community
Driving the Impact
Our Team
“The most important thing about being a part of Youth INC is truly seeing the difference our partnerships make for young people and how that change shapes their future.”

Maggie Abrego brings two decades of fundraising experience to the Youth INC team, with a background spanning roles at institutions of varying scale, from the University of Southern California and the National Council of Jewish Women to smaller community-based organizations.
During her 11-year tenure at Planned Parenthood, she was instrumental in exponentially growing and diversifying donor support for the Los Angeles affiliate. She is a trained prospect researcher who uses those skills to build a sophisticated, data driven major giving program. Maggie believes in the power of strategic fundraising and has found success by using data to build structure and processes that maximize revenue growth. She is a relationship builder and thrives by creating spaces where folks can reach their full potential. She grew up in New York City and graduated from Hunter College CUNY with a degree in Psychology and Women’s Studies.
When she’s not working on fundraising engagement plans you can find her watching sports, especially basketball (go Knicks!) or at an indoor spin class.

As the Associate, Digital Marketing, Gloria helps develop and implement digital strategies that showcase and amplify the dynamic model of Youth INC's work and that of our nonprofit partners.
Gloria is from Prince George's County, Maryland, and has a background in social media management, writing, photography, production, and community organizing. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in Media Studies. Prior to Youth INC, she worked with several grassroots and nonprofit organizations in Washington, DC, including Liberation Library and Total Liberation Collective, where she served as media director for community giveaways, educational forums, and public demonstrations. Gloria enjoys spending time outdoors, tending to her array of plants, and hearing live music.
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Krystal is a passionate youth development practitioner and non-profit leader with fifteen years of successful experience working in community-based organizations and the government sector. Krystal whole-heartedly believes when youth are provided safe spaces, access to positive role models, and unique experiences, all children can thrive. It is this same belief that has guided her work as a non-profit leader, where she developed and directed gender-specific programs for girls, launched middle school and high school after-school programs that focused on social-emotional skill-building, and directed outreach efforts for a national girls organization.
As Deputy Director of Program Quality and Innovation for the Department of Youth & Community Development - Comprehensive After School System(COMPASS) the largest municipally funded after school system in the country, Krystal was instrumental in transforming the program evaluation process, created professional development tracks and workshops for various community-based staffing levels, launched the agencies first-ever restorative practices initiative and the agency-wide civic engagement framework. Krystal not only creates innovative projects but ensures each project is sustainable and has a lasting positive impact on the participants and the organization.
Krystal has a passion and eye for program design and organizational management, utilizing creative approaches, and human-centered design strategies to develop intentional youth programming and developing the internal structures to support effective programming. Krystal has expertise in social-emotional learning, restorative practices, positive youth development, cultural competence, and youth leadership development.
Krystal is a "Brooklyn girl" born and raised and attributes her life's work to the values and beliefs instilled in her by her family. Krystal attended Hunter College in New York City where she studied sociology. Krystal lives and breathes youth and community advocacy, and you can find her volunteering with various youth organizations and working as a cabinet member for the DOE's Community Education Council.

LaMarr Coles III is a business and engagement professional with a decade of experience creating, fostering and supervising events and platforms that enhance community development. Seasoned in interpersonal communication techniques, team and board development, and fundraising, LaMarr has spearheaded several successful projects for national organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Virginia.
His key accomplishments include increasing club site attendance from 50% to 100%, helping to raise more than $1.4 million for sponsorship outreach and other fundraiser logistics, leading and developing multiple successful regional volunteer boards, as well as initiating virtual platforms for local and long-distance club members throughout the country. Notably, he was one of 30 applicants out of 1,000 to be awarded a full scholarship through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
LaMarr has held membership in the Young Professionals of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and was selected as the "Mentor of the Year" in his hometown of Suffolk, Va. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from Old Dominion University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.

