Arizona
The Mentoring Movement’s Agents of Change Program cultivates and organizes an exclusive group of leading youth mentoring advocates who work to increase public funding for mentoring programs. The Agents of Change from your state are leaders in spreading opportunities to take action in support of federal youth mentoring policy, and gain access to invite-only activities, trainings, and events to sharpen their policy and advocacy skills.
Arizona
Karen Johnson, kjohnson@npfy.org
New Pathways for Youth
Advocacy is a critical tool in working toward deep systemic change for our communities. It is a way to ensure every voice is heard at every level.
Arkansas
Michael Partain, michael@bbbsnwa.org
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas
Advocacy matters to me because it holds the potential to inspire positive transformations in our communities. It’s about amplifying important messages and ensuring that people receive the support and resources they deserve.
Michael Partain, michael@bbbsnwa.org
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas
Advocacy matters to me because it holds the potential to inspire positive transformations in our communities. It’s about amplifying important messages and ensuring that people receive the support and resources they deserve.
Colorado
Tanya Simental
MENTOR Colorado
Advocacy matters to me because it plays a crucial role in amplifying the voices and addressing the unique needs of young people. Advocacy helps ensure that youth receive the support, resources, and opportunities necessary for growth by increasing funding for quality youth mentoring programs. Ultimately, advocacy creates an environment where all youth can thrive, their voices are heard, and their potential is fully realized.
Contact information: tanya.simental@comentoring.org
Connecticut
Hannah Granfield-Horton
The Governor’s Prevention Partnership of Connecticut
Advocacy matters to have a strong and passionate voice!
Contact information: hannah@gppct.org
Shamare Holmes
LiveGirl, The Governor’s Prevention Partnership of Connecticut
Advocacy matters to me because it is how I can suitably contend against injustice.
Contact information: shamare@golivegirl.org
Delaware
Cassandra McKay
Connecting Generations
Advocacy matters because it allows individuals to voice their support for a cause and become a catalyst for change. It gives a voice to those who may not be able to speak for themselves. It empowers individuals to take an active role in the decisions that impact their rights and quality of life.
Contact information: cmckay@connecting-generations.org
Distict of Columbia
Kaitlin Putnam
Kid Power, Inc.
Advocacy is crucial to me because it has the power to create a ripple effect, leading to broader societal change and positively impacting many lives rather than just a few. By championing diverse viewpoints, advocacy ensures that more voices are heard and considered, fostering a more inclusive and equitable community.
Contact information: kaitlin@kidpowerdc.org
Georgia
Najiva Timothee
Girls Dig Deeper Initiative Inc.
To me advocacy means to take positive action to create positive changes!!
Contact information: girlsddi@gmail.com
Iowa
Lynne Carroll
Heart of Iowa Big Brothers Big Sisters
Advocating for young people is key to setting them up for success. Mentors do the one to one focus time that can inspire a child to reach their full potential. As an Advocate, my job is to be their voice at the table of change, planning, opportunity, and inclusiveness that paves a way for them to aspire to be fabulous human beings!
Contact information: heartofiowamentoring@gmail.com
Chad Driscoll
America’s Service Commissions
Advocacy is a powerful tool we all can do to support the causes we care for, and gives us the ability to share information, stories, and impact with others.
Contact information: cdriscoll@statecommissions.org
Kansas
Kimberly Wilson
Prime Fit Youth Foundation
Mentoring allows you to empower others–showing them the power they have inside themselves.
Contact information: kimberlywilson0719@gmail.com
Teon Wilson
Prime Fit Youth Foundation
Advocacy allows you to serve as a voice for those who may not have a voice.
Contact information: PrimeFitTrainer@gmail.com
Maine
Angela O’Connor
City of Portland, ME – Parks, Recreation & Facilities Dept.
It is important to be a voice for the others that aren’t heard.
Contact information: aoc@portlandmaine.gov
Massachusetts
Nathan Simms
Mass Mentoring Partnership
Mentoring programs are a prominent strategy in the United States for preventing negative outcomes and promoting resilience among at-risk youth. Although diverse in their design and implementation, mentoring programs share a common aim of providing young people with structured support from older or more experienced people, such as adult volunteers or students at higher grade levels.
Contact information: nsimms@massmentors.org
Eric Thompson
EV Kids
Everyone needs a reminder that they are products of positive mentors and that formal mentoring programs offer that opportunity to those least likely to have them.
