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Leadership
Deborah Shore, Executive Director and Founder
As founder and executive director of Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Deborah Shore has led groundbreaking work in youth and family service development in the District of Columbia. Through three decades of mission-driven work, Ms. Shore and SBY have developed a deep understanding of the needs of troubled youth and families and unsurpassed expertise to meet these needs. Her vision for empowering at-risk and homeless youth through a competency-based approach to counseling and supportive services has been enhanced through the recruitment and training of an exceptional staff and the development of strong management systems to ensure that SBY’s work meets the highest standards of quality and cost-effectiveness. Ms. Shore has received several awards for her leadership in the nonprofit sector, most recently a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Network for Youth.
Vera Johnson-Bowlding, Associate Executive Director
Vera Johnson-Bowlding has worked at SBY since 1977 and currently serves as the organization’s associate executive director. Ms. Johnson-Bowlding supervises the SBY program directors and provides assessment and family counseling training. She has served on many boards and committees, including the Consortium for Child Welfare, the Consortium for Youth Services, the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, the South Washington Family Strengthening Collaborative, and the DC HIV Prevention Community Planning Committee. Ms. Johnson-Bowlding has a master’s degree in counseling and LGSW accreditation.
James Beck, Development Director
James Beck has 15 years of executive experience in the nonprofit human services sector. His commitment to mission-driven service organizations is demonstrated by his participation on several nonprofit boards in San Francisco and Maryland. Mr. Beck’s core expertise is in fundraising, design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic initiatives and programs, contract compliance, community relations, board development and organizational governance. A founder of a medically monitored syringe exchange specifically for homeless youth, Mr. Beck received a Master’s Degree in nonprofit administration from the University of San Francisco.
AIDS Preventions Services
Lensa Gelana, Director
Lensa Gelana oversees SBY’s street outreach work, including its HIV prevention services. She has developed harm reduction based programs for youth engaged in sex for gain and provided technical assistance and training for medical and social service providers both in the U.S. and Africa. Ms. Gelana has a Masters in Public Health with strong experience in contract compliance.
Family Ties Project
Cassandra Stanfield, Director
Kindred Connections Family Support Center
Katherine Soloway, Director
Independent Living Program
Darryl Sanders, Director
Beginning his career at SBY as an HIV prevention counselor in 1990, Mr. Sanders was the agency’s Director of AIDS Prevention Services for sixteen years. He now oversees our Independent Living Program, which offers service-enriched apartment-style housing for teenagers 16 to 18 years old who would otherwise be homeless. A distinguished public speaker, Mr. Sanders has served on the District’s HIV Prevention Planning Council and he coordinates SBY’s Male Rites of Passage and Safe Place Programs, respectively. Mr. Sanders is a licensed, ordained minister and is affiliated with many local faith-based organizations.
Olaiya’s Cradle
Phyllis George, Director
Phyllis George is the Director of Olaiya’s Cradle, an independent living program for homeless young mothers and their children. Olaiya’s Cradle offers young mothers a highly structured, nurturing environment where they are able to gain the skills they need to transition to self-sufficiency and independence. Ms. George works in conjunction with area organizations, such as the Maternal and Family Health Administration, to provide clients with resources that benefit both mother and child. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Master’s Degree in Public Health from The George Washington University.
Project HYPE
Cara Fuller, Director
Cara Fuller is the Director of SBY’s Project HYPE (Helping Youth Prepare for Excellence), which builds the capacity of our communities to prevent substance abuse and communicable diseases, particularly among “system involved” youth. Prior to coming to SBY, Ms Fuller worked at the Baltimore City Health Department. She is involved in a number of boards and initiatives that promote youth development and engagement. Ms. Fuller received her BA from Dartmouth College and MBA from Brandeis University.
Residential Empowerment Adolescent Community Home
Kimberley Chavis, Director
Sasha Bruce House
George Johnson, Director
LaShelle Richmond, Clinical Coordinator
Respite and Family Preservation Program
Michell Stanley, Director
Tabara House
Walston E. Barbour, Director
Teen Mothers Program
Kim Daniels, Director
Transitional Living Program
Katrina Burt, Director
Third Party Monitoring
Carl Douglas, Director
Educational Advocacy
Erica DeBardeleben, Director
YouthBuild
Kymberleighe Richardson, Director
Zocalo Outreach
Jacqueline Hamilton, Program Director
Board of Directors
Elizabeth Stevens, chair
Philanthropist and Community Activist
Judy Lansing Kovler, PhD, vice chair
Psychiatric Social Worker
Private Practice
Constance L. Bruce, vice chair
Producer
Ann Jordan, secretary
Community Leader
W. Dean Smith, treasurer
Investment Manager
Capital Group Companies
Christopher Addison, chair, fundraising committee
Principal
Addison/Ripley Fine Art
Anne Ashmore-Hudson
Clinical Psychologist
Private Practice
Thomas W. Bruce
Vice President of Communications
Cornell University
Jane Rosenthal Cafritz
Interior Designer
Jane Cafritz Antiques and Interiors
Timothy Davis
Executive Director
Close Up Foundation
Roscoe Dellums, Esq.
Attorney
Law Office of Leola “Roscoe” Dellums, Esq.
Edgar N. James
Attorney
James & Hoffman
Tracy M. Bernstein
Community Leader
Linda Lipsett
Attorney
Bernstein & Lipsett
Michael S. Mandel
Attorney
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Capricia Marshall
Political Consultant
Toby Moffett
Chief Executive Officer
Livingston Moffett Inter-National
Deborah Shore
Executive Director
Sasha Bruce Youthwork