Hannah D'Arcy is a dedicated, mission-driven professional, establishing a career in nonprofit development and events. Growing up in Queens, NY, Hannah has been involved in service in her community from a young age, creating a deep understanding of the level of support that youth need to grow and thrive. This sentiment prompted her studies in Political Science and Philosophy at SUNY Oneonta where she maintained her passion for service and took on leadership roles in community organizations on campus. During this time, Hannah cemented her dedication to working in youth development, understanding that empowering youth is the clearest path to creating a brighter future. Prior to Youth INC, Hannah worked at the Turn 2 Foundation as a Development Coordinator, where her responsibilities included organizing the Foundation's special events, partnerships, and media needs. Hannah also worked at Success Academy Charter Schools, where she served as the Community Relations Coordinator, managing operational tasks, planning community-wide events, and acting as a liaison between students, families, staff and community members.

Alexis is an accomplished administrator and a highly adept liaison with experience communicating with various stakeholders.
Before joining Youth INC, Alexis worked as an Internal Wealth Specialist at Capital Group in Indianapolis, where she was responsible for raising and retaining assets under management through sales initiatives, due diligence, and customer service with financial advisors. At Capital Group, she also led conversations on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and was instrumental in developing her team's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives.
Earlier in her career, Alexis was a valued intern at All Ages Read Together and Council on Social Work Education, where she facilitated various processes, including fundraising and organizing board meetings.
A longtime advocate, Alexis has spent over eighteen years supporting positive youth development through her volunteer work with the Girl Scouts. She has also served as a sexual assault response volunteer, providing emotional support and resources for patients.
Alexis holds a B.A. in Cognitive Science with a minor in Sociology from the University of Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, and hiking.

Marc Fernandes joined Youth INC in April 2019 and is currently Senior Director, Programs. For over twenty years, Marc has been deeply involved in the organizational, programmatic, policy, and advocacy sides of youth development and community engagement efforts across sectors. He has provided extensive positive youth development training and consultation to government jurisdictions, school districts, and community-based organizations. In this role, Marc oversees Youth INC’s Metrics Program and youth development efforts. He supports our youth-serving nonprofits in the exploration of research-based evaluation tools, assists partners to better understand social-emotional learning outcomes through an anti-racist and culturally responsive lens, and provides positive youth development training and coaching to facilitate growth of quality youth programs, staff development, and organizational change.
Marc holds a Bachelor of Arts in Clinical Psychology and Multicultural Counseling from The Evergreen State College and a Master of Science in Urban Policy and Leadership from Hunter College. He is also a graduate of The School of Natural Cookery in Boulder, CO.
Outside of Youth INC, Marc sits on the Board of Governors for The Evergreen State College Foundation, is a member of the New York State Network for Youth Success Advisory Council, and an organizer with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ). He also enjoys road trips with his family, cooking, dancing, and making people laugh. He lives in Queens with his wife Ivette and their children Luca and Johan.

Tracie Gilstrap Marshall joined Youth INC in 2015 as Associate Director and is now Senior Director, Programs. Tracie brings over 20 years of nonprofit experience in the youth development and organizing space as well as arts and culture. She has served as Program Officer at the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation, capacity-builder and an organizer when she served as Program Associate at the Ms. Foundation for Women. Tracie is Vice President of the governing board of New Hope for All Saints Lutheran church.
Tracie received her Bachelor’s degree at St. John’s University and is a candidate for a Master’s in Divinity at New York Theological Seminary.
Tracie is the mother of two beautiful girls who keep her active through soccer and in the performing and visual arts.

Jhanelle Gopie joined Youth INC in January 2018 as the Program Associate for the Celebration and BridgeFund Programs and is now Senior Associate Director, People and Culture.
Throughout her tenure, Jhanelle has successfully supported Youth INC's network of over 90 Nonprofit Partners through its Celebration Gala Fundraising Training and BridgeFund Cash Grant programs.
In her role as a fund development coach specializing in event-based fundraising and board engagement for Celebration, she guided a dozen organizations to fundraise a total of $1M in individual and corporate giving. Through the BridgeFund Program, Jhanelle supported a grant portfolio of $350K, managing the grantee application and interview process, coordinating progress meetings between grantees and grant monitors, and providing hands-on technical support through the grant term.
Before joining Youth INC, Jhanelle held fund development roles at other leading nonprofits including, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, Friends of UNFPA, Women's World Banking, and Action Against Hunger.
Jhanelle holds a B.S. in Finance with a minor in Government and Politics from St. John's University. She also holds a M.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in Development from The New School. Outside of work, Jhanelle enjoys cooking, Pilates, and taking in a healthy dose of bad reality television.

