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Case Management Team:
Glenis M, Scott, Sr. MSW, GSW, Director of Case Management,
Glenis
has worked in various youth-serving
capacities. Prior positions include
social worker at an alternative school
and Gert Town Resource Center, assistant
to the mayor of N.O. for 8 years
administering federal grant funds to
youth organizations and volunteer with
nonprofits that address housing, at-risk
youth and mental health issues.
August J. Collins, Sr.,
Director of Youth Advocacy
–
August is a New Orleans native who has 10 years
experience working with at-risk youth in a
variety of settings in and around New Orleans.
He has worked in alternative schools, group
homes and mentoring and tracking programs.
August has committed his life and his future to
working with high-risk youth in New Orleans.
Renell Gibbs,
Lead Youth Advocate, CBM, was born
and raised in the B.W. Cooper Housing
Development in New Orleans. He received his GED
from Delgado Community College and has spent the
last three years mentoring youth from his
housing development. Renell brings a breadth of
experience and understanding of the struggles
that our clients face to his work as a mentor.
Sean Verrett, Youth Advocate/Tracker -
Sean was born and raised in the 8th Ward of New
Orleans and attended St. Augustine High School.
Sean has been mentoring at-risk neighborhood
youth for the past five years and feels as
though it is his calling to work with
adolescents at YEP because he struggled with
dealing with the influence of negative peer
pressure as a youth and wants to help other
young people make positive life choices.
Catrina Trumble-Corey, Youth Advocate -
was born and raised in the St. Thomas Housing
Development. She had three children by the age
of 20. She’s the proud mother of two teenage
daughters, two sons; a teenager and a four month
old. Catrina graduated from L.E. Rabouin High
School, she has a Bachelors of Science Degree in
Criminal Justice from Southern University at New
Orleans, and she is currently working on a MSW
Degree at Southern University at New Orleans.
Catrina has worked with at youth risk in the
past and is very dedicated to helping at-risk
youth change their lives through mentoring and
modeling positive behaviors.
Darren
McCall, Social Work Intern Darren was
born and raised in Michigan where he
attended Grand Valley State University (GVSU)
and earned a bachelor’s degree in Social
Work. He has always enjoyed working with
children and their families and has done a
lot of volunteering in various tutoring and
mentoring programs. He is currently
pursuing his Masters in Social Work at
Tulane University. Darren works closely
with the Youth Advocates under the
supervision of Glenis, YEP’s Director of
Case Management. “I like working at YEP
because of the level of direct involvement
in the community and in the lives of youth
is much greater than it would be at any
other internship opportunity that Tulane
offers. I am learning things at YEP that I
would have never learned in the classroom.
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NOPLAY Instructional Team:
Jerome M. Jupiter - As an educator
who has over 12 years experience working
with children, youth, and adults, I have
also been instrumental and successful in
developing relationships and strong partners
with institutions such as the Louisiana
Community and Technical College System, the
criminal justice system, prisoner re-entry
initiatives, and substance abuse programs.
In 2007, I initiated and coordinated a
mentoring program for adult males. The
primary focus of the mentoring program is to
address the many barriers to employment that
African American males often experience.
Giayana
Dorsey, NOPLAY Program Specialist.
Giayana is born and raised in New Orleans.
She graduated from Edna Karr High School and
then received her Bachelor’s degree from
Xavier University of Louisiana in New
Orleans. Upon graduation from Xavier,
Giayana spent a year working with NOPLAY as
a Literacy AmeriCorps Member before she came
on has a full-time instructor with the
program. Giayana is in the process of
starting a part-time Master’s program in
Community and Economic Development while she
continues to teach at NOPLAY. Giayana is
responsible for providing individual
instruction to students in the Drop-In
Center and coordinating Friday enrichment
workshops.
Trashanda
M. Grayes is a native of New Orleans,
LA. She attended Xavier University, where she
received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Upon graduation, she decided to become an
elementary school teacher. Therefore, she
completed an alternative teacher certification
program at Xavier University and also earned a
Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction
along the way. After receiving her Master’s,
she made a decision to obtain her Doctorate
degree. She moved to San Diego, California and
attended Alliant International University, where
she received a second Master’s degree in
Psychology and a Doctorate degree in Psychology
as well. She really missed home so she decided
to come back to serve her own community. She is
a full time instructor with the program.
