Leadership Team

Vincent Lyles is the President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. He oversees a budget of more than $22 million and is responsible for 38 Boys & Girls Clubs locations, including Camp Whitcomb/Mason and the more than 35,000 members served annually.

David Knutson began his work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee in 1998, joining the operations staff as a grants administrator. In 2002, he was promoted to vice president – government affairs and special initiatives. Under his leadership, the Boys & Girls Clubs have increased government-based giving to the Clubs by more than 250 percent.

Knutson has played a pivotal role in implementing several key Decade of Hope Initiatives including both the SPARK Early Literacy Program and the Stein Scholars Program. Knutson also serves as the agency’s government liaison officer and coordinates a variety of agency strategic initiatives.

Knutson graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992. He continues to work towards completion of master’s degree in urban studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to joining the Clubs, Knutson worked for several years as a research specialist with the UW-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development. He also spent more than five years as the director of planning at the Social Development Commission overseeing more than $28 million in annual fundraising.

Kenneth Robertson, CPA, is the vice president and chief financial officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. He joined the organization in July 2007.

A product of Milwaukee Public Schools, Robertson grew up on the city's northwest side and graduated from James Madison High School. He spent six years in the United States Air Force and returned to Milwaukee to attend college at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). In 2009, Robertson received his Master of Business Administration from UWM's Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business. Robertson's professional experience includes accounting positions with Price Waterhouse LLP, GE Medical Systems, Motorola, Miller Brewing Co. and most recently, Briggs & Stratton where he served four years as the company's international controller.

With his wife and two daughters, Robertson is a lifelong Milwaukee resident who truly embraces the mission of the Clubs.

Denisha Tate is a self-identified program person. She has been developing and improving Boys & Girls Clubs since 1997, most recently at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. Here in Milwaukee, Denisha is responsible for guiding the Clubs as it expands programming and services to new and existing sites. Through outcome-based programming, she is leading the charge to deepen the impact on the youth we serve.

Tate is responsible for ensuring that programming in all six core program areas impacts the lives of our members. Some of the larger initiatives that she oversees include Stein Scholars, Sista Pride and SPARK, our early literacy program.

Tate is a native of Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in psychology. In 2009, she received her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. Her enthusiasm and energy are a welcome addition to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

Eric Tillich joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee in 2011 and serves as the vice president of donor relations. In this role, Tillich is responsible for creating and implementing fund development plans, as well as supervising the organization’s marketing functions.

Tillich comes to Boys & Girls Clubs from Lutheran Services Florida where he served as its vice president of agency advancement. His previous experiences include serving as campaign manager for Concordia University System Endowment Fund in St. Louis, Mo., as the vice president of development at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and as assistant vice president of advancement for Marian College in Fond du Lac. 

Since 1973, Sam was able to affect positive change in the lives of thousands of members as the Branch Executive Director of the Augusta M. LaVarnway Boys & Girls Club in Milwaukee’s Lindsay Heights neighborhood. While there, Sam was recognized for his professional and volunteer dedication to helping Milwaukee’s children believe in themselves and gain access to greater opportunities.