Unrest at Boys and Girls Club in Rawlins Cause for Meeting

APRIL 14, 2025 |

Photo – Former Boys and Girls Club Executive Officer Theresa Pacheco – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99

Parents and former Boys and Girls Club of Carbon County staff addressed concerns about the organization’s current administration.

On Thursday evening last week, former Boys and Girls Club Chief Executive Officer Theresa Pacheco held a meeting in Rawlins to discuss her dismissal from the organization and answer questions from concerned parents.

A written statement provided during the meeting states that Pacheco, the long-serving CEO of the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club, was terminated for insubordination.

The statement continues, saying that since January 1^st, the unnamed Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors “demanded” sensitive information, including financial records, personnel files, and youth and parent records.

At Thursday’s meeting, Pacheco elaborated further on the circumstances surrounding the events leading to her termination.

The parent Pacheco referred to, described how, on March 7th, a member of the current Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors was recording her daughter without permission. The girl who was being recorded is a member of the club. The parent of the child said she brought her concerns to Pacheco, who presented them to the Board of Directors. The Board then allegedly demanded the child’s enrollment information, which Pacheco initially refused to provide.

The parent of the child explained that the Board threatened Pacheco’s job if she refused to provide the child’s information, later assuring her that no disciplinary action would be taken if she complied. Hoping to protect Pacheco from retaliation, the parent of the child ultimately agreed to the demands of the organization’s Board.

Eleven days later, on March 18^th, the Board of Directors voted to suspend Pacheco for refusing to provide the requested information.

The following day, eight Boys and Girls Club staff members went on strike to protest Pacheco’s treatment by the Board. The Board then terminated Director Pacheco for insubordination.

Pacheco brought her concerns to the National and the State Boys and Girls Club of America but received no response. Instead, a representative from the Casper Boys and Girls Club visited the Carbon County chapter.

Documents, provided during last week’s parents meeting, state that on April 3^rd, the Chief Financial Officer of the Casper Boys and Girls Club came to Rawlins to confirm the allegations against the Board of Directors.

The Youth Behavioral Specialist, who asked that his name not be included in the story, said that he decided to resign due to the Casper CFO’s behavior during her visit, which some considered rude.

With so many staff members resigning, the Club was forced to hire new employees.

Pacheco said she believes the children are uncomfortable with the new staff and suggested creating an alternative child-centered, after-school learning program to replace the Boys and Girls Club of Carbon County. Pacheco and her former employees would staff the new organization.

Many of the parents attending last week’s meeting approved of Pacheco’s idea to start a new child-care program. However, the attendees acknowledged that creating an entirely new organization from scratch will take time.

In the meantime, the parents asked if Christina Linn, the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Carbon County, could potentially be removed from her position for violating the organization’s policies.

Responding to a question from a concerned parent, former CEO Pacheco said after she was terminated, the Board disabled the security camera system in their Rawlins facility.

While not expressly written in the Boys and Girls Club of America’s policies, many chapters of the organization have security camera requirements written into their bylaws. Violating the bylaws may result in a staff or Board member’s termination.

Bigfoot99 reached out to Interim Chief Executive Officer Christina Linn about the allegations leveled against her and the current Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors. Linn provided a written statement that said the cameras at the Club were removed because the only person with access, Pacheco, is no longer associated with the organization.

Linn said in her written response that Pacheco ignored repeated requests from both her and the organization’s President, Karla Ross, to gain access to the cameras. Linn had the cameras removed because she felt it was unreasonable to allow a former employee to have access to the cameras at the Club.

The Interim CEO wrote that as soon as the previous CEO, Pacheco, gives her access to the account, she will reinstall the cameras, adding that she plans to order new cameras and have them installed by this weekend.

Next, the current Board of Directors was accused of not performing legally required background checks on new employees. The Youth Behavioral Specialist reported that he personally observed new hires working at the Boys and Girls Club before their background checks had been completed.

Former CEO Pacheco said background checks typically take between four days and two weeks.

Bigfoot99 also asked Interim CEO Christina Linn about this allegation. Linn responded that everyone who has worked with children at the Boys and Girls Club of Carbon County during her time as Interim CEO has passed a background check. Linn added that background checks are required by the National Boys and Girls Club of America.

Linn concluded by writing, “We finally have a board in place that is providing proper oversight. We stand behind the decisions we have made. As Interim CEO, I am working diligently to ensure we make continuous improvements within the organization.”

Several parents attending last week’s meeting said they felt that the Board of Directors was wrong to fire Pacheco, but that they were worried that the Board would retaliate against their children if they spoke out since they rely on the organization’s afterschool programs.

Pacheco and the former Boys and Girls Club employees advised the parents to make written demands to Interim CEO Linn and the Board of Directors for copies of the current bylaws. With those documents, the parents can determine which, if any, policies the current administration is violating. If violations are found, the parents can then report them to the National Boys and Girls Club of America in the hopes that the current Board will be forcefully removed.

While they wait for a response from the current Board of Directors, the parents were asked to bring their concerns to Senators Barrasso and Lummis and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman.

Another Boys and Girls Club of Carbon County parents meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 24^th, at 6:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Rawlins.