Friday, October 7th

7:30 AM – 8:15 AM

Breakfast on your own

Hotel breakfast room

Late Registration and YVC Store

8:15 AM – 9:00 AM

Opening Session

Salon A

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Break

9:15 AM – 10:45 AM

Strategic Planning: A Mission Road Map - Cathi Duchon and Reid Thebault | Wood Room

Wood Room


An interactive session with a review of essential elements of strategic planning giving you techniques to jumpstart your planning process. The definitions of planning terminology will be demystified. Find out who is really responsible for developing a strategic plan, who should help and how to get the plan off the shelf and into the light of day.

 

Reid Thebault and Cathi Duchon are retired YMCA CEOs with over 90 years of combined experience in non profit leadership, management and planning.

Reconnect, Refresh, Reflect - Leah Boal | Salon A

Salon A


What a whirlwind it’s been! We haven’t seen each other in over two years and there is certainly a lot to process. Join us in this discussion-based workshop as we network together, analyze changes in our programs, reflect on youth development trends, and cast vision for the future.

 

As Director of Affiliate Programming at YVCHQ, Leah Boal helps serve and support affiliates across the YVC network. Outside of YVC, Leah spends her time hiking, cooking, gardening, learning the electric bass, and hanging out with her husband, friends, and dog, Mabel.

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Break

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

A Global Perspective on Volunteering - Dominic Nkuubi | Wood Room

Wood Room


At home in Kampala, Uganda, Dominic spends much of his time serving others. Please join him in learning about how he gives back to his community and learn skills that you can incorporate in your own volunteer programs.

 

Dominic Savio Nkuubi is partnering with YVCHQ through the U.S. State Department’s Community Engagement Exchange Program. Dominic is an emerging young leader from Kampala, Uganda and is working at HQ for twelve weeks. Dominic brings a global perspective to HQ and will take valuable skills back to Uganda for his own career endeavors.

Anchor Decks - Lindsay Sites & YVC Reading | Metal Room

Metal Room


We will be looking at the rising crisis amongst youth: mental health and holding open and transparent discussions on what youth mental health looks like in your area and sharing a tool, created by our Youth Advisory Board, that can help to combat mental health and suicide amongst youth. You will be given the opportunity to see the product, be made aware of the program offered alongside and see how it could fit into your YVC Program! Our youth created, Anchor Decks, were designed to serve as a tool for youth who are struggling with mental health symptoms. The Anchor Decks were created as a grounding tool to be utilized when youth are feeling emotions that are unpleasant. The mission is to bring the individual struggling with negative emotions back into the present and to serve as a reminder that negative feelings are temporary and that the anchors, represented in the deck, can serve as a tool and a reminder to focus on the positive that surrounds them. Join us as we Anchor and do our part in addressing youth mental health.

 

Lindsay Sites, Program Director of Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading, holds a degree in Behavioral Health and Addiction Science and has a passion for mental health and the prevention of suicide.

Money Talks: Back to the Basics of Fundraising- Steve Rock | Earth Room

Earth Room


Fundraising isn’t always the most enjoyable part of what we do, but it’s arguably the most important. Nothing happens without money, and this workshop is designed to take the fear out of fundraising. We’ll discuss research tools to find the perfect funding partners, share fundraising strategies that work in various affiliates, talk through the art of building partnerships, and more.

 

Steve Rock, a longtime non-profit veteran, joined YVCHQ in January as the Vice President of Development. He has experience with major gifts, foundation and grant revenue, corporate sponsorships, special events, and more.

12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

Lunch

Salon A

If you have a food allergy, please connect with a YVC staff member so they can let the hotel know. 

1:15 PM – 1:30 PM

Break

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Engaging Youth with Special Needs - Bradley Hoffman | Fire Room

Fire Room


According www.youth.gov youth with a diagnosed disability make up 10% of all youth in the United States, and the number is even greater in youth ages 6-14. Families of youth with special needs can feel particularly reluctant to sign their kids up for extra-curricular programming they aren’t sure can accommodate their child. In this workshop we will learn concrete ways to engage youth with disabilities, tailor a recruitment strategy, and learn about a successful project in St. Louis.

 

Bradley Hoffman is the Program Director for YVC St. Louis. Bradley joined YVC in February 2022. He has worked as a special education para for elementary and middle school students, a middle school teacher, and managed multiple youth services departments for the St. Louis Public Library for five years with an emphasis on engaging marginalized populations.

STEM Service Projects - Sarah Miller | Metal Room

Metal Room


Want to incorporate more simple STEM service projects into your YVC program? Join us as we try our hand at simple, STEM service projects that you can have on hand for long-term project planning, or have at the ready for when you need to plan something fast.

 

Sarah is the Affiliate Programs and Growth Manager for YVCHQ. Sarah supports the YVC network as a member of the Affiliate Services Team, works to expand the YVC mission by developing new affiliates, and is the staff sponsor for IYAB.

Executive Director Roundtable - Melanie Tucker | Earth Room

Earth Room


If you are an Executive Director, Board member, or decision-maker for your YVC program, this is the workshop for you! Join other Executive Directors for a roundtable discussion highlighting unique topics associated with your role.

 

Melanie Tucker is the Vice Chair and Treasurer of Youth Volunteer Corps, and for her day job, she’s the West Region Finance Director for JE Dunn Construction Company. Like the company she works for, Melanie finds purpose in serving others and being ALL IN!

3:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Break

3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

Adult Reception

McCoy’s Bar

Summit Conference Attendees – Night on Your Own!