Susan's career began in NYC in the advertising industry as an account executive at Young and Rubicam and later at Kirshenbaum and Bond. She developed a strong desire to become involved in philanthropic work that made a difference in other people’s lives. Susan worked at the Charles A. Dana Foundation, PBS Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia and later at an issue/cause related firm GMMB on the AARP account as a Senior Vice President in Washington, D.C.
Later, as Development Director for three Non Profits on the East End of Long Island, Susan had the opportunity to work with top donors, celebrities and opinion leaders. They included; Bay Street Theater, Project MOST and WLIW, Long Island's Only NPR Station. She worked tirelessly to help all of these organizations grow their donors and increase their funding. Most recently, Susan was Director of Advancement at Newport Art Museum building their individual donor and corporate sponsorship programs. She brings a unique mixture of marketing and development experience to the table.
Susan holds an English Degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and was Captain of the Varsity Tennis team. Susan continues to be an avid tennis player. She is a NYS Licensed Real Estate salesperson and paralegal. Susan is publishing a children's book entitled "Frisky Meditates" available on Amazon.

Paul Hoover joined the Development team at Youth INC in July 2019. Since then, he has provided critical support to the annual Celebration Gala, which has raised over $4 million for NYC youth during his tenure. A certified Salesforce Administrator, Paul strives to implement CRM and data management best practices across the organization.
Prior to joining Youth INC, Paul worked as the Development Assistant for The Play Company, a Manhattan-based nonprofit theater, where he coordinated the company’s individual and institutional giving efforts as well as logistics for fundraising events. He has also served as an Events Assistant at Harvard Law School, where he helped plan a series of major events recognizing the school’s Bicentennial.
Paul holds a B.A. in Theatre Studies from Emerson College. Outside of work, he is an avid fan of Broadway theatre, ramen noodles, and the New York Mets.

Erika worked as a part-time coordinator on the Development team at Youth INC before transitioning to a full-time, hybrid across Development and Programs. Erika has a strong history of working in the Youth Development Sector and worked as an afterschool teacher to elementary school students prior to working with Youth INC. In her new role as Coordinator, Get on Board and Special Programs, Erika will provide crucial support to the implementation of programs and events that span both development and programs initiatives.

Lauren McCort, Executive Director-elect, leads Youth INC’s mission to amplify the impact of youth development nonprofits through transformative capacity-building programs.
Since joining Youth INC in 2012, she has expanded the Partner Network to over 90 nonprofit organizations and doubled coaching programs, resulting in measurable improvements in program expansion, strategic planning, and leadership development among nonprofit partners.
Previously, as Chief Program Officer and Director of Impact Measurement, Lauren spearheaded initiatives that significantly advanced Youth INC’s work. She led efforts that more than doubled the adoption of evaluation tools among nonprofit partners, drove substantial program expansion, and established the Research & Strategic Initiatives function to demonstrate the importance of capacity-building and infrastructure development for nonprofits. During her tenure, she has also cultivated a team of nonprofit management experts who now deliver over 2,200 hours of training and coaching annually, supporting thousands of nonprofit staff and board members in strengthening their impact.
Prior to Youth INC, she honed her fundraising, evaluation, and consulting expertise at organizations like Dancewave and Broadway Housing Communities, and community-based organizations in Broome County, New York.
Lauren’s connection to Youth INC’s mission is deeply personal, informed by her experiences as a nonprofit professional navigating limited resources to create meaningful social change. She remains committed to advancing a social impact agenda, leveraging strategic partnerships, and equipping youth development organizations with the tools they need to thrive.
She holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Binghamton University, and a certificate in Principles and Practices in Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.

As a Salvadoran-American and a Queens native, Brandon is a nonprofit professional of 3+ years with a specialization in fundraising, events and communication. His passions for advocating for underrepresented communities and supporting their career goals has taken him from the fintech field and into the nonprofit field. With a background in computer information systems, Brandon has led and collaborated within BIPOC x Tech organizations, advocating for equitable opportunities within the field.
At American Corporate Partners, Brandon connected with veterans of all ranks who are in search of starting their careers after their service. He has also worked at Humanity In Action where he supported in shaping a new generation of leaders who act with purpose to create societies where everyone belongs. Through his journey, he has met with people of vastly different experiences, forming a true understanding of the difficult challenges that people all over the world face. Being fueled and inspired by others, Brandon is committed to ensuring that every individual is able to tell their story and share their voice, no matter their background.

