NWI Boys & Girls Clubs Names CEO
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowBoys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana has appointed Anne Flannery chief executive officer. She previously led Missouri-based physical activity advocacy group PE4life.
January 16, 2015
News Release
Gary, Ind. — Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana is pleased to announce today the appointment of Anne Flannery as its new President and CEO.
“We're very excited to have Anne Flannery join our organization as CEO. She's a social entrepreneur with over twenty-five years of executive experience in corporate, government and non-profit leadership,” stated Leslie Kiefer, Chairperson of the organization's Board of Directors. “Anne is an advocate for empowering youth and has been actively involved in helping teach them life skills through sports, play and physical activity. She is truly passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people and will be an asset to Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana.”
Ms. Flannery is the former President and CEO of PE4life, a nationally recognized physical activity program, which began as an advocacy initiative supported by 35 companies in the sporting goods industry, including Nike, Under Armour, Dick's and The Sports Authority. By transforming the way physical education was delivered, including embracing technology, PE4life inspired youth to become physically active and healthy in fun and interactive ways.
“There's nothing as gratifying as making a difference in the lives of children,” said Flannery. “I'm honored for the opportunity to join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, and to have the opportunity to build upon a strong foundation of great people and programming for the youth and families we serve. Today, children and families face so many challenges. The unique after school experience provided by Boys & Girls Clubs is a vital component of helping young people develop to their full potential.”
Independent research showed that PE4life programs not only improved the health and wellness of students, but also improved math and reading scores, while reducing disciplinary issues and absenteeism. PE4life's work was a precursor to the First Lady's “Let's Move” initiative, and the results were the subject of the book, SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by Dr. John Ratey, a brain researcher from Harvard Medical School.
Under Ms. Flannery's leadership, PE4life was instrumental in creating the first national funding program for physical education, the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP), which has provided over $800 million in competitive grants through the US Department of Education to communities across the country to improve their school and community-based physical activity and nutrition programs.
Prior to her stint at PE4life, Ms. Flannery held executive positions with Spalding Sports Worldwide, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and the Women's Sports Foundation. She is a founding member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Ms. Flannery holds a B.S. in Political Science from Syracuse University where she was captain of the women's basketball team and an M.S. in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She was inducted into the Syracuse University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana
Every child deserves the opportunity to be successful. Currently operating six Clubs in Lake County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana (BGCNWI) has been offering hope and opportunity to local youth since 1954 by providing a safe place for kids to learn and grow through life enhancing after-school and summer programming. With the support of highly trained professional staff and adult mentors, BGCNWI helps build great futures by offering fun, engaging and impactful programs to nearly 10,000 youth ages 6 to 18. When schools are out, Clubs are in! For more information about BGCNWI visit bgcnwi.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/BGCNWI.
Source: Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana