shara Slattery – PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Spencer A. Sloan – Spencer Sloan Photography
Jay Sloves – Elkinson & Sloves, Inc.
Joseph B. Smith, CPCU, ARM – Smith Brothers Insurance & Smith Brothers Financial, LLC
Nicole C. Starks – Voya Financial
Timothy J. Sullivan – Janney Montgomery Scott
Rev. Jeremy Williams – Phillips Metropolitan CME

Life Trustees

Philip Bonee
Lisa Boyle
Richard P. Brainerd*
William J. Cochran*
Alex W. Creedon, Jr.*
John A. Donaghue
Winthrop P. Eldredge*
Jay G. Fromer*
Robert B. Goode, Jr.*
Eugene T. Green*
Jan-Gee W. McCollam*
I. Bradley Hoffman*
G. Robert O’Brien*
Oliver L. Patrell*
John P. Preysner, Jr., Esq.*
John Rafferty, Sr.*
John H. Riege, Esq
John S. Stout

*Past President