Kristian Moton's unique perspective and commitment to educational equity and community engagement continue to drive meaningful outcomes. With a passion for social movement activism and organization, Kristian leverages the intersections of his neurodivergent identity, competitive gaming communities, and education. With 8 years of experience in public and private sector youth services environments, he specializes in social and educational learning, using his background in Psychology and Communications to enlighten individuals and develop strategies for teaching participants and leaders in under-resourced communities.
Kristian joined Youth INC in the fall of 2023 and now serves as Associate Director, Governance and Leadership. In this role, he supports the implementation and administration of programs focused on enhancing the efficacy of nonprofit boards of directors, with an emphasis on the Get on Board program. Prior to Youth INC, Kristian utilized his expertise in developing effective curricula, creating engaging lesson plans, and facilitating safe spaces that encourage vulnerability among students as an Education Coordinator. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in fostering collaboration within his teams, providing mentorship, and honing conflict resolution skills.
From 2019 to the present, Kristian has served as a board member for the ADHD Men's Support Group Organization. As the Organization Manager, he strategically plans, organizes, and directs activities for the organization while collaborating with leaders in the online community to further their mission of making men with ADHD feel seen, heard, and appreciated. Based out of the Bronx, New York, he enjoys competitive gaming, calling his mom, and podcasting.

Jeff is a seasoned nonprofit and philanthropic leader in theUS and internationally and thrives in growth-oriented organizations,translating ambitious visions into effective, high-performing enterprises. Jeffbrings success and passion to strengthening strategic financial and operationalcapabilities to drive growth and impact across varied issue areas and stages oforganizational development.
Jeff currently serves as CFO/COO at Youth INC, a role hefounded for the organization seven years ago. Other roles have included servingas Senior Consultant at BDO FMA, focused on fiscal capacity-building fornonprofits and foundations; 14 years at City Year, building national service inthe US and South Africa; overseeing grant making strategy and operations at TheBoston Foundation; leading a family foundation that promotes women inleadership roles and invests in movement leaders; consulting to high net worthindividuals on their philanthropy; and working with innovative affordablehousing, education, and youth development organizations.
Jeff holds an MBA from the University of California atBerkeley and a BA from Columbia University. Currently residing in Boston, MA,Jeff grew up in Argentina and England, and later lived in South Africa andbrings diverse global perspectives and experiences to his work.

Ellie Reiter thrives on driving the potential of individuals and teams. For more than 20 years, she has designed, coached and facilitated social impact programs that build the capacity of individuals, teams and organizations to innovate, solve hard problems and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Ellie joined Youth INC in fall 2015 and serves as Senior Director of Governance and Leadership. She shapes Youth INC's point of view on nonprofit governance and leads a suite of capacity-building programs that strengthen the boards of youth-centered nonprofits. Before Youth INC, she was a Program Strategist at TYTHEdesign, a design-thinking social enterprise, and a Program Officer at the Institute of International Education. She began her career teaching English as a foreign language in Spain and China. Ellie holds a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Bloustein School at Rutgers University.
Ellie joined the board of the S.O.U.L. Foundation, which supports community-led development in rural Uganda, in 2018 and served as Board Chair from 2019 to 2023. As a Guide with the Human Being Store, she coaches professionals to lead from their individual talents, strengthen their teams and deepen their impact. Based in Denver, she enjoys traveling with her family and recently coached her daughter's soccer team.

