Distinguished Guests
Keith S. Howard
Keith Howard was appointed Commissioner of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) by Mayor Eric Adams in June 2022. Commissioner Howard formerly served as NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Associate Deputy Commissioner of the Sidewalk Inspection Management Division. He also was an Adjunct Professor at Queens College and the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. Commissioner Howard has dedicated 30 years of his professional career to public service and held various senior level positions in New York City government.
While education and career are priorities in his life, there are more layers. As a child, he was taught by his parents about the importance of service to the community. So, in the summer of 2002, Commissioner Howard started the non-profit Harlem Group. The organization sponsored health fairs with government agencies and community-based organizations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. In collaboration with Health Plus Incorporated, the Harlem Group successfully enrolled over 100 families in free health care programs underwritten by the New York State government.
As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first Black Greek fraternity, Commissioner Howard has seen the need to build on the fraternity and a commitment to community service by creating a non-profit organization called Servants of All (SOA). For ten years, SOA has escorted more than 700 underprivileged high school and middle school students on college tours to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The goal of the tours is to bring college awareness to students who may not have the resources or access to visit college campuses across the country.
Commissioner Howard is married and the father of two young adults. He is a proud alumnus of John Jay College, where he was awarded a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in public administration.
Krystalyn Kass
Krystalyn Kass is a dedicated lifelong learner with a profound commitment to improving the human experience through education.
With a passion for translating theory into action, Krystalyn obtained a Master’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education and Special Education for grades K-6. Her experience includes teaching elementary and middle school students, with a focus on childhood development and positive psychology. She has served as a School Principal and high school Dean of Academics. As an Associate Director of Education, Krystalyn developed and facilitated online courses as well as conducted research for organizations devoted to promoting mental well-being.
At Vibrant, she creates emotionally healthy environments by bridging the gap between research and practice. Her focus is on building the capacity of organizational leaders who share her commitment to drive positive change.
Denice Williams
Denice Williams is a native New Yorker dedicated to disrupting policies, practices, and procedures that obstruct the advancement of BIPOC people and their opportunity to live their best lives. Denice has devoted her professional life in service to others in nonprofit and government settings. Currently, she serves as Deputy Commissioner for the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development overseeing the Division of Planning, Program Integration and Evaluation (PPIE). PPIE’s mandate is to maximize DYCD investments and improve the customer experience and individual and community outcomes through streamlined, coordinated service delivery.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Anna Ortega-Williams
Dr. Anna Ortega-Williams is an award-winning Black social work scholar, practitioner, researcher, and organizer that is inspired by the healing alchemy of social action, youth development & well-being. Dr. Ortega-Williams is an Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College at the City University of New York. As a social work educator, she is committed to uncovering trauma recovery interventions that push the boundary of where micro-level clinical practice ends and macro-level practice begins. Her approach to social work centers cultural humility, anti-racist, intersectional, and anti-oppressive frameworks. Dr. Ortega-William's area of research focuses on historical trauma, posttraumatic growth, land-based healing, and social action in trauma recovery. She has been a social worker since 2001 and has provided individual, group and family counseling, in addition to working as a director, program developer, capacity builder and evaluator, for community-based organizations. Her work has been informed by local, national and global social movements; in particular, Black youth-led responses to interrupting racism and systemic violence. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the City University of New York, Hunter College, Master’s degree from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, and PhD in Social Work from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service. Dr. Ortega-Williams’ recent accomplishments include being selected as the 2021 Junior Faculty Award from the national accrediting body of social work, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) for outstanding scholarship in the areas of race, ethnic, and cultural diversity. Dr. Ortega-Williams’ research was also spotlighted by two national organizations, the American Psychological Association as well as the Society for Research on Adolescence. She was also selected as a mid-career leader by the National Association of Social Workers-NYC Chapter. Dr. Ortega-Williams was also honored to be chosen in a competitive juried selected for a TED-style talk called Brief and Brilliant at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). Lastly, she has been selected as the keynote speaker for the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASWE-ACFTS) for their annual program meeting, in 2024. As a Black, queer mom, activist and organizer, born and raised in low-income public housing in the Bronx, NY, with culturals roots in the Carolinas and Barbados, she believes social work practice can promote joy, healing, imagination and hope when it is rooted in transforming social and economic injustice and protecting human rights.
