Dear Community Partners, Donors, and Friends,
We are pleased to share with you that the Board of Directors has unanimously named Craig Baker as the next Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford. His first day in this role will be July 10th.
Craig has worked with children in educational and community settings since his first job as a middle school teacher in 1999. He has built and led diverse teams, collaborated with local and state governments, and partnered with community organizations to achieve outcomes and improve lives. Craig has deep experience making data-driven decisions and was part of Domus’ senior leadership team during the 2008 recession and global pandemic, so he understands how to strategically approach complex challenges without much information. His honest and compassionate leadership style has led to long-time relationships with former students and staff members–Craig truly believes that loving relationships change people. Colleagues appreciate his quick but thoughtful thinking, ability to connect the dots on thorny issues, and excellent sense of humor.
Most recently, Craig served as the deputy director of Domus, overseeing development and communications for the organization as well as the educational program inside the Hartford Juvenile Detention Center. He worked closely with board members and funding partners to ensure Domus had the resources to provide critical care and support to youth who’ve experienced adversity and was responsible for raising several million dollars in private funding annually through grants, events, corporate gifts, and individual giving.
Prior to that, Craig served for 14 years as Chief Educational Officer for Domus, overseeing three public schools serving over 300 students in comprehensive educational programs targeting students who were unsuccessful in traditional school environments. These public schools addressed the unique educational needs of students performing below grade level as well as the social and emotional challenges that often keep children from focusing on and attending school. Under Craig’s leadership, the schools were so successful that he was asked to train personnel from New Haven Public Schools and other communities in successful social/emotional/behavioral classroom approaches, helping school districts develop a trauma-informed approach to education. Craig was also school director for 5 years in the dynamic, successful middle school where he first taught.
A Greenwich native and longtime Stamford resident, Craig received both his Master of Education and Bachelor’s in history from Sacred Heart University. He received the Isabelle Farrington College of Education Alumni Leadership Award from Sacred Heart University in 2013. Craig enjoys reading and watching his three sons play sports.
The search process was conducted over several months by Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s CEO Search Team, in partnership with a Search Committee led by me and included other dedicated board members of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford. I would personally like to thank Boys & Girls Clubs of America for their tremendous support during the CEO search process.
We are incredibly excited for Craig to join the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford family and look forward to your interaction with him as he defines his vision for supporting our members. Over the coming months, Craig plans to meet our community members an as you learn about his priorities, strategy, and goals for our Clubs and community, we know you will be as hopeful about the future as we are.
“As a long-time Stamford resident who believes in the mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford, I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to bring my passion to work with me each day as a leader for this excellent organization. The Boys and Girls Club of Stamford has a longstanding history of bringing outstanding programming to the youth in our community, thanks to the talented staff, dedicated board members and volunteers, and generous donors. My goal is to continue to lead this organization forward by developing strong partnerships and extending our outreach to all youth in our community through fundraising and awareness opportunities, while building upon the excellent program that already exists,” said Craig.
We want to thank Rowena for her leadership and tenure at the Boys & Girls Club, particularly during the pandemic. We wish her well as we continue to expand on the work she did at the Club.
We also thank you for your continued support of our Clubs. Without your generosity and dedication, we would not be able to support the many kids and teens who enter our doors each day.
Karyn Ward
Boys & Girls Club of Stamford Board Chair