Boys and Girls Club

Staff

Apply to be a part of the Boys & Girls Club family at the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Employment Website. Applications are accepted year-round and hiring occurs as needed. Employees of Boys and Girls Club gain personal and professional development through monthly in-Club training, regional and local training, and daily interaction with our most valuable teachers – our youth.

Boys and Girls Club staff are carefully screened and interviewed before being hired to work with the children. Staff have extensive training and most of all have a passion for the children and maximizing their potential.

Our Staff

Bruce LeClaire – Chief Executive Officer

Bruce is enrolled in the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Bruce has worked with Native American Youth for the past 30 years. Before joining the Boys and Girls Club of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Bruce worked for the Durango School District as the Title VII Family/School Coordinator. Bruce was also a Program Director for the Durango Project of Intermountain Centers for Human Development. Intermountain operated residential behavioral treatment program for Native American Adolescents in Group Homes, Foster Homes and a Semi-Independent Living program. Bruce is a peacetime veteran; he served in the United States Army as a Combat Engineer. He was a squad leader and reached the rank of Sergeant.

 

 

 

 


Crystal Kelly- Administrative Assistant

In 2015, Crystal started working for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and became a resident of Ignacio. Crystal graduated from Fort Lewis College with an environmental studies degree in 2012 and obtained a graduate degree in climate science from Northern Arizona University in 2014.

In her spare time Crystal enjoys visiting the Navajo Nation with her two sons, who have been active members of the SUIT’s Boys and Girls Club since 2020.

Crystal is Navajo and her Navajo clans are listed below.

“Tóstohnii nishłí, Tł’ízí łání báshishchíín, Tł’ízí łání dashicheii, Tsé deeshgiizhnii dashinálí. I am Big Water and born for the Manygoats clan. My maternal grandfather is the Manygoats clan. My paternal father’s clan is the Rock Gap clan.”

 


Cassandra Sanchez – Site Director

Cass has been with Boys & Girls Club since 2011 and has expanded her position from Program Aide to Program Coordinator to Behavioral Coordinator and most recently Site Director. Cass graduated from Fort Lewis College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Criminology.

“My favorite part of working for BGC is the relationships that we get to build; not only with our club members, but other youth in the community, other entities in the surrounding communities, and people involved in the Boys & Girls Club movement across the country.”

 


Nick Sanchez- Program Coordinator

“I have been with the Boys and Girls Club off and on since 2015, at that time I was a high school volunteer. The time I spent as a volunteer really sparked my interest into working with BGC. I started officially with BGC as a part time program aide and have grown into my role as our Program Coordinator. During my time as a Program Aide, I implemented a wide variety of programs based on our Core Areas. Some of my favorite program activities were Random Acts of Kindness, Healthy Habits, and Spark. My favorite part of the work that we do is building a bond with the kids that will last a lifetime and watching the kids grow up into young adults.”

 

 

 

 


Lillianna Baker- Behavioral Coordinator

 

“My name is Lillianna Baker. I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona and graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. I have worked with BGC in the past as a summer program aide and enjoyed all the relationships built within this department. I am now the BGC Behavioral Coordinator and am excited for what this position has in store for me.”


Program Aides

Dawrence Romero
Samara O’John
Cameron Orendorff
Damarion Goodtracks
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy, Southern Ute Drum