Workshop Speakers
(Alphabetical by Last Name)
Renata Alexis
Renata Alexis, Senior Vice President of Residential Services, Covenant House is a leader with a passion for youth and community. She has had over 21 years of progressive leadership experience working with homeless and at-risk young people. Her portfolio most recently includes her serving as the Senior Vice President of Residential Services for Covenant House New York crisis and transitional housing programs. Renata holds a degree of Psychology and Sociology from St. John’s University.
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Sherina T. Davis
Sherina T. Davis is from Barbados, West Indies. Sherina is a scholar, facilitator, coach, and training consultant. She defines her role as being a guiding light in a revolutionary era and is the link that fuses the theoretical with the tangible. She feels it is her moral responsibility to work toward combating oppressive entities that oppress people. Sherina supposes' that a person's actions speak to that person's spirit and character. She believes that her active involvement in the community and nationally promotes moral agency. She supposes that we all have unlimited possibilities. She supports clients through a holistic approach [Spirit, Body, and Mind] in creating space for conversations that support clients to take effective actions in personal and professional transformation, achieving potent results and their vision.
Workshop: Building Resilience: Crafting Trauma-Informed Programs for Youth Empowerment [Virtual]
Nicole Hamilton
Director of Program Quality + Support
Nicole Hamilton (she/her) is a radical educator, trainer, curriculum designer, youth worker, circle keeper, and community builder. Nicole, who is also the Founder of Culturvate Consulting, believes that working in close partnership with schools and organizations builds the trust, transparency, and accountability needed to do the hard work of shifting culture. Nicole brings over a decade of experience in direct service provision from her roles as a Program Director of a multi-site after-school program, Director of School-Based Programs and Partnerships, and a teacher. In her work, she has supported the positive transformation of organizations, programs, and schools by leading staff and young people towards a common goal of creating a safer, more equitable, and affirming anti-racist and inclusive culture.
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Racquel Jones LMSW, Program Director 24 Hour Drop-In Center, Rising Ground
Racquel Jones, LMSW is a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker in the State of New York, who brings 15+ years of experience specializing with individuals, groups and families. After receiving her Master's degree from Fordham University Graduate school of social work, she has dedicated her life to serving, ministering, teaching and counseling at-risk populations who did not have access to adequate mental health care with a concentration on families and children. For the past 5 years, as an adjunct professor at York College in New York state, Ms. Jones has an increased passion, awareness and appreciation for intervention strategies that seek to empower various populations at the personal and political levels of their lives.
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Jason Manizza LMHC, Clinical Coordinator, Children’s Village May’s Place
Jason Manizza is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, registered to practice in New York State. Jason graduated, with distinction, from Mercy College with a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling. Currently, as a team member of The Children’s Village, Jason spends his time providing clinical services to adolescent, female-identified youth who are experiencing homelessness or have abruptly exited an abusive living environment in search of safety, nurturance, and an increasing ability to positively develop and thrive. In 10/2020, Jason was recognized as a “Mental Health Hero” by the New York City Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health.
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Melba Nicholson Sullivan, PhD
Dr. Anna Ortega-Williams
Anna Ortega-Williams, LMSW, PhD is a Black social work scholar, practitioner, organizer, and activist deeply inspired by the healing alchemy of social action and youth development. She has been a social worker rooted in community-based practice since 2001. She is an Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York City. She is committed to uncovering practice interventions that push the boundary of where micro-level clinical practice ends and macro-level practice begins. Her approach to social work is grounded in cultural humility and centers on anti-racist, intersectional, and anti-oppressive frameworks. Dr. Ortega-William's participatory, social justice-based research focuses on historical trauma, posttraumatic growth, social action, and land-based healing to expand conceptualizations of trauma recovery. As a Black queer mom, born and raised in low-income public housing in the Bronx, she is committed to expanding critical social work practice to expand how we promote joy, healing, social justice, love, deep laughter, and hope.