Shaby Rosales is an accomplished leader with a proven track record of driving innovation, advancing equity, and delivering transformative solutions for a broad spectrum of organizational challenges. Shaby’s expertise is deeply rooted in over two decades of progressive human resources, organizational design, and talent management experiences. Her portfolio includes multiple certifications in IDEAB, learning and development, executive coaching, workforce planning and organizational design, restorative justice, and human-centered design - all underscoring her commitment to fostering inclusive, equitable, and forward-thinking workplaces. She has cultivated a reputation for blending cultural competency with strategic acumen, providing mission-driven leaders with thoughtful guidance and tailored solutions.
In her most recent role as Partner and Chief Experience Officer at a nonprofit consultancy based in NYC, Shaby served as the driving force behind client experience, ensuring exceptional delivery of the firm's service model. With a keen eye for improvement and innovation, Shaby set implementation standards, fostered professional development, encouraged knowledge-sharing, and tracked success metrics to elevate client impact and outcomes. Shaby also served as the firm’s Chief Human Resources Officer, where she built and scaled the firm’s first Talent Practice. Her leadership generated new avenues of support and deepened embedded partnerships, solidifying her reputation as a trusted advisor in the nonprofit sector. She maintained a hands-on approach with clients, offering strategic advisory services that integrated justice, equity, and innovation into every aspect of organizational design and leadership.
Key experiences included working with the Obama Foundation, DC College Access

Troy Runge is a native New Yorker from the borough of Queens. A 2009 graduate of St. John’s University, he's worked primarily within the nonprofit sector, most notably for the American Museum of Natural History, TruFund Financial Services, and the New York Academy of Sciences. His hobbies include film, writing, and traveling. You may even catch him volunteering at several local film festivals throughout the city.

Throughout her career, Krystalle has developed and launched strategic marketing and communications campaigns to drive organizational growth, stakeholder engagement, and elevated brand awareness for the organizations she served.
As Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, she brings a unique depth of creative and strategic expertise with an extensive portfolio in traditional and digital marketing, branding, content and website development, and public relations.
Prior, she led the marketing campaigns for a national healthcare system, furthering the growth of its network of 40 centers in seven states throughout the northeast. She also oversaw the marketing and communications for a national nonprofit association with over 650 member companies.
Krystalle holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Union College and a Master's of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.

Jaynellen joined Youth INC in January 2020 as a Program Coordinator in Youth INC's Governance and Leadership program and is now Senior Associate Director, Research & Strategic Initiatives. In this role, her responsibilities include executing the logistics, coordination, and administration of Governance and Leadership programs, providing thought partnership on program implementation, and analyzing and presenting data on program impact.
She began her career in youth development as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa, where she developed a passion for developing and improving youth-focused programming. As the Assistant Program Coordinator for Peace Corps Benin’s Let Girls Learn program, she designed and led trainings for Beninese professionals who supported Peace Corps’ youth programming as mentors and community partners. She also worked for Education Cannot Wait, a secretariat of UNICEF, where she contributed to the analysis and evaluation of the secretariat’s Global Portfolio of grants and funded projects.
Jaynellen holds a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Lutheran University where she studied philosophy and international affairs, and a Masters of Art in International Education Development from Columbia University Teachers College.

Taylor Tanner is a former Program Coordinator for the Better Business Buerau Serving Metro New York’s Charity Accountability Program. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta where she dual majored in both Criminal Justice and Africana and Latino Studies. She then attended graduate school at Pace University where she earned her Master of Arts degree in Management for Public Safety and Homeland Security. Her coursework in International Human Rights is what inspired her to pursue a career in the Nonprofit sector and is also what inspired her to become a Volunteer Crisis Counselor for Crisis Text Line. Raised in Queens, NY, her passion for the NY Mets is just as renowned as her passion for advocacy and helping others.

Paul Vergara joined Youth INC in May 2018 as a Program Associate and is now Senior Associate Director of Impact Evaluation. In this role, Paul works closely with the Nonprofit Partners in the Metrics Program, building their capacity to deliver high-quality Positive Youth Development programs and utilize data for program design, organizational development, and strategic thinking.
Prior to working at Youth INC, Paul served as a Senior Trainer & Program Coordinator at Global Kids, where he developed dynamic after-school programs throughout New York City that focused on youth leadership, international affairs, and activism. Paul also previously worked in South Africa with Grassroot Soccer, a sports-based youth development organization that leveraged the power of soccer to educate about sexual health and HIV.
Paul earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Globalization of Music & Dance Culture with minors in Anthropology and Public Health from the University of Rochester. He also holds an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Public Health from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy.
In his spare time, Paul is a long-distance runner, traditional Indian folk dancer, amateur chef, and international traveler.
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