Willie
Muhammad, NOPLAY Beginning/Intermediate ABE
Instructor - Willie is a New Orleans
native with over seven years of teaching
experience. He attended Xavier University
where he acquired a Bachelor of Science
degree in Social Studies Education/Secondary
Education. He has also served as an
In-School Suspension Instructor. Prior to
Hurricane Katrina he was the Social Studies
Department Chairperson. He has a teaching
certification in Social Studies. While a
teacher in the school system, he organized
several events such as school art contest,
special guest speakers and sessions on STD
awareness and healthy relationships.
Charlene
Tarver, Assessment Specialist/Literacy
Instructor Ms. Charlene (what the
students call her) was born and raised in
Selma, Alabama but has lived in New Orleans
for almost 30 years. She received her
Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology with a
minor in Education from Xavier University.
She received her Master’s in Education
Administration from the University of New
Orleans. She has 9 hours of Adult Education
hours at the graduate level.
Jonathan Fratella, Literacy
Americorp Transitional Coach
- Jonathan was born in Nutley, New
Jersey and he graduated from
Montclair State University with a
B.A. in History. During his
undergrad, he participated in many
extracurricular activities including
Student Government, Ski Club,
History Club, Student Activities,
and was a student aid in the Center
for Student Involvement. Jonathan
moved to New Orleans to serve with
AmeriCorp and he plans on furthering
his education at one of the local
universities, either the Loyola, or
the University of New Orleans with
masters degree in Counseling.
Jonathan moved to New Orleans with
his girlfriend at the beginning of
the summer, and they plan on living
here for at least five years.
Glenn Day, Literacy Americorp
Member Glenn was born and raised
in the city of New Orleans. He is a
graduate of De La Salle High School
and currently attends Delgado
Community College where he majors in
Fine Arts. He works with NOPLAY as a
Literacy Americorp member. He has
also volunteered with Job One and in
his neighborhood. Glenn enjoys
sketching, reading, doing puzzles
and playing video games.
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Contract Counseling Team:
Vera Triplett, PhD, LPC, RPT - provides
family and youth counseling to YEP clients and
their families. Dr. Triplett, an established
local practitioner and associated with Central
City Counseling, has expertise in our youth
population and the specific cultural nuances and
serious challenges of growing up in the greater
New Orleans region.
Anthony Lowery, MA, LAC - is a
licensed substance abuse counselor who provides
substance abuse counseling to YEP clients. He
earned his Master’s degree in community
counseling from Holy Cross College. He has
sixteen years of counseling experience with
adults and adolescents with substance abuse
problems. His areas of counseling competence
include addictions, detoxification, in and out
patient treatment, relapse prevention, aftercare
and continual care.
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Administrative & Management Team:
Melissa Sawyer Ed.M., Executive Director,
is a co-founder founder of YEP. She received her
B.A. in Sociology from McGill University in
Montreal, Quebec. Melissa was a 1998 Teach for
America Corps member and was placed at Booker T.
Washington High School in New Orleans. After
completing her two-year commitment, Melissa
attended Harvard University where she received
her Ed. M in At-Risk Adolescents and Urban
Education. Melissa returned to New Orleans where
she spent three years working as a Youth
Advocate with JJPL.
Meshawn
Tarver, Director of Administration -
Meshawn has been with YEP’s NOPLAY program
since its inception in 2006 and she was
instrumental in the creation and design of
the program. Meshawn earned a Master’s in
Public Health from George Washington
University and has over 5 years experience
working with community members, educating
them about a wide range of public health
issues. Her interests are maternal and child
health from a holistic perspective which
includes physical, emotional, social and
educational development. Meshawn spends a
portion of her time in the classroom and the
remaining time she spends assisting with the
administration and operation of all YEP
programs including program development,
writing grants and reports, handling HR
tasks, and other administrative tasks.
Donna Wolf, Administrative Assistant
Donna was born & raised in the 7th ward of New
Orleans – off of Broad Street and St. Bernard
Avenue. She was 20 years old when she had her
daughter and raised her as a single parent.
Donna attended UNO for several years and then
left to pursue a full-time career. Donna worked
in data administration for a major US Company
for 15 years and then spent 10 years working as
a data specialist with a large healthcare
provider.
Magdalene L. Maag “Maggie” provides
services to YEP as an independent consultant
through her consultancy, Nonprofit Coach. Maggie
provides technical assistance, evaluation
reports, program development, outcomes and
fundraising assistance to YEP. She holds a
Master of Public Administration degree from
National University of San Diego and has twenty
years of experience in the management of
nonprofit organizations and public agencies.
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