Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier

Steven Mickens
Chief Executive Officer

Steve’s role as Chief Executive Officer includes working closely with the Board of Directors to provide the vision, lead the growth, and implement the strategic plan of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier. Steve is responsible for bringing our mission to life in the community by working to ensure Clubs provide a safe and fun space where all our members can achieve Great Futures. Steve is involved in managing caring Club professionals ensuring a world class Club Experience. Steve has been involved with Boys & Girls Clubs since 2004 and began his current role in 2011.

With Steve in the top leadership position, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier has grown to include 11 school sites, 3 Club locations, and 1 Community Impact Program, serving approximately 6,000 youth and teens ages 6 – 18 through a variety of proven development programs. He recently expressed his commitment by saying “I have the privilege of working side by side with exceptional people within our organization and within a great community that is dedicated to helping young people. We set high expectations for our staff and youth to truly inspire greatness in the young people who need us most.” In 2017, Steve was invited to attend the Harvard Business School Executive Education Leadership Summit. In addition, Steve has been the recipient of numerous awards from the Boys & Girls Clubs including the 2017 Robert M. Sykes Award for Professional Excellence (National); 2016 Professional of the Year (Area); 2016 Executive of the Year (Regional); 2015 Executive of the Year (Regional). Steve regularly participates in Executive training and holds a degree in Communication and Media Studies from St. Francis College.

Email Steven or call 770-532-8102, ext. 303

Sara Gonzalez
Operations & Program Administrator

Sara has over 20 years of experience in operations and management and 15 years of expertise working with 21st Century Community Learning Center grants who excels in streamlining processes, optimizing database systems, and leading teams to achieve organizational success. She has implemented programs that emphasize academic support, emotional intelligence, and creative problem-solving. Her ability to blend strategic planning with hands-on leadership has driven improvements in grant compliance, data management, and program outcomes, empowering communities and fostering meaningful growth.

Email Sara or call 770-532-8102 ext 331

Sara Stone
Director of Finance

Sara brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our team. Originally from Alabama and a proud University of Alabama alum (Roll Tide!), she recently relocated to the Gainesville area however, she has lived in Georgia since 2016.With a passion for numbers, sports, and the outdoors, Sara is ready to dive into this new role. She’s also an active member of her church and a proud mom of three.

Email -- or call 770-532-8102 ext 307

Brittany White
Director of Development

Brittany White is a nonprofit leader with over a decade of experience driving mission-focused impact through development, strategic leadership, and strengths-based approaches. With a master’s degree in human services delivery and administration from the University of North Georgia (Go Nighthawks!), she brings both academic rigor and practical insight to every role she tackles.

Brittany is passionate about designing transformative programs, securing strategic funding, and fostering meaningful evaluation practices that lead to sustainable growth. In her development work, she prioritizes authentic relationship-building, resource mobilization, and the alignment of community strengths with organizational goals.

Her expertise spans fundraising strategy, board engagement, and program development—always grounded in a deep commitment to equity, collaboration, and long-term change. As a proud mother, Brittany draws daily inspiration from her son, who fuels her unwavering drive to help build a brighter, more just future for all children.

Email Brittany or call 770-532-8102

Kendall Sims
Director of Development

Kendall Sims, a former Club kid, has over 10 years of professional Boys & Girls Clubs experience — building a career in resource development and executive leadership. From leading corporate partnership and fundraising efforts with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, to becoming the CEO of his home Boys & Girls Club in Jackson County, Georgia, he has worked to ensure organizations have what they need to fulfill their mission.

Kendall is no stranger to Northeast Georgia, growing up in Commerce, Georgia (Go Tigers!). He received a bachelor’s degree in public policy, with a nonprofit leadership concentration from Georgia State University in 2014 and shortly began his nonprofit career at Points of Light in Atlanta. Kendall co-leads the Resource Development and Marketing Team as the Director of Development at BGCL, raising funds and sharing stories for the kids who need us most. Kendall is married with one toddler son.

Email Kendall or call (770) 532-8102 ext. 305

Maribel Gonzalez
Human Resources Manager

Maribel is a seasoned human resource professional with over 15 years of progressive experience in various industries, including Hospitality, Staffing, Healthcare, Local Government, and Non-Profit. She brings a wealth of expertise in Management, Recruitment, Compliance, Staffing, Workers Compensation, FMLA, Payroll Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Leadership, and Training.

Maribel holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with a minor in Supply Chain Logistics Management and a Master of Business Administration in International Business, specializing in Global Human Resources, both from Clayton State University. Additionally, she earned a certificate in Human Resource Management from the University of Georgia and holds multiple certifications in Risk Management, including Safety Coordinator I, II, II, IV, and V, Crisis Risk Coordinator, and Personnel Liability I, II, III.

Maribel is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foothills Chapter and the Society of Human Resource Management. She has previously been involved with the Georgia Public Risk Management Association and the Georgia Local Government Personnel Association.

Email Maribel or call 770-532-8102 ext 302

Tiffany Bush
Finance Assistant

Email Tiffany or call

Felicity Jones
Accounts Receivable/Purchasing Clerk

Email Felicity or call

Gabe Copeland
Area Manager

Email Gabe or call

Stephany Small
Area Manager

Email Stephany or call