Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi names Sara Ann Todd as CEO

Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi chose healthcare executive and leadership strategist Sara Ann Todd to lead a nonprofit that serves more than 1,800 children across Lafayette and three other counties, a move that could shape after-school care, summer programming and fundraising for families who depend on the club’s services. The board unanimously selected Todd, and her first day as chief executive officer will be June 22.

For Lafayette County, the transition matters because the Oxford clubhouse at 413 Washington Avenue is part of a regional network that reaches Lee, Lafayette, Tippah and Union counties. The organization says it has served youth ages 6 to 18 since 1996 and operates five clubs built around academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In Oxford, the club director listed on the organization’s site is Kenorus Wilson.

Todd enters the role with more than 22 years of leadership experience across healthcare systems, military service, government and organizational development. The board’s use of a search firm suggests the hiring was planned rather than a stopgap, and the unanimous vote points to a desire for continuity as the group prepares for its next phase. The headquarters remains in Tupelo at 1242 South Green Street, with Zell Long listed on the contact page as chief professional officer.

The new CEO will inherit an operation that carries a heavy daily load. Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi says its clubs provide after-school hours from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and summer hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., a schedule that helps parents keep working while children are supervised. A local giving guide reported that the clubs served 377 children on an average day and provided 54,574 meals and snacks in a year, underscoring how much of the organization’s impact comes through routine, not ceremony.

The numbers also show why leadership stability matters. The same guide said nearly 95% of members are minorities, 88% qualify for free or reduced lunch and 56% come from single-parent households. Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi says its results include a 100% graduation rate, an average 3.0 GPA among club members and no teen pregnancies among active members in the past eight years. With board members drawn from Oxford, New Albany and Ripley, Todd will have to balance local expectations across the region while keeping donors and families confident that the club can hold steady and grow.