Staff: James Grubb

James Grubb began his work with nonprofits while he was still in high school as a part time staff at the Boys & Girls Club where he grew up as a member. From an early age, the impact that the staff and services had on his life was foundational in forming his desire to give back and engage in philanthropy. From there, he worked his way up to being a full time staff member and helped launch several sites, including the opening of the first ever Boys & Girls Club inside a homeless shelter. In 2019, James launched the Boys & Girls Club inside of UMOM New Day Centers, where as the Branch Director he built the team and program from the ground up. His nonprofit experience has shaped his passion and focus on sustainable, purpose-driven solutions that directly benefit youth and underserved populations.

After being in nonprofit leadership for over a decade, James jumped into the world of educational technology and joined Imagine Learning in the summer of 2020. During his 4 years there, James supported product adoption and implementation for a portfolio of clients in southern California. The desire to give back never left however, as James continued engaging in philanthropic efforts as the Chair of Imagine Learning’s Culture Club. During his 3+ years as Chair, he led volunteerism efforts for all 3400 employees and ran a grant program through Imagine Learning’s foundation where he facilitated the donation of over $10,000 to a few of Phoenix’s incredible local nonprofits.

Now, James finds himself back in nonprofit leadership where he is ecstatic to contribute to Friends of the Children's mission of mentoring youth for 12+ years, no matter what. James is excited to partner with and champion Friends of the Children’s unwavering impact model and the local leadership & staff as the new Operations Director. He sees an opportunity to grow and scale effectively to impact even more youth, and is grateful for the opportunity to do so.

In his free time, James enjoys hiking with his dog Dozer, watching the Phoenix Suns, and crafting specialty coffee drinks.