I grew up in Southfield Village  area of Stamford, CT. At an early age, my parents separated and my mother turned to the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford to help her kids. She felt this was a safe alternative to us playing on the streets but I quickly realized that it would become a part of who I am today. We initially joined the Club for the Summer Camp program. After realizing how much fun we were having and new experiences we were being introduced to, my mother signed us up for the after school program.  While a member at the Club some of the programs I took part in included Karate, piano, and cooking lessons.  As my counselors noticed I showed an excellence in Arts and Crafts they allowed me the opportunity to create a variety of events for the Boys and Girls Club, which would be the foreground for my career today.

As a preteen, I became a C.I.T and eventually a part-time staff member. The skills I acquired as a staff member would take me very far in life. The highlight in my membership at the Boys & Girls Club would be in 1996, when I was nominated as Stamford's  Boys and Girls Club “Youth of the Year.” Though I did not win the state competition, it was a great honor for me then and still is to this very day.

I graduated from Benedict College with an English Degree.  I currently work as a Congressional Liaison and Marketing Associate for Everybody Wins! DC.  My job allows me to work with staffers on Capitol Hill and meet Senators and Congressmen. As fun as it is to meet and work with these special people, I work here because of my profound belief in organizations that serve children. Statistically, as a minority who grew up in Southfield Village in Stamford, CT, I was not expected to make it this far. I cannot imagine where my life would have taken me if I didn’t attend the Boys& Girls Club. I believe that every child should have the same resources as their peers; but that is not always the case. Organizations such as the Boys& Girls Club, not only serve as a safe haven, but as a door to endless opportunities.

Katherine Kinzler

Katherine Kinzler a former counselor at the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford is excited to be back and re-engaged in an organization with a mission that inspired her to help youth at risk at the beginning of her career.  Since her position at the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford ended, Katherine earned her B.A. from Yale in cognitive science, and a PhD in developmental psychology from Harvard.   Katherine is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago teaching  both undergraduate and graduate students.  Katherine’s commitment to her home and community is still evident today as she has reached out to The Boys & Girls Club looking to get involved mentoring some of our high school members.  The Boys & girls Club of Stamford is proud of Katherine Kinsler and all of the work she has accomplished, and we are pleased to call her an alumnus.