Sasha Bruce Youthwork // About // Leadership

Home > About ~ Leadership

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