Teen Center Veteran John Jordan Steps Down as Executive Director

Friday, July 10, 2009

John Jordan, the West Sacramento native who became executive director of the Collings Teen Center last November, has stepped down from that post to pursue other interests. Jordan will continue in the job through July 31.

Jordan previously served as the teen center's Director of Operations for 18 months under former executive director Dave Dove, who held the center's top administrative post since before its opening in 2004. When Dove left the area last fall to work in other non-profit fields, Jordan took over for him.

"I really cherish the time I've had with some of these kids," Jordan said. "I identify with a lot of them, having grown up in tough circumstances myself. The work of the teen center has always been close to my heart, and will continue to be."

Among other accomplishments, Jordan was instrumental in establishing the teen center's Late Lunch on the House program, which provides a free, hot meal to any West Sacramento high-schooler every school-day afternoon. During the 2008-09 school year, Late Lunch served more than 14,000 free meals to hungry teenagers.

"You won't find a harder worker than John anywhere," said Gary Fox, executive director of Campus Life Connection, the non-profit organization that administrates the teen center. "His passion for the kids has always been evident - whether he was piling on another helping of chili cheese fries, or finding a way to finagle a new pair of shoes for one of them. He brought a unique and genuine energy to his work."

Fox said the teen center had commenced a search for a new executive director and would have that person in place well before the start of the 2009-10 school year on Aug. 26.