No Ceiling: Brandy Harris

In 2019, Brandy was hired as the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield after working for the children’s nonprofit for nearly a decade. Her love of kids and passion for helping them succeed in school and at home stems from a dark childhood. Brandy shared stories of abuse she faced at the hands of stepdads, crippling poverty and constantly moving. She said she finally felt at home when she came to Springfield in eighth grade. That’s when she learned, through her relationship with her teachers and principal, that it really just takes one caring adult to change a child’s life. Brandy also opens up about becoming a CEO in her 30s, the imposter syndrome she still fights against and how she shifted operations in 2020 to keep meeting the ever-present needs of kids even as the clubs were closed.