THE LEGACY AND ESSENTIAL WORK OF PACIFICA ’ S BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS
& A &
WITH ROLANDO MADRID
A s the Senior Director of Programs for the Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County , Rolando Madrid plays a key role in developing , implementing , and evaluating programs to ensure positive academic , physical , and social outcomes are being delivered efficiently to our children , families , and communities .
A first-generation Latino raised by a working-class , widowed mother , Rolando has dedicated his life to ensuring that all children have the opportunity , confidence , and knowledge to be great and to follow their dreams . He is relentless in his quest to establish excellent programs in communities that need it the most and takes his late father ’ s advice of “ doing something you love ” to heart . He is a humble , passionate leader who is optimistic about the future and works hard to create and lead motivated high-performing teams who are mission driven and see themselves as high potential leaders in youth development .
How many years have you been with the club ? Can you tell us a little bit about your background ?
“ I ’ ve been in the after-school space for 30 years . I started in New York City as a YMCA coordinator at 16 , worked in Chicago for 16 years in the predominantly Latino community of Pilsen , and then came to the West Coast about four years ago . I have been with the Boys & Girls Club for about three years now .”
What motivates you as a leader ?
“ I got lucky in my life because I chased something that I truly love , and I learned that from a quick sentence my dad told me when I was nine . My dad passed away when I was 10 , but he had told me , ‘ Whatever you do , just do something that you ’ re in love with .’ I don ’ t remember much of my dad , to be honest with you , but I do remember that , and I ’ ve kept it with me throughout my whole life .”
“ Now that I ’ m in my 50s , what I really love is being in the room when a child discovers their gift . To me , that is priceless . You can feel it in the air when a child discovers something that they ’ ve never seen before , never done before , and they immediately fall in love
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