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Boys and Girls Club Hires Former Badger Basketball Coach

Bobbie Kelsey-Grayson will take on important role in corporate relations and fundraising

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Bobbie Kelsey-Grayson, the former UW Madison Women’s Basketball will join Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County as the (Interim) Vice President of Corporate and Wellness Programs, the organization announced today.

She will manage corporate relationships for Boys & Girls Clubs and will be charged with raising funds and increasing partnerships to support sports, wellness and education programs at Boys &Girls Club of Dane County. She will also manage and enhance its partnerships with the Milwaukee Bucks, Green Bay Packers and UW Madison Athletic Department and will serve as the principal outreach liaison for Boys & Girls Club Wisconsin Shares Funding.Kelsey-Grayson joins Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County after a five-year stint as UW Madison head women’s basketball coach, during which the team posted a 47-100 record. Her contract was not renewed following the 2015-16 season. Prior to her appointment at UW Madison, Kelsey-Grayson spent 14 years working as an assistant coach at numerous institutions, including as an assistant coach at Stanford.

“We are pleased to have Bobbie join our leadership team and we welcome her experience and expertise in working with young people while helping us create new corporate partnerships as well as strengthen existing ones.” said Michael Johnson, President & CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, in a statement. “We hired Bobbie on an interim basis to ensure her talent will have an impact on kids lives and we are confident she will earn the assignment on an permanent basis.”

Though best known as a basketball coach, Kelsey-Grayson is no stranger to fundraising. She has led fundraising for sponsorship of a foreign tour, golf outings and silent auctions. She has also been responsible for merchandise solicitations and booster/alumni relations in her previous roles. She’s also led efforts to fund various basketball programs through speaking engagements with such organizations as Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club and Lyons Club. As a motivational speaker she has delivered commencement speeches  at local schools and given keynote speeches at several conferences and special events. 

She has extensive experience interacting with corporate leaders and key community leaders as a public figure in the athletic realm.  Kelsey-Grayson forged meaningful partnerships with such nationally recognized organizations like the Kay Yow Cancer Foundation (Ice Bucket Challenge), American Heart Association, Habitat For Humanity (Women-Only Build) and the Southwest Virginia Food Bank.Kelsey-Grayson will hit the ground running, working with former Green Bay Packer Gilbert Brown and his foundation to execute a sports camp for local kids in late July. She will be raising funds and developing partnerships to ensure the camp is free for local kids.

“I am deeply humbled and elated to continue to work in the Madison community and specifically with a nationally respected organization like the Boys & Girls Club. The deep and meaningful relationships I developed with the Madison community during my time as head coach will allow me to continually pour into the lives of young people while working with the philanthropic community to invest in our bright and brilliant local youth,” said Kelsey-Grayson.

Kelsey-Grayson will start her new job on May 9 and will report directly to Karen Gallagher, the Chief Development Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County — herself a former head coach of the UW Madison Women’s softball team over a decade ago.

Kelsey-Grayson earned a Bachelors degree in Communication from Stanford University and a Master’s degree from Duquesne University’s School of Sports Leadership and Professional Advancement. Kelsey-Grayson enjoys spending time with her husband Kwame and children Zawadi and Ayinde as well as shooting hoops, hitting the golf course and watching ESPN at any given time of the day.