BRATTLEBORO-The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro’s new executive director says his top priority is the young people who come through its doors.
Russell Poulin, a licensed social worker who has spent more than two decades in youth development, human services, and nonprofit leadership, has been hired to lead the Flat Street organization that serves children and teens ages 6 to 18.
He started Oct. 1, replacing Lisa Ford, its interim executive director, who chairs the nonprofit’s board of directors.
“Our board of directors did an extensive search and interviewed a handful of strong candidates for the position of executive director,” Ford told The Commons on Monday.
“The board unanimously believed that Russ had the right combination of operational and fiscal experience needed to tighten the core systems of our organizationin preparation for growth,” Ford continued. “His background in social work also prepares him to make child-centered decisions for both our teen center and licensed after-school programs.He’s a good fit for not only our organization, but the community at large.”
As the organization’s new leader, Poulin will oversee its operations and direction. But he said his focus will be “on ensuring we’re providing the best possible experience for our members and families.”
“That means supporting our staff, strengthening community relationships, and making sure the club remains a place where young people feel safe and valued while helping them develop the skills and confidence that will prepare them for the future,” he said.
Poulin said changes are on the way.
“We will be working on some exciting programming updates and other opportunities for all of our members and the community of Brattleboro,” he said.
Poulin said he will work closely with the club’s board of directors about future planning, although he did not offer specifics. “There will be more to share as things progress, but I see it as an important opportunity to strengthen the Club and its impact on the community,” he said.
The club’s new leader said his approach starts with listening to the people it serves and then connecting them with the right resources.
“I believe the best way to approach our goals is by understanding the needs of the children, teens, and families we serve; building strong partnerships with local schools, community organizations, and other youth-serving agencies; and working closely with the community to create impactful opportunities for young people,” he said. “It’s about recognizing where we can make the greatest difference and bringing people and resources together to make that happen.”
From child protection to shelter operations
Poulin comes to Brattleboro from Massachusetts, where he most recently served as chief operating officer of the Lynn Shelter Association.
There, he oversaw four agency divisions with more than 85 full-time employees in 10 program areas and managed eight sites with more than 230 housing units, including family and individual shelters and subsidized apartments. He was responsible for annual budgets of more than $8 million.
Poulin helped the agency secure more than $2 million in fundraising, grants, and new contracts in fiscal year 2024, including a $1.6 million annual award, renewable for five years, for a new 28-unit family shelter. He also redesigned the agency’s family shelter policies to be trauma-informed and person-centered, a change he credits with cutting critical incidents by more than 85%, and he led efforts that increased successful housing placements by at least 150%.
Before that, Poulin was a senior advocate supervisor at Boston Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), where he supervised up to 30 advocates, each assigned to a family in the juvenile court system with a child in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF).
He has also served as program director of a 12-bed adolescent residential treatment program at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, overseeing therapeutic youth development programs for teens with behavioral challenges.
Poulin began his career as a child protection social worker with the state DCF, managing caseloads of up to 23 families and 40 children and investigating reports of abuse and neglect. He also has more than five years of senior management experience in multi-site youth and community programs, including at the YMCA and the JCC.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in social work, having graduated cum laude from Salem State University, and is a licensed social worker in Massachusetts.
“I’m a social worker, and my background includes child protection work, leadership roles in youth-serving organizations, and working with community-based agencies supporting children, individuals, and families facing a variety of challenges,” Poulin said. “Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to lead organizations through growth and change, and I’m looking forward to bringing that experience to Brattleboro.”
Helping kids realize full potential
The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro’s mission is “to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”
Club programs focus on healthy habits and safe choices, social skills and healthy relationships, career readiness, leadership and community service, and outdoor education and recreation.
Its offerings include: Kids Club,run in collaboration with Retreat Farm,an affordable after-school program for children ages 6 to 11; Flat Street Club, home to all teen programming, including Power Hour study hall, daily drop-in hours, and Teen Night on the first Friday of each month; Signature Boys & Girls Clubs of America programs, such as Torch Club, Keystone Club, SMART Girls, and Money Matters; and its indoor skatepark, open Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m.
The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro is at 17 Flat St. For more information, call the main office at 802-254-5990, the Teen Center at 802-212-9389, or Kids Club at 802-689-0005.
This News item by Virginia Ray was written for The Commons.