OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley (BGCSLV) CEO Aaron Miltenberger was presented with the prestigious Jim Wetherington Southwesterner Award during the Boys & Girls Clubs of America 2024 Southwest Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Aug. 29.
The award is one of the highest honors club staff members, at any level, can receive from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Miltenberger has been pivotal in the transformation of BGCSLV to four locations, with expanded staff, programming, and community partnerships that continue to have a pivotal impact on the development of San Luis Valley youth. Recent accomplishments include leadership roles in the development of Alamosa’s Fifth-Day Programming in support of the new four-day school week, the pending construction of a best-in-class early childhood center on the club’s Alamosa Campus, and working to continue to develop future club sites in underserved communities across the San Luis Valley.
The Jim Wetherington Southwesterner Award was created in 1970 to honor Jim Wetherington, a longtime advocate of youth and public servant. Every year since its inception, the award has been earned by club staff who serve club and community members by following specific award criteria, including; being exemplary of the highest caliber of Boys & Girls Club professionals in thought, word, and deed.
Recipients must have given 100 percent of themselves in service to the development of BGCA and the Southwestern Region and must have demonstrated unusual initiative, imagination, and creativity in the development and sharing of ideas, resources, and leadership in the interest of local clubs and the national club movement.
Miltenberger has served as President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley since 2018. Under their leadership, the organization has expanded from $450,000 to $3.9 million in revenue and grown its services to four additional communities.
With over 25 years of experience in youth and student development, Miltenberger has been instrumental in driving partnerships in early childhood education, opioid abatement, broadband access, and housing.
They also transformed the Board to achieve strategic goals ahead of schedule, growing the staff from seven to 50 members. He holds a master’s in Higher Education Administration and Leadership from Adams State University, where they led the creation of the Summer Latino Leadership Summit and addressed food insecurity by establishing the ASU Food Pantry and Community Garden.
In 2023, Miltenberger was selected as a Boettcher Fellow, an honor that recognizes outstanding leaders in Colorado. They also contributed to Boys & Girls Clubs of America's "Movement 2050" initiative, helping to shape the long-term strategic vision for the organization. His regional leadership includes serving on the Governor-appointed boards of Colorado Opioid Abatement Council, Tony Grampsas Youth Services and the Child Protection Ombudsman, co-leading Rural Philanthropy Days for the San Luis Valley, and founding the CO-SURJ Racial Justice group. They are co-chair of the San Luis Valley Youth Development Coalition and have consulted with numerous regional nonprofits on board development and strategic planning.
Miltenberger’s extensive experience in securing grant funding has allowed them to focus on building hope and belonging in rural communities and supporting historically underserved youth.
BGCSLV serves San Luis Valley youth, ages 6-18, primarily in the Alamosa, Antonito, Blanca, Fort Garland, and Saguache communities. Programming is year-round, taking place during after-school hours throughout the academic year, with full-day programming during summer breaks.
Additional information can be found on the club’s website at www.bgcslv.org.
