Robert Santana

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast

Chief Executive Officer

As CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, Robert Santana has transformed the organization into one of the most expansive and impactful youth-serving nonprofits in the Pacific Region, now reaching over 10,000 young people annually across seven cities. A Santa Ana native and U.S. Air Force veteran, he began his career as a volunteer and quickly rose through the organization, scaling operations from a single site serving 130 children to a multi-city network delivering educational, leadership and career readiness programs. Santana’s recent leadership includes orchestrating the 2023 merger with Youth Employment Service to expand workforce readiness programming, followed by a 2025 merger that unified the Anaheim and Cypress Boys & Girls Clubs under the Central Orange Coast umbrella. He also serves on advisory councils for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Vistage and Chapman University, mentoring rising leaders while shaping the future of youth development in Orange County.