Professional Staff
Caring, well-trained staff, are the foundation for all we do in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County. There is a strong bond of love, trust and friendship that has been forged between the kids and the staff who guide them.
Chief Executive Officer - Russell Triolo
Russell Triolo has 35 years executive level experience and is recognized throughout the movement as a visionary leader. He has been affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America national movement for his entire 35 year career.
Russ is a also a Boys & Girls Club Alumni having attended the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton regularly from age 6 – 18.
He started his Boys & Girls Club career in 1973 in the position of Program Director at the Boys & Girls Club of Garfield, New Jersey a position he held through February 1980.
In March 1980 he was named the Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County a position he has held for the past 29 years. Under his leadership the organization has grown from a single Unit in 1980 serving 2,000 children to five Units located throughout Union County, NJ that today provides services to over 10,000 children annually.
In 2006, he was selected by The Boys & Girls Clubs of America Professional Association as the recipient of the Northeast Regional "Contribution to the Profession" Award. Representing the Northeast he is the only two time recipient of this prestigious award having also been recognized in 1997. Russ served as President of the Garden State Chapter of the Association of Boys & Girls Club Professionals (ABGCP) on three separate non consecutive two year terms. He was a three year member of the National Board of the ABGCP in the mid 80’s.
He is a two time member of the ABGCP “Presidents Club”. In 2002 and 2008 he was recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America with the “National Service to Youth Award”. Russ earned his B.A. degree in Special Education in 1972 from William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.
Chief Operating Officer - Sal Dovi
Sal Dovi has worked in the non profit sector for 35 years at the executive level. He has served as Chief Operating Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County (BGCUC) since 1992.
Sal is responsible for the day to day operations of the organization’s five Units located throughout Union County, NJ. He is the supervisor of over 40 exempt and non-exempt staff. Throughout his tenure at BGCUC he has coordinated the effort of over 200 volunteers annually. He also leads the Club’s many community efforts within those communities that are served by BGCUC.
His major strengths lie in the areas of finance, resource development and facility management. Sal is very active in many civic organizations in Union County. He is the Past President of the Union Township Chamber of Commerce and Founder and Charter Past President of the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce.
Previously, to his career with the Boys & Girls Clubs, he was an Executive Professional with the YMCA for over 20 years. His last position held with the YMCA was President.
Sal has received many honors throughout his career and community service from organizations like Kiwanis, Lions and Optimist Club International.
He is an alumnus of the Boys Club of New York where he attended for many years throughout his youth and is currently a member of the Alumni Association.
He earned his B.A. degree from Queens College in New York and has attended Columbia University Not for Profit Institute.
Director of Development & Marketing - Alan Kornblum
Alan Kornblum serves as the Director of Development & Marketing. He is responsible for leading the resource development and marketing efforts for the organization. Alan has been in the marketing and sales field for approximately fifteen years, working most recently in the textile industry.
Comptroller - Carlos Calisto
Carlos Calisto’s non-profit career spans 17 years, the last 12 with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County. Carlos started his Boys & Girls Club Career in 1996 as Office Manager. He was promoted to the position of Union Unit Director in 2001 and currently serves as the Comptroller for the Union County organization.
He earned his B.A. degree in World History from The University of Lisbon, Portugal. In his current position Carlos directs the financial affairs of the organization and prepares financial analysis of operations, including interim and final financial statements with supporting schedules, for the guidance of management. He is responsible for the Clubs financial plans and policies, its accounting practices, the maintenance of its fiscal records, and the preparation of financial reports.
In addition he has supervision responsibilities for general accounting, property accounting, internal auditing, cost accounting, and budgetary controls. Carlos also manages the information systems and computing resources for the entire organization. Throughout his Boys & Girls Club career, Carlos has and continues to provide consultation in the area of technology to Boys & Girls Clubs of America National staff and local Boys & Girls Clubs throughout New Jersey. Carlos has attended Columbia University Not for Profit Institute.
Corporate Administrative Assistant - Peggy Woodward
Peggy has been with the agency for 19 years. Her responsibilities include but not limited to: human resource administration, personal records adminsitration, payroll, and financial systems management. She was formally employeed as an Adminsitraive Assistant for the Township of Union Recreation Department.