Contact information: ericthompson@evkids.org
Nevada
Noelle Hardt
Nevada Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs
Aligning youth development work and policy priorities moves the needle on program innovations and public-private partnerships
Contact information: nhardt@bgcsnv.org
New York
Janea Hill
Liberty Partnerships Program
Advocacy matters to me because I firmly believe that we have to model the change that we seek. No matter what I have done in my life, I have always followed my words with action, and to me that is what advocacy is, its following your words with action! I also, believe that this generation of youth needs to learn how to put their words and actions together in a positive manner, which is why becoming an advocate for change is important!
Contact information: janeahill@sunyorange.edu
North Carolina
Mallory Foxx
Mentoring M.I.N.D.S.
Advocacy and serving as a youth advocate hold significant personal resonance for me, owing to the impactful support I received from someone who played a similar role in my life. Throughout my formative years, I lacked substantial positive role models and guiding influences, which presented numerous obstacles. Recognizing the transformative power of mentorship and advocacy, I resolved to make a meaningful difference by championing the welfare and empowerment of young people.
Reflecting on my own journey, I am acutely aware of the profound benefits derived from having a compassionate and inspirational mentor. As an adult, I am committed to perpetuating this cycle of support and empowerment. My objective is twofold: to actively engage in advocacy efforts that amplify the voices of youth and to facilitate meaningful connections between mentors and mentees. Additionally, I am dedicated to advocating for increased resources and funding directed towards initiatives aimed at nurturing a promising future for our youth. Through these endeavors, I aim to be a catalyst for positive change and a vital link in fostering a brighter tomorrow for generations to come.
Contact information: mdiff1805@gmail.com
Pam Resch
Juvenile Day Reporting Center
We are creating a safe place for youth to find and use their voice in ways that it can be heard to make a change in the world we live in.
Contact information: Pam.Resch@randolphcountync.gov
Oregon
Amber Martinez
Citizens for Safe Schools
I view mentoring and advocacy as the paramount opportunity to shine a light on the need for continued care and investments in our future generation’s survival. Ensuring that our young people have a fighting chance to fill our communities with the character traits and work skills that it’s going to take to keep our country not only functioning but also thriving!
Contact information: amartinez@citizensforsafeschools.org
Kat DeCayette
Rogue Valley Mentoring
Each generation serves as stewards to the next. We share a responsibility to empower our youth and provide them with the tools to become resilient individuals capable of effecting conscious and meaningful change. Advocacy ensures that our future has a voice and our future shines in the youth we support and nurture today.
Contact information: Kat@rvmentoring.org
Rhode Island
Marc Mainville
MENTOR Rhode Island
Advocacy matters because we can’t get anything done without the support of people in power to change and improve policies, provide financial support, etc.
Contact information: mmainville@mentorri.org
Texas
Pritika Kharkwal
Youth Advocate
Mentoring has statistically been proven to do wonders in the lives of whoever it touches, especially for youth. All the way from positively affecting mental health to academics to emotional wellbeing. As adolescents, we are in a fragile stage of our lives, hence we need to cultivate meaningful mentoring relationships more than ever before. I strongly believe that as the next generation we must actively work to build the future we envision. I want a future with equitable access to mentoring therefore advocacy matters to me because it gives me and other youth a platform to amplify youth voices and perspectives through different platforms. All the way from lobbying last year at Capitol Hill when speaking with Senator Cruz’s congressional staff regarding passing of the Youth Mentoring Act to advocating for greater mentoring opportunities in my school district to now being a part of MENTOR’s Agents for Change Program, I want to continue furthering the youth mentoring movement because youth voices hold great power. Though young, my passion and purpose are strong.
Contact information: pritikakharkwal@gmail.com
Utah
Manda Nielson
4-H Mentoring
Advocacy matters to me because change can start with one person! Advocacy to me matters becasue it is the way we can share the voices of people unable to advocate for themselves. Advocacy matters because it is is also how we can educate others about topics that might be misunderstood.
Contact information: 4hmentoring.pg@gmail.com
Washington
Jolynn Kenney
MENTOR Washington
I want to be an active participant in making our communities a better place for children, youth and adults to thrive. Be the change you want to see in the world!
Contact information: jkenney@mentorwashington.org
West Virginia
Kristin Nelson, knelson@chlidhswv.org
Children’s Home Society of West Virginia
Advocacy produces meaningful, lasting change for not only one, but many. Advocacy empowers others to find their own voice.
Wyoming
Courtney Reynolds
YES House
Advocacy matters because it helps ensure that all voices are heard and that those who make important decisions are informed and understand the magnitude of the impact of those decisions. Many times people feel passionately about certain things but they are afraid or don’t know how to speak up, Advocacy allows voices to join, be stronger together and work in unison to influence change for the better.
Contact Information: Creynolds@yeshouse.org