Leading for Impact
From the Frontlines to the Presidency: A Sit Down with Mark Washbush
What does it take to lead an organization that serves 9,000 youth across 45 sites? For Mark Washbush, the answer lies in a journey that began in 2004 as a mentor on the Club floor. Nick Daher, Director of Philanthropy, recently caught up with Mark to dive into the principles that shape his leadership. In this candid interview, Mark shares his vision for building the most trusted youth development brand in the non-profit community and explains why the partnership of our donor community is more essential now than ever.
The Journey to Purpose
Nick: “You’ve been part of the Boys & Girls Club movement since 2004, growing from frontline roles into senior leadership and now President. What originally drew you to this work?”
Mark: “I joined the Boys & Girls Club movement in 2004, coming from the for-profit world. In my early 30s, I was looking for purpose and meaning in my life and my work; I felt like those two things could be achieved, and I had neither in the world I was living in. I was soul-searching and wanted to do something different. My brother, who was an associate executive director at a Club in the Bay Area, suggested “If you want something new, why don’t you try this?”
I quickly learned how difficult the work was. I was a Youth Development Professional (YDP) for nine months, and the work was so hard I wondered if this was the world for me. However, I stuck it out, and an opportunity to move into management arose. When I transitioned into managing people, I realized that where my heart really lied was in developing others. I truly understood what the movement meant when I became a coach and mentor for our young staff working with our youth.”
The Power of Belonging
Nick: “You often mention that ‘Sense of Belonging’ is the most critical element of what we do. After 20 years, how do you define the impact of that feeling on a kid, and how does it drive your leadership now?”
Mark: “One of our five key elements of youth development is a sense of belonging, and that resonates most with me. To provide a place where kids feel they belong – where they may not feel that way anywhere else – is a great thing. I stayed [with the Club] because I could see how we were changing lives, truly connecting with kids and helping them. Giving them a safe place and a trusted mentor who cares about their future was the most gratifying thing for me and has kept me here for over 20 years.
Leadership is about impact and creating conditions for our young people, teens, and the broader community to thrive. The most important role that we play as leaders here is in creating spaces where kids can feel valued and supported, like they belong, and where they realize that they’re capable of achieving more than they ever thought possible. I think that’s a great thing, being able to create those environments for young people.
I guess ultimately where I am motivated most is service – in programmatic excellence, operational excellence, and the duty to manifest the change that we wish to see in our communities of greatest need.”
Nick: “We all have people who shaped us. Who have been the mentors or influential figures that shaped your approach to leadership, and what lessons from them continue to guide your work today?”
Mark: “I believe in service leadership – putting the needs and growth of others before your own personal needs or agenda or goals. I grew up in a household where my parents taught me there’s no more noble purpose than to serve others. My mother is an immigrant from Finland, and she raised me with the concept of Sisu – a deep resilience and determination. That cultural value has really driven me throughout my life, especially during some significant personal challenges that I experienced as I found my way to where I am today. To me, it’s deeply important.
In high school, I had a football coach, Coach Mensha, and he would talk to our team about complacency. He would say, “Gentleman, enjoy this feeling of success, but realize this moment is fleeting. Come Monday, we’re going to get back to work”. He showed me that you must always strive to grow yourself and your team. You can never be complacent – success is a continuous process.”
Growing Our Impact for Young People
Nick: “We’ve grown so much these past few years – the scale is incredible. Can you speak to this, and about the internal achievements that you’re most proud of?”
Mark: “I really am most proud of our expansion to 45 sites and increasing the number of youth we serve to 9,000. This has brought stability to our broader communities that are historically under-resourced. I am also proud of the ‘zero harm’ culture we’ve developed as we’ve worked to deepen our safety and compliance systems to ensure our kids and staff are physically and emotionally safe.
We have modernized our infrastructure, software, and evaluation tools to ensure operational and programmatic excellence. What has been another emphasis of mine over my career here at BGCSV is quality improvement – rooting our programs in standardized curriculum and a pedagogical practice model. We evaluate and learn through classroom observations, safety assessments, and employee education, keeping us aligned with 21st-century learning skills.”
How Your Partnership Makes A Difference
Nick: “Finally, I often talk with donors who want to know how their specific level of giving makes a difference. For our mid-major supporters, why is their partnership so critical to this specific ‘moment’ of transformation we’re in?”
Mark: “For mid-major donors, I think your engagement and support is essential in this moment. Your investment gives Clubs the ability to seize opportunities and pilot new ideas, allowing us to accelerate our programs, build on our current success, and modernize our infrastructure. It will also allow our people to respond with agility for the at-risk youth that we primarily serve.
As a donor base, your partnership accelerates opportunities alongside other members of the philanthropic community, like foundations, corporations, and public support. Your trust and funding in particular allow for flexibility that these other sources can’t offer.”
The Next 80 Years: Where We Go From Here
Nick: “Mark, as you step into the presidency, everyone is eager to hear about the ‘North Star’ for this organization. When you look at the horizon, what is the ultimate goal for BGCSV under your leadership?”
Mark: “Our organizational goal is to develop the 21st century skills in our youth that they need to be successful in school, career, and life. We want to build the most trusted brand in the not-for-profit community, one that not just responds to the needs of young people that we serve today but actively shapes opportunities for them in the future. In short, our goal is to be the premier youth development organization – period. That’s really our vision and will continue to be as I serve as President.”
Nick: “To be that ‘premier’ organization, we can’t just rely on how things have always been done. What are the specific internal shifts you’re prioritizing right now to make sure we’re ready for the future?”
Mark: “We’re entering a period of transformation as an organization. What I’m going to be focusing on is modernizing our systems, strengthening program quality and the scope of our work – deepening partnerships with our schools, cities, counties, and stakeholders to build long-term sustainability.
That’s where our donors come into play – so youth can count on us from generation to generation. We’ve been in existence for over 80 years, and I’m really excited to think about the next 80 years.” ∎
