A Rich History
For nearly 70 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove has been serving the children of Central Orange County. Thanks to our incredible partnerships with the Garden Grove Unified School District, Garden Grove Police Department, and the City of Garden Grove, we have been able to grow and thrive and become one of the leading youth-serving organizations, not just in Garden Grove, but in the world.
Our success is in large part due to our “whole child” approach. Our school-age and family support programs, along with our core BGCA (Boys & Girls Clubs of America) programs help to ensure our goal that every family we serve has access to the resources they need to be safe, healthy, and happy.
As board members, we play a very key role in ensuring that the Club continues to grow and remains a positive place for kids. With the burden of Trusteeship, Planning, Policy, and Evaluation, and Resource Development we ensure our incredible staff can complete our mission “to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”
Our Dedicated Team
Our Board, staff, volunteers, community partners, and supporters work together for each of the more than 6,800 children we serve daily and 31,000 individuals annually. Our promise to you:
- Offer safe, enriching activities with professional, caring adults in a positive environment
- Make achievement in school a priority and reality
- Focus on the development of the whole child through family foundations and community partnerships.
Each child has the opportunity to be a successful and productive member of the community. We are that catalyst of change to point them in the right direction, often changing their entire situation, giving them strength, offering help, providing purpose, and sometimes even saving their life. Join us in Unlocking the Potential of the kids we serve and create a better future not only for them but also for our community and world.
Leadership Profiles
Mark Surmanian
Chief Executive Officer
Mark Surmanian, M.B.A., serves as Chief Executive Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG), leading a team of over 800 dedicated professionals and volunteers. Through the collective efforts of staff and board support, the organization currently serves more than 7,000 youth daily, at 64 sites across eight surrounding communities. Mark joined the Boys & Girls Club movement in 2007, first serving as an ASES Site Coordinator at Doig Intermediate and then later as Assistant Youth Athletics Manager. After four successful years working directly at the programming level, Mark transitioned to lead BGCGG’s financial and operational functions, serving as Chief Financial & Operations Officer in 2011. In 2013, he then was selected as Executive Director before transitioning into the CEO position in 2016.
Mark completed his undergraduate studies at Pepperdine University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and his Master of Science in Business Administration at California State University, Long Beach. Mark also serves in several volunteer leadership roles, including as the President and then Treasurer of the California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs (2018-2020, 2020-2022), Chairperson for The Professional Association - Orange County Chapter (2017-2019), as well as in past and present Advisory capacities including GGPD's Chief's Advisory Council, OneOC’s Nonprofit Advisory Committee and Orange County Department of Education’s STEM Hub Steering Committee. Mark is a former “Club kid” himself, having attended Boys & Girls Club when he was a child.
Jenna Ceballos
Chief Operating Officer
Jenna Ceballos started as a Youth Development Professional in 2008 working part-time while completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. She worked in direct services for three years before joining the Human Resources team as a Recruiting Manager in 2012. She now serves as the Organization's Chief Operating Officer. Over her years of service, Jenna has discovered her passion for this field and obtained her Professional in Human Resources certification through the HRCI. Jenna is responsible for driving strategies and creating a culture that emphasizes ethical decision-making, empowerment, collaboration, quality service, and ongoing development while supporting the organization’s mission.
Heather White
Vice President of Program Impact
In her role as Vice President of Program Impact, Heather White oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of Club programs and services. She works collaboratively across multiple departments and with community partners to provide programs, resources, and opportunities to Club staff, members, and families.
Heather joined the movement in 2002 as a Youth Development Professional at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. While earning her Bachelor of Arts in Art History at the University of Arizona, Heather worked in the Art Room at BGC of Tucson. After graduating, Heather returned to the Clubs as an Art Coordinator, then Youth Development Supervisor in Scottsdale before moving to California in 2010. Heather joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove as a Site Supervisor at Evans Elementary before transitioning to her current role. She is a member of the Orange County Department of Education’s STEM Technical Assistance Team and Steering Committee representative for Imagine Science OC.
Christina Sepulveda
Vice President of Community Impact Programs
Christina Sepulveda, M.A., joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove in 2005 and in 2016 added the new role of Vice President of Community Impact Programs. She is responsible for the recruitment, coordination, and maintenance of community partnerships that foster the coordination of services for families in the community. Her strong belief in collaboration and serving the ‘whole-child’ has been a guiding philosophy throughout her career. Christina currently holds leadership positions on the Garden Grove Community Collaborative, California Afterschool Network, OC Health Enrollment Assistors Task Force, and Youth and Families Wellness Task Force. She obtained her Master of Arts degree in Sociology from California State University, Fullerton.
Chris Pina
Vice President of Youth Development Programs
Chris Pina serves as the Vice President of Youth Development Programs for Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove. Chris joined the BGCGG movement in 2003 as a Youth Development Professional at Fitz Intermediate. He transitioned to a Site Supervisor the following year and started the program at Heritage Elementary. After three years at Heritage, Chris was asked to support startup programs at Eisenhower, Morningside, Violette, Hazard, and Carver. Chris moved into the role of Area Director the following year. Since then, Chris has held positions of Academic Services Director and Information Systems Director. His years of varied experience in the movement allow him to lead the 57 school-based program sites in partnership with GGUSD. Chris completed his undergraduate studies at CSU, Long Beach, earning a B.A. in Political Science.
Advisory Council
Our connections to the city
Amir El-Farra
Chief of Police
Stephanie Klopfenstein
Mayor
Lisa Kim
City Manager
Executive Board
Our Executive team that helos ensure we take great care of our youth
Dr. Dawn Miller
Board Chair
Dr. Dawn Miller O.D. & Associates
Tan Luong
Vice Chair
Insurance Professional
Steve Sanders
Treasurer
Retired, Garden Grove Police Department
Jeff Spargur
Secretary
Retired, Garden Grove Fire Department
Executive Member
Carla Poulin
Project Management Leader
Don Nielsen
Immediate Past Chair
Retired, Golden West College
Board of Directors
Our fantastic Board fo Directors for the youth of Garden Grove
Gus Castellanos
Democratic Party
Mike Silva
CR&R Environmental
Sheena Shimizu
Early Childhood Educator
Connie Van Luit
Retired, Garden Grove School District
Janet Scott Tyler
Retired, Human Resources
Cesar Gallo
City of Garden Grove
Associate Council
Estela Go
Go Family Dental
Melissa Sais
Garden Grove Unified School District
Dr. Michael Lerner
5-Star Marriage & Family Therapy

