Fiscal Year 2011-2012

Officers & Executive Committee

Walter Phillips, Board Chair
Executive Director, San Diego Youth Services

Walter Philips has been Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Youth Services since July 10, 2000.  He received a Bachelors Degree in Economics from UCLA and Masters in Social Work from SDSU.  Walter has worked for over twenty-five years in San Diego as a social worker, including over twenty years in administrative leadership positions in community based non-profits.  In addition, he serves on numerous local and statewide committees and boards.  Because of his leadership in the community, he was selected as Social Worker of the Year in 2002 and received the Ghandi Award for Community Leadership from the Tariq Khamisa Foundation in 2004.

Rick Newmyer Vice Chair, Operations
Executive Director, Toussaint Youth Villages

Rick Newmyer is Executive Director of Toussaint Youth Villages in San Diego and a Visiting Clinical Lecturer with the USC School of Social Work.  Over the past 20 years, Rick has developed and administered numerous residential and community-based programs for children, youth and families.  His work includes counseling, administration, facilitation, community organizing, governmental relations, social advocacy, communications, and fundraising.

 

Jim Levine Vice Chair, Resources

Jim Levine was born in LA . He received a Masters Degreein at Berkeley in Political Science and taught that subject for 3 years at the college level in Montana.  After moving to Mendocino County California he was hired in 1974 by a new organization  called the Mendocino County Youth Project. That project provided school based services for high risk youth including runaway and homeless youth. He became director of  Youth Project in 1983.  He also assumed Directorship of Big Brothers and Sisters of Mendocino County as part of his  responsibilities.  Jim joined the CCY board in the mid 80’s. He worked for the Youth Project until 1993 and then took some time off while he worked in the private sector.  In 1998 he returned to the Youth Project as Assistant Director and he retired in 2005.  Currently Jim volunteers on 4 Boards of Directors, including his position as a member of the First 5 Commission of Mendocino County.

 

Peter LaVallee Vice Chair, Public Policy

Peter LaVallee retired in 2011 from a thirty-five year career administering programs serving runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth.  For the past 28 years he was Director of the Youth Services Division of Redwood Community Action Agency in Eureka, California.  He served two terms as Governor Wilson’s appointee on the State Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  He is a past Chair and current Vice-Chair for Public Policy and Advocacy of the California Coalition for Youth. He was elected Mayor of the City of Eureka in 2002 and served one four-year term. Peter is enjoying his retirement by traveling with his wife Nancy, spending time with grandchildren, expanding his year-round vegetable garden, reading, and a wide array of outdoor activities.

 

Sparky Harlan Vice Chair, Membership
CEO, Bill Wilson Center

Sparky Harlan has been the Executive Director/CEO of Bill Wilson Center since 1983. She is a nationally recognized advocate for youth in foster care and in the juvenile justice system, as well as homeless and runaway youth. Since arriving at the agency, she expanded the youth shelter services, added a transitional housing program, and created a Drop-In Center for street youth. Under her leadership, the agency’s annual budget has grown from less than $300,000 to over 11 million dollars. In 2006 she was the recipient of the Excellence in Leadership Award given by the National Network for Youth. Ms. Harlan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and a Master’s Degree of Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco.

Talia Ronzana Vice Chair, Youth
Youth Representative

Talia Ronzana became involved with California Coalition for Youth in November of 2009 due to volunteering for a local shelter for youth in Riverside. She is currently in college, working toward one day becoming a counselor or lawyer. She dreams of one day opening a shelter for at-risk youth. In her free time she enjoys photography, running, and writing poetry.

 Ken Tyner Secretary/Treasurer

 

 

 

Board Members

Sherilyn Adams, LCSW
Executive Director, Larkin Street Youth Services

Sherilyn came to Larkin Street in 2003, pursuing a lifelong passion to serve children and teens.  Her strong dedication and ability to inspire and lead Larkin Street’s teams and her skill in establishing and maintaining relationships with public and private funders and partners earned her a promotion to Chief of Programs. In August of 2005, she became the Agency’s Executive Director. She has been an active member of many non-profit boards and community task forces including:  the AIDS Alliance for Children Youth and Families; Mayor’s Transitional Youth Task Force;  the National Alliance to End Homelessness,  and the California Coalition for Youth.

Rachel Antrobus
Executive Director, Transitional Age Youth, City & County of S.F.

 

 

Ann Collaco
School Social Worker, San Francisco Unified School District

Ann Collaco joined CCY’s Board of Directors in 2008 as a representative of San Francisco Unified School District’s ExCEL After School Programs. As a social worker for SFUSD, she currently coordinates the Mental Health Collaborative Program which supports school day social workers in providing direct services in the after school programs. In that capacity, Ann coordinates staff, mental health interns, service providers, and case workers. She also provides psycho-educational training to students, staff and caregivers; establishes and maintains relationships with community partner & City agencies; and conducts counseling and case management with individual clients at a middle school.  Ann received her M.S.W. and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Francisco State University. After work & on her days off she loves long walks on Ocean Beach with her partner and two dogs.

