OMC: How do you support the mentors?

AC: We give them ideas, free tickets, etc. We make monthly calls and send out newsletters the first year to the mentors, child and their parents.

OMC: How are the kid's parents involved in the relationship? Are they ever resentful that they need someone else to help provide for their child?

AC: A parent has to enroll their child and give consent before we can work on a match.

OMC: What are the demographics of your mentors? Do you have more women than men?

AC: Yes. Females are more likely to volunteer than males. In fact, 65 percent of our mentors are women and 35 percent are men, but our kids are 50/50, so we end up not having enough males to match with the little boys on our waiting list.

OMC: How long is your waiting list?

AC: We have 800 kids on our waiting list. The need in this community is huge.

OMC: What is the racial balance of your kids and mentors?

AC: Fifty percent of the kids we serve are African American; 24 percent are white; and 11 percent are Latino. However, most of our volunteers are white, so we end up with an ethnicity imbalance. Once you get the gender issue under control, trying to match ethnicities narrows the pool even more.

We are most in need of African American male mentors.

OMC: Where did you grow up and where did you attend college?

AC: I grew up in the Milwaukee area. I just got my master's degree in management from Cardinal Stritch in December. It's a funny thing when you're pushing 50 and going to college. That was trip. But it was the best thing I did. It was so helpful and reassuring in my new CEO role. It was really good to step into an organization with both feet on the ground and having that fresh graduate experience.

I have always reported to someone, and I am confident that I am absolutely qualified for this position. Having 25 years of experience under my belt is a good, good thing but to have the latest and greatest management information is amazing.

OMC: What do you like to do when you are not working?

AC: The time I spend with my family and my friends is very valuable. My free time is relationship driven. I am a believer in lifelong learning, and that there's a lot to learn on the job as well as off the job. When I spend time with the kids in my family, I learn a lot. Let me tell you, if you spend a Saturday afternoon with a 7-year-old, you will learn a lot. You will learn so much about yourself.

OMC: Compared to other cities, is there more or less of a need for mentors in Milwaukee?

AC: That's a great question. We are so not alone in our need. Milwaukee is not in a unique situation in regards to the number of children out there who need our help. Every city our size has the same issue and struggles: not enough volunteers and a long waiting list. I was just at a national conference and everyone was talking about the same thing: We need to reach a million kids. In Milwaukee, we're not there yet, but it isn't just Milwaukee.

OMC: What do you love about Milwaukee?

AC: It's a town that's small enough to feel like you're connected, and it's big enough where there's a nice sized loop of people making a difference. There are a lot of people in this town focused on doing good things. Milwaukee is like a big family. It's a city, but there is still a connection. I love Chicago and I lived in Chicago, but that connection isn't there because there are too many people. Milwaukee is a great place to get involved. You can really make a difference. BBBS is truly making a difference.