Staff
James Rhyne
Mr. Rhyne has served as Executive Director for Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County since 2008, and currently holds the position of Community Youth Service Worker within the Community Youth Services Program. Mr. Rhyne is a graduate of Western Illinois University where he earned a MA in Economics. He has worked in human services for more than 30 years. A native of Freeport, he has served the community as president of the Freeport Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, a member of Freeport School District’s Board of Directors, a Freeport Park District Commissioner, and he remains involved with numerous other board affiliations and community initiatives.
Jim Estes
Jim Estes is our Technology Coordinator. Jim has been involved with the Boys and Girls movement for over sixty years and has been part of five different clubs in the Midwest region. Jim has worn many hats during his tenure and has always looked to encourage youth to do their best in whatever they choose to do with their lives.
Karlene Johnson
As the Mentoring Coordinator Karlene Johnson is responsible for matching all participating youth with an appropriate adult for onsite mentoring at the Club. She also serves as the Community Committee Development Specialist for the Community Youth Services Program. CYS is a program that engages residents and community stakeholders to prevent violence and juvenile delinquency in our community. Before coming to BGC she was a Victim/Witness Coordinator at the Stephenson County State Attorney’s Office. Karlene has more than 25 years of experience in social services. She has a BA in Human Services.
Sheila Owens
Sheila Owens is the Administrative Assistant for the Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County, where she manages the office at the King Community Campus.
Tasha Mazique
Tasha Mazique is currently the TeenREACH Coordinator for the King Community Campus and Westview Community Center sites where year-round after school programming & activities are administered to youth ages 6-17 years old. The TeenREACH program aides to promote Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring, and Hope. Ms. Mazique is a Boys and Girls Club Alumni and past Youth of the Year Award recipient. Ms. Mazique has over 20 years of experience working with communities, and has been serving since the age of 12. In attending her Alma Mater Aurora University, in which she earned a BA in Social Work. Tasha realized she had an undeniable passion for working with youth and advocating for at-risk populations.
Damon “Yancy” Shipp
Mr. Shipp joined the Boys & Girls Club movement in 1999 with another club. In 2008, he was employed by Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County and is one of two remaining employees that were a part of the original staff. During his time at BGC he has held a variety of positions that range from athletic director to Youth Employment Specialist. Prior to his work at BGC he was employed by the Norman Sleezer Youth Home. Yancy also served his community by working several years in law enforcement. He was a decorated student athlete at Freeport High School and later attended Illinois State University.
Becky Spindler
Ms. Rebecca Spindler began her career in Chinle, Az as a K-4 music teacher on the Navajo Indian Reservation in 1987 after graduating from Watburg College in Waverly, IA. She continued education studies in ESL and working with gifted and talented students. Family brought her to Freeport in 1991 where she started working at the Boys & Girls Club as an after-school tutor. After years of service, she became the part-time Education Coordinator. In 1993 Ms. Spindler joined Freeport School District as a k-4 music teacher while continuing her work in after-school. In 2008 she left the school district to become the full time Education Coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson county. With 30 years of experience working with youth after school Ms. Spindler is dedicated to seeing youth become happy, healthy and productive citizens.