Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 1-1-21

Feature
New CEO Of Big Brothers Big Sisters Has ‘Big’ Plans
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Staff Writer
In January 2021, the Tampa Bay Area will welcome a new face. Artis Stevens will take the reins as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBS.) He will be the first Black CEO in the or- ganization’s history. Stevens will replace Pam Iorio, whose successful management included relocating the na- tional headquarters to Tampa.
Stevens was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Na- tional 4-H Council since 2014. He was responsible for dou- bling fundraising conduits and significantly increasing 4-H’s digital footprint to more than one million alumni and sup- porters.
Stevens was born and raised in Jacksonville. He is passionate about youth devel- opment because he is a prod- uct of it. As the youngest of a large family, his father put him in a youth development read- ing program. His father was a preacher, and everyone thought he would be a preacher as well. His father told him, “Everyone has their ministry in this world,” and this has been his guiding motto.
Stevens decided that youth development would be his ministry. When he at- tended the University of Geor- gia, he pledged Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity. He credits the fraternity with honing his passion for service. Giving back to children is part of his journey, his story. He contin- ued to serve throughout grad- uate school and started his first job in the youth develop- ment field. He has been in the field for over 25 years.
Youth Development (YD) programming works on the premise that children and ado- lescents have strengths and abilities unique to their age and works toward positive outcomes. YD prepares young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood. Through mentorship the young people are taught social, ethical, and emotional skills.
Stevens feels that he is at Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc., because that is part of who he is. Growing up with challenges in his neighborhood and envi- ronment, mentorship and in- tervention helped him become the person he is today.
He believes that every child in this country needs not only guidance from their par- ents, but also guidance from thecommunity. Stevens says that he is delighted to be the CEO and has worked hard to get to where he is. He says that his work, his faith, and his family have reinforced his hard work so that he could be at this position and helped him to get there.
He is proud that he has broken the barrier of being the
ARTIS STEVENS ...New CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc.
first Black CEO and is grateful to the people that went before him. He sees his position as being aspirational for young people of color that are start- ing their careers and see him and think that, “I can do that.” He is excited for not just the contributions he can make, but also the symbolism of a Black CEO as an example.
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc., is facing big challenges for 2021. Even before COVID hit, the young people in this country were already up against staggering odds in ed- ucation and health disparities. Seventy percent of children served by Big Brothers Big Sis- ters are children of color in single-family households. Twenty percent of children have a parent that is incarcer- ated, and 50% are on free or reduced lunch. COVID has made these issues worse.
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc., does something unique, however – it provides one-on- one mentorship that provides resources to help the young- ster and is an entry point to helping the parent and the family. The BBBS has 236 agencies across the country that serves 5,000 communi- ties.
With the economic down- turn due to the pandemic, it is a tough environment for dona- tions and fundraising. How- ever, he is also looking forward to partnerships with other youth development agencies.
Corporate partners are also key to funding. The great- est need is volunteers – there are over 30,000 children on the Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc., wait list. Most of the chil- dren are boys of color. Volun- teers are predominantly women. Big Brothers Big Sis- ters, Inc., needs men to volun- teer, especially men of color. Stevens is hopeful to get sororities and fraternities, and men’s organizations involved.
The requirements to vol- unteer start at the website,
www.bbbs.org, or the local agencies. Safety is a huge re- quirement so there is an in- depth screening of any potential volunteer.
The parent of the child is always engaged and in the know. The volunteer is moni- tored to ensure that there are an appropriate number of con- tacts or meetings with the child. COVID has changed the visits and contacts so that they can adhere to CDC guidelines. Digital visits have also been in- corporated as well as outdoor sessions, including pizza par- ties and reading challenges. There are no fees for the vol- unteers to join.
Stevens states, “We help children find connections in a disconnected world.”
Mr. Stevens graduated from the University of Georgia and earned his Master’s de- gree from Valdosta State Uni- versity. He will move to Tampa with his wife, Dr. Erica Stevens and their two daughters, Alise and Aubrey. He looks forward to working with the local chapter of his fraternity and other local organizations.
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