Alumni Spotlight: Tammy Riddle

Breaking Cycles, Building Connections

A Club That Opened New Worlds

For Tammy Riddle, the Chase & Cole Fischer Club was more than a place to spend afternoons. It was a door to new experiences she never would have had otherwise.

Raised in City Heights in Covington, Kentucky, Tammy grew up in a single-parent household where opportunities were limited. The Club made sure she and other kids had a safe space and access to resources that broadened their world. From computer labs and arts and crafts to swim lessons in an indoor pool, the Club introduced her to skills and experiences that shaped her future.

Tammy remembers the Boys & Girls Club van that gave her transportation from home and school to the club, roll ball tournaments, card games and board games like Phase 10 and Othello in the small game room with Ms. Kay, and the mentors who modeled leadership in ways that felt approachable. Unlike authority figures at school, the staff at the Club were mentors who connected on a personal level. They showed her that it was possible to lead with care, understanding and patience.

Lessons That Lasted

Starting at age 7 and attending until 11, Tammy soaked up experiences that went far beyond playtime. The Club introduced her to Girl Scouts, field trips and board games that were educational by nature. She discovered new cultures, new foods and new ways of thinking about the world.

“Looking back, the Club exposed me to possibilities I might never have believed were real,” said Tammy. “Growing up in poverty, I only saw different ways of life on television. The Club changed that. It showed me that I could reach higher, and it gave me the tools to do so.”

Building a Career of Impact

Today, Tammy is the Sales and Marketing Director for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. In her career, she has also served as Investor Relations Director at REDI Cincinnati and as VP of Growth and Development at Oswald Company. In each role, her ability to connect with people and build meaningful partnerships has been central, a skill she traces back to her Club experience of learning how to work with adults in a collaborative way.

Her dedication to service has also been clear. Tammy has served on the Springer School Board since 2021, the Alloy Economic Development Advisory Committee since 2019, and was a board member for Greater Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity from 2012 to 2014. She has been recognized as a Cincinnati Enquirer Woman to Watch, a YWCA Rising Star and one of the Business Courier’s Forty Under 40.

Relationships That Last

One of Tammy’s most meaningful connections from the Club was from a mentorship she established with a volunteer, Arohanui Bender. The friendship grew into a lifelong bond, one that extended into life coaching, cycling and fundraising for diabetes research, and one that connected their families across generations. For Tammy, this is just one example of how the Club built connections that go far beyond childhood.

A Village That Breaks Cycles

Tammy credits the Boys & Girls Club with helping break the cycle of poverty for her family. By providing resources, mentors and safe spaces, the Club gave her the foundation she needed to thrive.

She also emphasizes that it takes a village to raise children. Clubs need funding, resources and, most importantly, talented staff who can inspire young people. The work can be thankless, but it is transformative.

The lessons that Tammy learned at the Boys & Girls Club continue to guide her today. She carries with her the values of mentorship, connection and community. Most of all, she carries gratitude for a place that was always close to her heart and pivotal in shaping the person she became.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our “Alumni Spotlights” series—highlighting the journeys of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati alumni who are building brighter futures for themselves and their communities. 

To learn more about how you can support the new club, visit bgcgc.org. For more information on how to support the “A New Generation” campaign, visit bgcgc.org/capitalcampaign.