As President and Chief Executive Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), Artis Stevens leads the largest, most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The first Black President and CEO in BBBSA’s 120-year history, his leadership comes at one of the most critical times for our nation’s youth, using BBBSA’s dynamic mission to leverage mentorship as a transformative solution to empower young people to change society.
Driven by a bold vision to engage one million supporters and strategic partners, Artis has dramatically expanded BBBSA’s reach through innovative methods such as, “It Takes Little to be Big,” a 2023 campaign engaging BBBSA alumni and tens of thousands of potential donors, mentors and ambassadors.  Under Artis’ leadership, BBBSA has more than doubled its annual revenue, achieved recognition as one of the top 10 most trusted non-profits in the country and grown its reach considerably to serve more underserved communities. A key highlight of this momentum was Artis’ leadership in securing the largest-ever single donation in the organization’s history – $122.6 million from MacKenzie Scott. As a result, BBBSA is positioned to lead the most ambitious agenda since its founding, expanding access and opportunity to mentorship for over 10 million young people whose lives can change – one mentor at a time.
For nearly three decades, Artis has held key leadership roles dedicated to youth empowerment. His expertise in innovative marketing and fundraising strategies has led to impactful partnerships with over 100 global brands, generating significant revenue and media support and has led to BBBSA’s recognition by Forbes in 2024 as a Top 100 Charity. Prior to joining BBBSA, Artis served as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for National 4-H Council, where he led the social services organization's brand positioning, alumni and marketing campaigns, digital transformation and local engagement efforts. He has also served as National Vice President for Marketing, Strategy, and Operations at Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BCGA), where he drove BGCA's powerful tagline and most impactful brand awareness campaign, Great Futures Start Here.
Over the course of his career, Artis has earned several distinguished accolades. His passion for building purpose-driven brands, boards, and teams has led him to receive the American Marketing Association’s National Non-profit Marketer of the Year Award in 2018, the highest honor bestowed to nonprofit marketing professionals. Worth Magazine named Artis in their 2023 Worthy 100 List and in 2024, he was named to the ForbesBLK Top 50 List. A nationally recognized thought leader on youth empowerment and mentorship, he has also been featured on Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, CNBC, and at The New York Stock Exchange.
Artis is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. He also holds a Master of Public Administration from Valdosta State University.
Artis is a proud husband to his wife, Dr. Erica Stevens, and father to his daughters Alyse and Aubrey, who reside in Atlanta, where the family actively serves their community.