Angelo Haynes
Youth Representative

Angelo is a young 20-something year old currently working as a Natural Resources and sustainability Specialist with the California Conservation Corps (CCC) where he is going into his second year at the Fortuna center located in Humboldt County, located on the beautiful North Coast region of California. Originally from San Diego, Angelo was actively engaged in developing community gardens through out the county, ranging from his old high school, downtown San Diego to La Milpa Organica in Escondido. Angelo is also affiliated with San Diego Victory Gardens as an avid volunteer and supporter and San Diego roots, an organization dedicated to providing a healthy local system of organic food production. Through his schooling in Marine Biology, Mr. Haynes also began volunteering with the San Diego Coast Keeper and SD Oceans Foundation as a water quality monitor and in beach clean ups. Mr. Haynes became a part of the California Coalition for Youth through his work in the CCC’s in his centers’ non-profit governing body, the Corpsmember Advisory board (CAB) as it’s president. Through CAB he was able to attend the second year of the CCC’s attendance at the CCY conference. After learning of the problems facing California’s youth he now directs his energies towards helping the youth of California.

Shomari Kelly
Youth Representative

Prior to joining the California Coalition for Youth Board of Directors, Shomari Kelly joined Operation Safehouse around 2005 to better understand and help people who needed guidance in their lives. Now this young youth advocate is and active member of CCY, advocating everywhere he goes and trying his best to lead by example. He is going to school to earn his Business degree. He hopes to open his up own youth center to protect, help and and save youth in crisis. Shomari’s dreams will one day be accomplished and he hopes to inspire other youth to do the same or even better than what he will do in this lifetime.

Jody Ketcheside
Program Manager, EOC Sanctuary & Youth Services

Jody Ketcheside, has a Bachelor Degree in Criminology with a Victimology option. She has twelve years of experience working with the homeless youth populations, foster youth, and youth on probation, performing program operations and staff supervision, staff training, case management support and supervision, youth advocacy, and youth development services and life skills training coordination.  She is a State Certified Group Home Administrator.

Jesse Lee
Youth Representative

Jesse first became involved in CCY in 2010 when he attended his first Sacramento conference. At the time Jesse was a participant in a transitional housing program for former foster youth, and a full time student at Mesa College. Jesse continues to attend school full time and participate in various projects aimed at advocating for the rights of disconnected youth in California. Making positive changes in the lives of others is incredibly important to Jesse.

 

Jamie Nicholson
TLP Case Manager, Los Angeles Conservation Corp

Jamie Nicholson joined Los Angeles Conservation Corps in 2007 as a case manager. Jamie runs the transitional living program and provides all of the participant’s with the necessary soft skills such as; life skills, money management, anger management, nutrition, financial literacy, job skills and family reunification. these are all skills leading to the self- sufficiency that will allow each participant to  successfully live independently. Jamie will be receiving her Masters in Clinical Psychology, MFT in January 2012.

 

Debbie Palmer
General Partner/Clinical Director, Chrysalis Family Counseling Center

Debbie Palmer joined CCY in 2008 and currently is serving her second year representing San Bernardino and Riverside counties. During her over 30 years working with At-Risk Youth, as well as all other youth, she has focused on mentoring, teaching, counseling, and advocating with  San Bernardino Juvenile Probation, San Bernardino County Schools, Fontana School District, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Dept, Fontana and Riverside Police Depts, Operation SafeHouse, and other mental health agencies. She received her M.S. in Counseling Psychology from California Baptist University in Riverside and currently is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and General Partner/Clinical Director of Chrysalis Family Counseling Center in Riverside.

 

Jessica Rangel
Youth Representative

Jessica Rangel became involved in CCY in 2010 where she attended her first conference. At the time Jessica was a participant in a transitional housing program for former foster youth and attending Grossmont Community College as a full time student. While currently attending college full time and studying course work related to social work, Jessica is a peer specialist for the program she successfully graduated from. Jessica remains involved with THP+ and leads the outreach team where she speaks to current foster youth about the benefits of transitional housing programs. Jessica Rangel aspires to be a motivational speaker to help motivate and empower at risk youth to lead healthy and productive lives.

 

Mauricio Torre
Director, Youth & Family Development Department, South Bay Community Services

Mauricio Torre, Director of the Youth and Family Development Department has been with South Bay Community Services since January 1997, and has demonstrated a commitment to working with, and empowering, low-income and minority groups, particularly youth.  He is responsible for overall Project supervision of each of the following Divisions: Youth Support Services, Prevention & Intervention Programs, Community Development and Children’s Mental Health Services. His experience working creatively and dynamically with at-risk youth and inspiring them to reach their full potential has enhanced his ability to lead this Department in new and exciting directions.

Jevon Wilkes
Youth Representative

Jevon Wilkes, 22, is currently in the process of obtaining a B.A. degree, at California State University of Channel Islands, in Communication.  Jevon Wilkes has been an advocate for Foster Care and Homeless Youth since his upbringing in the Foster Care System from being homeless. Jevon embraces his adversity and tries to give back through his treasure box of adversity, through helping and improving other people’s lives. Jevon has been involve with the California Coalition for you for 5 year and has been part of the Board of Directors and Youth Advisory Board for 3 years to date. Jevon being 22 has done and accomplished many things nationally and locally. He has received awards from a National Philanthropy Award for outstanding volunteering, Martin Luther King Jr. Award from Occidental College Upward Bound, Freshman of the Year at CSU Channel Islands, and many more to name a few. Jevon Wilkes loves to help others, especially his middle school children from the Bresee Foundation, and also loves to enjoy life and participate in many hobbies. He loves to play basketball, play video games, going to play paintball, hanging with friends, hang out with the love of his life, and embarking on new adventures.