Director of Program Services & Community Relations - Joseph DeMaio
Joseph DeMaio began his career at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County in 1990 where he started working part-time as Camp Counselor for our Summer Camp Program. Through hands on training and Boys Girls Club of America trainings, Joe was promoted up the ladder to Social/Cultural Director, Director of Program Services, Director of Teen Services and his most recent promotion within the past four years as Club Director for our fairly new Club in Roselle Park.
Joe has served on the 1995 Program Institute Committee for two (2) consecutive years providing valuable training to staff within Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the North East Region. He has been a State Youth of the Year Committee Member for the past 8 years and has worked closely with our State Director on a variety of Projects.
Joe has also lead a state initiative with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to increase CLUBService enrollments within Clubs in New Jersey. With this, he has provided informative trainings to Club Staff along with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and has increased CLUBService participation within many Clubs throughout the State.
He is a graduate of Union County College earning an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Business Management and is currently attending Kean University in the Social Work Program.
Plainfield Club Director - Kenya Mutyanda
Kenya Mutyanda is the Unit Director of the Plainfield Club of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County. She has served in a variety of roles with the organization over the years. Kenya started as a volunteer, head counselor, education director, director of child care services, social service coordinator, assistant club director and is currently the unit director of the Plainfield Club.
Kenya is involved with the Keystone Club, the Boys & Girls Clubs teen leadership group, and has served as a Keystone Advisor since 2004.
She attended and graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice. She briefly worked at the Denton County Prosecutor’s office in Texas before relocating to the Netherlands with her family. On her family’s return from Europe, Kenya and her family settled back in New Jersey and she joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County. Kenya returned to school to further her education by attending Kean University where she graduated with a Master’s of Public Administration.
She is a big supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement professionally and personally.
Elizabeth & Roselle Club Director - Lita Thomas
Lita is responsible for administration of the Elizabeth and Roselle Club programs and services, in addition to maintaining the fiscal operations, community relations and program development. Before she became our Elizabeth & Roselle Club Director, Lita employeed as the Director of the AmeriCorp program for the International Youth Organization.
Director of Aquatics (Union) - Yefim Shoykhet
Yefim Shoykhet graduated from the Pedagogical University of Russia in St. Petersburg with a master’s degree in Physical Education and sports, specializing in swimming. He has been involved with swimming for more than 30 years now and has successfully worked with a variety of age groups, developing swimmers from novice to Olympics. Yefim has coached over 15 National Junior & Senior qualifiers from the former USSR .
He has been the Aquatic Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County, Union Club since 1992. Yefim has developed and promoted very positive and strong programs for Aquatics such as Swim Lessons, Swim Team and the Summer Swim Camp.
Director of Health & Physical Education (Union) - Erin Duffy
Erin Duffy has been part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County for 7 years. Her current responsibilities are Director of Athletics as well as Director of the “Summer Fun Club” at the Union Club. She is responsible for creating and running all athletic programs at the Union Club which include Basketball, Soccer and T-Ball. Also she oversees the day-to-day operation of the after-school program for ages 11-18.
Office Manager (Union) - Jennifer Cerqueira
Jennifer has been an employee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County for 9 years. She started as a camp counselor during the 2000 Summer season at the Union Club. Since then she held the position of Front Desk Attendant at the Union Club and Membership Coordinator at the Roselle Park Club. She is now the Office Manager for the Union Club. In addition to being an employee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County she was also a member for over 10 years. Jennifer was chosen as the 2002 Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County Youth of the Year. Jennifer is currently a student at William Patterson studying to acheive a degree in Humanities and Social Sceinces. She is expected to graduate in May 2010.
Gang Prevention Coordinator/Director of Teen Services (Plainfield) - Angel Otero
Angel Otero is the Director of Teen Services at the Boys and Girls Clubsof Union County-Plainfield Club. Angel has worked in the non profit sector for 23 years. Prior to his career with the Boys and Girls Clubs, Angel was a Senior Management Professional with the YMCA of Eastern Union County where he worked his way up from being an assistant counselor, groupleader, program coordinator, director of school age/camp/teen programs and finally as senior program director, overseeing everything from preschool to adult health & wellness programming.
Angel has also worked in the Elizabeth Public Schools district as a substitute teacher. Through the years, he has also collaborated with the City of Elizabeth's Office of Youth to facilitate teen programming events in the community.