YAP® Making Change Happen Summit – Photo Album & Video
Ryanne Persinger
Emmy-nominated actor Richard Cabral with past/present YAP program participants and their Advocates/families.
Philadelphia, Pa. – Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc., hosted its YAP® Making Change Happen Summit on Thursday, Nov. 8 in downtown Philadelphia to honor its golden anniversary. The half day Summit allowed for attendees to learn from young people, families, and best practices, from leading experts, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in child welfare, behavioral health, community safety, education, and youth justice.
Additionally, guests were able to network with individuals who are a part of the continuum of care that is the foundation of how YAP® delivers community-based services as a safer, more effective and less costly alternative to placing young people in trouble or crisis in correctional or residential care facilities. Emmy-nominated actor Richard Cabral served as the Lunch Plenary Featured Speaker.
Founded in 1975, Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. is the leading nonprofit provider of services that reduce the nation’s overreliance on youth incarceration, residential care, and group home foster placements. YAP® partners with public systems to provide neighborhood-based wraparound and behavioral health services as an alternative to placing young people in trouble or crisis is residential care and corrections facilities. YAP® also incorporates its time-tested model in its approach to deliver community violence intervention services. The agency’s unique YAPWrap® service model, capacity building, and policy work make us an innovator in transforming systems. For more information on YAP, visit yapinc.org.
Jaiden Hernandez, Stacy Huggins, Sienna Rankin-Wahlers Sarah Weaver.YAP Honoree and Youth Justice Leader Liz Ryan.Radio pioneer Colby Tyner. Alfred Anderson w/ former YAP program participants Kevin, Emily and Maximus.CEO of YAP Ireland – Siobhán O’Dwyer.Community Strategies for Mental Health and Youth & Family Services Change” panelists.Breaking Barriers: Pathways to Economic Success panelists. Influencing Policy Change panelists. YAP Alumni Ambassador Phaedra Anderson. “Innovations in Child and Family Wellbeing Practices and Policies” panelists. Naomi Edwards, Melissa Massari, Rachel Bongiorno and Carla Benway.Former YAP program participant Maximus. New York Directors Allyssa Butler and Sarah March. Abigail Fish Regina Scarmack, Emily and Jennifer Hill.Hillsborough County, Fla.Director Ophilia Ciesicki.South Carolina Director Latoya Rivers.West Virginia Director Gloria Shoemaker. YAP® GVRS Life Coach Teshombae Harvell.YAP CEO/President Gary Ivory. NC Director Hope Knuckles-Perks & Advocate Donta’ Fuller.New Jersey Lead Director Curtis Moore. Ohio Assistant Director Diamond Rice. Vice President Jamaal Crawford. Regional Directors Naomi Edwards and Regina Scarmack. Regional Director Alex Alvear.Curtis Moore, Casey Lane, Fred Fogg and Dave Williams.Administrator Ann Shepos and Chief People Officer Naomi Frazier.Sam Lewis, Justice Program Director, LA County, Calif.CPO Dave Williams and CBPS Managing Director Fred Fogg.Regional Directors Adam Santacroce, Naomi Edwards and VP Casey Lane.Directors Shyquon Thompson, Lakeisha Hill & Jorge Retamar.Executive VP Jessica Carlton, VP’s Casey Lane and Jennifer Drake.Board member Heather Wenzel, CMC Chief Kelly WIlliams & Board member Husnah Khan.Tonia Faison, Donnell Gardner, LaVeisha Cummings, Felicia Wells & Anthony Davis.Maryland Lead Director Craig Jernigan. Texas Assistant Director Nateyah McLeod & VP Kimberly Brandon.Clark County, Nev. Assistant Director John Kirtley. International Fellow Thomas Tamba Bundoo.Gun Violence Reduction Strategy Baltimore Director Walter Nolley.NC Director Hope Knuckles-Perks.Dr. Will Walker and Youth Leader and Skateboarder Preston PollardInternational Fellow Abdul Rahman Banqura.Regional Director E’Ron Leveston and Director Monique Crisp. YAP® Making Change Happen Summit Lunch Keynote Speaker Richard Cabral. Emmy nominated actor Richard Cabral. University of Pennsylvania Crime and Justice Policy Lab Executive Director Ben Struhl.Panelist and Honoree Vincent Schiraldi.
YAP honorees Shaena Fazal and Criminal Justice Reform Pioneer Bill Ryan./Photo courtesy Shaena Fazal.