Workshop: Catalyzing Healing & Collective Wellness in Troubling Times [In-Person]
Giana Peralta, Senior Program Manager DYCD
Giana Peralta, Senior Program Manager DYCD
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Michelle Quiba
Derrick Stoudymire, Program Manager DYCD
Derrick Stoudymire, Program Manager DYCD
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Linda Turner, Visual Artist and Licensed Creative Arts Psychotherapist (LCAT)
Linda Turner is a NYC-based Visual Artist and Licensed Creative Arts Psychotherapist (LCAT) who has worked with a wide range of individuals and groups for 20+ years. Currently, Linda is in private practice treating adults who struggle with complex trauma, anxiety, and depression. Prior to this, she with youth for many years through the Chinatown YMCA, as well as at Catholic Charities, where she was an art therapist and then clinical supervisor. Linda served on the board of NYCCAT (NY Coalition of Creative Arts Therapists) and is president of the LCAT Advocacy Coalition. As a workshop facilitator, Linda is passionate about reconnecting us to the profound value and impact of the creative process. She also has a robust mixed-media art-making practice of her own.
Workshop: The Healing Canvas: Creative Approaches to Wellness [In-Person]
Sebastien Vante, Assistant Vice President, Safe Horizon – Streetwork
Sebastien Vante is the National Community Health worker Advisor for Wellness Equity Alliance a Public Health Startup aimed at addressing social determinants of health and is the Associate Vice President of Streetwork Programs at Safe Horizon as part of The nation’s largest victim services advocacy organization, Safe Horizon Streetwork Project delivers comprehensive case management, daytime respite, and crisis shelter services for thousands of Runaway and Homeless Youths in NYC each year. Using client-centered practice, trauma-informed care, and harm reduction frameworks, Sebastien has nearly 15 years of experience working with juvenile justice system-involved and at-risk individuals, LGBTQIA communities, and unaccompanied, chronically unhoused youths.
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]
Damon Watson, MPH, LPC, Program Director for The Fellowship Initiative
Damon Watson, MPH, LPC (he/him), is a planner and healer currently working as the Program Director for The Fellowship Initiative. Damon has been with Vibrant over 6 years, starting as a Specialized Counselor for the SAMHSA OASAS helpline and the National Football League (NFL) lifeline and growing into supervisory and agency-wide leadership roles. He is a 1st generation college graduate from rural central Virginia and holds a dual bachelor's degree in Psychology and Health & Physical Education from Morehouse College and a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of Virginia with a concentration in Health Policy and Community Advocacy. Damon has been developing person-centered programs with mental health nonprofits for 15 years, with education-based work ranging from counseling in the public school system to implementing and running a private school dedicated to the emotional and academic well-being of adolescents and young adults. In his current role, he collaborates with national and local community programs to provide holistic support to the black and brown young men they serve through local TFI programs. Damon leads a fantastic team of advocates and healers nationwide to provide TFI fellows with resources to support their continued psychological growth. Damon’s commitment to his work honors the power of our individual identities, especially our subjugated identities, as a means to envision a world in which we intentionally disrupt and dismantle cultures of white supremacy that continue to cause harm.
Workshop: Engaging Young Men of Color in Mental Health Services is Suicide Prevention [In-Person]
Rose Yasonia LMSW, Program Director, Independence Inn Programs & Brooklyn Youth Center, SCO
Rose Yasonia leads SCO’s initiatives that focus on housing stability and youth development for New York City’s runaway and homeless youth. She oversees SCO’s six Independence Inns, a transitional independent living program that provides shelter and support for young people ages 16 to 20. In addition, she manages the Brooklyn Youth Center, a 24-hour refuge that enables at-risk and homeless youth to access food, clothing, showers, laundry, case management services, and referrals for emergency shelter. Rose is a fierce advocate for youth and is deeply committed to helping them acquire skills that will prepare them to be self-sufficient. She joined SCO Family of Services in 2007 as an Intake Coordinator for the Independence Inns and has taken on positions of increased scope and responsibility during her tenure, including Program Supervisor and Assistant Director. Under her leadership, Rose oversaw the expansion of the Independence Inn Program, doubling the number of sites within just a few years. In addition, she is recognized for her compassion and skillful management of the 24-hour Brooklyn Youth Center which has expanded services to meet the needs of migrant youth in the region. Rose earned her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and her master’s degree from Columbia University School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker.
Workshop: Uncovering the Needs of Runaway and Homeless Youth [Virtual]