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.   

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.

   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.
 

   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.