Stephanie Nunes

Deputy Director

Clementia (Chayse) Sylvester

Program Director

Kimya Dastoori

Special Projects (Collective) Coordinator

Kimya (she/her) comes to YIA with a wide range of experiences in both the business and education sectors. She is a proud first-generation immigrant, college graduate, and New Yorker. She also currently attends graduate school at Brown University, where she studies Urban Education Policy. She is aware of the challenges that face communities similar to her own, and is committed to fighting for equity and access. She looks forward to doing her part in bringing forth the necessary changes in order to provide every young person a fair chance at opportunity and success, in whatever way that looks like for them.

Ella Oshinkanlu

Hey guys, My name is Emmanuella or Ella for short. My pronouns are She/Hers and I am a Nigerian immigrant. I enjoy art and traveling because it helps me relax and be myself. My years with youth in action have enabled me to make an impact in my community. During this time, I worked with the YAB community to create a change within Homeless Youths in Rhode Island while organizing listening sessions, projects, and other events that involve the community in our work!

Chavely Mateo (she/they)

Hey 🙂 I’m from Providence RI born to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. I graduated from Classical High School and plan on pursuing a degree in social work. I’m passionate about making the lives of others easier and I love working with youth and being surrounded by them when decisions for change are being made. I am excited for all of the things being a co-co at YIA will teach me and I look forward to using those skills in the spaces I inhabit outside of it.

Kelly Doran

Office Manager

she/her

Kelly Doran, raised right here in Rhode Island, started her work experience 15 years ago in the hospitality industry. The need to help those around her grew into working in non-profits benefiting Rhode Island and the people who live there. As the Office Manager of Youth in Action, she will work closely with the team to support them and help to provide them with the tools needed to excel. When she’s not working, Kelly is at home with her family and 2 dogs, cooking, watching movies, and simply enjoying life.

Sarah Kern

Development Director

sarah@youthinaction.org

they/she

Sarah loves showing up to Youth In Action every day, helping create funding streams that are reflective of YIA’s mission and values. Sarah’s especially excited to work alongside young people, learning from youth and sharing knowledge as they discover various pathways to resource their communities.
Sarah was born into the LGBTQ community in the late 80s and is the daughter of many mothers. Sarah graduated from RISD’s Illustration program with a concentration on Gender and Sexuality Studies, and went on to plan community events and fundraisers with local nonprofits including Southside Community Land Trust, ONE Neighborhood Builders, Youth Pride, PRONK!, Paint it Pink!, among others. Sarah then spent nearly a decade in Los Angeles where they established a career in fundraising at TreePeople, LA’s oldest environmental nonprofit. In Los Angeles, they grew their expertise in Corporate Giving, Major Gifts, and the intersection of communications and fundraising. Most recently, she was the Associate Director of Development at The Learning Community in Central Falls.

Sarah is a lifelong learner and is committed to growing a practice of antiracism and challenging racist principles within philanthropy. Outside of work, Sarah has a deep love for the outdoors, sharing homemade meals with friends, and exploring the world through her child’s eyes.

Rahmat Adelakun

Co-Coordinator

co-coordinators@youthinactionri.org

Heyyy! My name is Rahmat. I am someone who loves to have fun and spread smiles, especially to those who don’t know what being a living environment is like. I want to be the happiness that people come to in order to get away from their troubles. I may only be a student but that only makes it easier for me to reach my peers and spreads smiles.

Favour Bello

Co-Coordinator

co-coordinators@youthinactionri.org

Hey guys. I’m Favour, youth participant and Co-Co at Youth In Action. I am a sophomore at Classical High School and I’m really excited to work with Youth In Action this year and learn new skills.

Benji Chaplin

(he/they pronouns)

Hey folk’s, my name is Benji and my pronouns are he/they. I am from Providence, RI but currently located in Houston, Texas. I’m the type of person to burst out laughing randomly over something that happened yesterday. I value discussion’s about topics and experience’s that I am able to expand and learn from. I’m eager to have more conversation’s and collaborative work in space’s I’m in and with the people I interact with.