MEET OUR TEAM
DID YOU KNOW?
53% of TE’s adult program staff are former Teen Empowerment participants.
The Center for Teen Empowerment, Inc. (TE) is BIPOC-led, with a staff that authentically fosters strong, sustainable, and trusting relationships with Black and Brown community youth. Staff includes 31 full-time and 9 part-time adults and 150 youth employees, currently working in three cities.
Our team receives training in the following categories:
Best practices in youth development
Culturally responsive trauma-informed care
Racial and social justice
Mental health first aid
Process and practices for implementing TE’s model
Staff
-
ABRIGAL FORRESTER
Chief Executive Officer
abrigal@teenempowerment.org -
STEPHANIE BERKOWITZ
Director of Operations
stephanie@teenempowerment.org -
KAY MATHEW
Director of Development
kay@teenempowerment.org -
STANLEY POLLACK
Director of Consulting and Model Fidelity
stanley@teenempowerment.org -
SEAN POST
Consulting Manager
sean@teenempowerment.org -
JENNIFER BANISTER, PH.D
Impact Manager, DMFR
jennifer@teenempowerment.org -
KENYA JOSEPH, MPH
Executive Assistant
kenya@teenempowerment.org
Boston Team
-
NATHANIEL MCLEAN-NICHOLS
Program Director
nate@teenempowerment.org -
TAMENECH MENEGHINI
Program Coordinator
tamenech@teenempowerment.org -
STEPHEN LAFUME
Program Coordinator, TE Studios
stephen@teenempowerment.org -
KESHIA DAUPHIN, M.S.
Beyond TE Manager
keshia@teenempowerment.org -
THOMAS KOONCE
Reentry Program Manager
-
JOSEPH BEBO
Reentry Program Outreach Specialist
-
MAYA CORREA
Program Coordinator
-
BRIA SMITH
Program Coordinator, TE Studios
Rochester Team
-
DOUG ACKLEY
Rochester Executive Director
doug@teenempowerment.org -
TIFFANY ANDERSON
Program Coordinator
tiffany@teenempowerment.org -
MARCUS COOPER
Program Coordinator
marcus@teenempowerment.org -
MECCA CRUMITY
Program Coordinator
mecca@teenempowerment.org -
O'SHUNN GIBSON-HENRY
Program Coordinator
o’shunn@teenempowerment.org -
J'LA JONES
Program Coordinator
jla@teenempowerment.org -
JAMES KEGLER
Program Coordinator
james@teenempowerment.org -
SHANTERRA MITCHUM
Program Director
shan@teenempowerment.org -
TIA MOORE
Office Coordinator
tia@teenempowerment.org -
NARIONNA NUNEZ
Associate Program Coordinator
narionna@teenempowerment.org -
MIKE PATTERSON
Program Coordinator, Reconnections
mike@teenempowerment.org -
DEVON REYNOLDS
Program Coordinator, Reconnections
devon@teenempowerment.org -
FREEMONTA STRONG
Associate Program Coordinator
freemonta@teenempowerment.org -
ANDREA ZUEGEL
Grants & Development Director
andrea@teenempowerment.org
Somerville Team
-
DANNY MCLAUGHLIN
Program Director
danny@teenempowerment.org -
ASHLEY SAINT-HILAIRE
Program Coordinator
ashley@teenempowerment.org -
ERNST JEAN-JACQUES
Program Coordinator
ernst@teenempowerment.org -
SILVIA ARIAZZA
Program Coordinator
silvia@teenempowerment.org -
SMIRLINE JACQUES
Associate Program Coordinator
smirline@teenempowerment.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ROCHESTER ADVISORY BOARD
GEORGE BEVIS, Chair
JESSICA PUTERMAN, Treasurer
Senior Audit Manager, KPMG LLP
PAUL RUSSO, Vice Chair
Chief Operating Officer, Single Family Office
JOHN CONNOLLY
President, Wedgwood-Crane & Connolly
RICK DEJESUS-RUEFF, Ed.D.
Vice President Emeritus, St. John Fisher University
JUMAANE KENDRICK
Deputy Director, Mission Safe; Former TE Youth Organizer
KATHY NIXON
Retired Development Director
FRENIA HUNTER
Division Chief of Training, MBTA; Former TE Youth Organizer
PAUL RUSSO
Chief Operating Officer, Single Family Office
JOYYA P. SMITH
Vice President of Diversity, Access, and Inclusion, Suffolk University
ANDRE STARK
COO of the Bay State Banner
MONICA ZENO-MARTIN
Executive Director, Parenting Journey
HANIF ABDUL-WAHID
Community Liaison, Monroe County Department of Planning and Development
JEFFREY CLARK
Vice President, Sales and Marketing, CRFS
RICK DEJESUS-RUEFF, ED.D.
Retired Vice President, Student Affairs & Diversity Initiatives, St. John Fisher College
CAROLINE EDWARDS-MORRISON
City Court Judge, Rochester City Court
LAUREN GALLINA
Marketing Director, Gallina Development
JONATHON HAND
Vice President, Invictus Electrical
DONNA HARRIS, PH.D.
Senior Associate, Center for Governmental Research
WAYNE HARRIS
Retired Deputy Chief, Rochester Police Department
JUDITH KAPLAN
President, Community Planning Associates
KATHY NIXON
Retired Director, Friends & Foundation of Rochester Public Library
EDWARD J. NOWAK
Retired Public Defender, Monroe County
DANIELLE PONDER, ESQ.
Artist, Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People
JEREMY WOLK, ESQ.
Partner, Nixon Peabody, LLP