Saturday, October 8th

7:30 AM – 8:15 AM

Breakfast on your own

Hotel breakfast room

YVC Store

8:15 AM – 8:30 AM

Break

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Your Path to Leadership - Katie Ervin | Metal Room

Metal Room


Learn how to use your leadership skills to create your career journey. Understand who you are and how you create your path to the future.

 

Dr. Katie Ervin, CEO of Catalyst Development, has spent her career focusing on intentional leadership, skill building, and organizational health. For over two decades, she has established her reputation as a transformational leader who is driven by challenge, undeterred by obstacles, and committed to furthering standards of excellence. Her expertise encompasses all aspects of organizational development by harnessing team strengths to improve overall performance. Her goal with every client is to build consensus, promote transparency and influence positive change in the organizational culture. Katie loves spending time with her amazing husband, traveling, and playing golf. She has two adult children, and she loves cooking them homemade meals and generally spoiling them anytime they are home!

Working With Today's Youth: Mental Health Matters - Dr. Meghan Kanya & Dr. Meredith Ehrhardt | Salon A

Salon A


This workshop will provide an overview of the current state of youth mental health in the United States and discuss practical opportunities for both prevention and intervention. The hope of the presenters is that this workshop can be both interactive and experiential. Information and resources will be shared via presentation. Opportunities for participants to engage in self-care activities aimed at reducing compassion fatigue will be included. The goal is for the audience to leave this workshop feeling empowered to identify mental health concerns in the youth they work with and to utilize skills, resources, and empathy to intervene, when necessary.

 

Dr. Kanya is a pediatric psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, specializing in anxiety and depression in childhood and adolescence. She just completed her doctoral training through Northern Illinois University in 2021 and a postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hospital from 2021-2022. Her training has included work in prevention and intervention for mental health concerns across the lifespan, with a focus on children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Kanya is passionate about community education and volunteering. One of her favorite experiences volunteering has been working with incarcerated youth to promote social-emotional learning through the use of shelter dogs. In her spare time, Dr. Kanya enjoys spending time with her dog and new kitten, tending to her plants, and enjoying exploring Kansas City.

Dr. Ehrhardt is a pediatric psychology postdoctoral fellow at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, specializing in hematology/oncology. She completed her doctoral training through the University of Tulsa in 2022 and her predoctoral internship at Children’s Mercy Hospital from 2021-2022. Her training has included work with youth and their families from diverse backgrounds in medical inpatient and outpatient settings. She has a passion for serving children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions, such as cancer and sickle cell disease, and promoting psychological wellbeing in the midst of medical trauma. In her spare time, Dr. Ehrhardt enjoys reading fiction novels, participating in TRX fitness classes, and spending time with her husband and new pup.

10:00 AM – 10:10 AM

Break

10:10 AM – 10:35 AM

Group photo out back

Please proceed to the back courtyard of the hotel

10:35 AM – 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Playing to your Strengths - Stephanie O'Connell | Fire Room

Fire Room


Why would a natural third baseman labor to develop skills to become a right fielder? Instead of focusing on developing new skills, in this workshop, we will talk through creative ways to lean into your existing expertise — be it a passion for graphic design, an innate ability for public speaking, or a knack for creating strong relationships. Together we will complete a series of exercises to identify strengths that you can use to market yourselves, your organizations, and develop influence.

 

Stephanie O’Connell is Sales & Marketing leader at Google where she works with public sector advertisers to reach their target audience and grow their organizations. She has been a YVC Board Member since 2015, is a proud native Kansas Citian, and spends most of her free time with her 2-year-old pup, Roey.

Uniting our City and Celebrating our Differences - Ray Jarrett | Wood Room

Wood Room


Uniting our city across racial lines is something we can all do; however, many people don’t know how and where to start. This workshop will focus on several areas including why we should engage in unity, how to begin, and facilitating the creation of an action plan at the youth and adult level.

 

Ray Jarrett is the Executive Director of Unite KC, a business owner, and a successful author. Unite KC is a vibrant organization that unites people through education, conversation, and a unifying strategy to engage and encourage people to do “One Good Thing”.

12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Lunch

Los Cabos

Please meet in the hotel lobby to walk with a YVC staff member to Los Cabos for lunch. If you have a food allergy, please connect with the YVC staff member so they can let the restaurant know.

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Break

1:15 PM – 2:45 PM

Recruitment & Retention - Zach Johnson | Metal Room

Metal Room


Join Zach as he discusses youth recruitment and retention! This session will cover where and how to recruit youth, the importance of relationship building, and how quality project consistence affects volunteer retention. Zach will also cover highs and lows of Corvallis’ year and facilitate group discussions about recruitment and retention.

 

Zach Johnson is the volunteer coordinator for YVC Corvallis. Zach manages day-to-day operations of the YVC program including leading YAB, planning and leading volunteer projects, and managing outreach. Zach loves to read, hike, and camp.

Elevate your YVC Program: What's Worked for YVC Calgary- Peony Wong | Wood Room

Wood Room


Are you looking for ways to spice up your programming? With over 25+ years of experience running a YVC program, Calgary is excited to share our successes and challenges. This is an opportunity to learn from one another, no matter how many years you’ve been part of YVC. Come with an open mind and a willingness to share your experiences too!

 

Peony has been in the YVC Program Coordinator role for the last three years. She’s either attempting to work out or stuffing her face with poutine, Peony looks forward to her first in-person Summit!

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 PM – 4:15 PM

The YVC Network: What's Next? - Tracy Hale | Metal Room

Metal Room


Let’s talk! In this session, our CEO will discuss YVC’s mission, strategic direction and goals for the network. You’ll get an update of where we are, where we’re headed, and how you fit in. We’ll cover major initiatives and gather input from you, our network leaders.

 

Tracy is YVC’s passionate CEO. She loves Cherry Coke, TikToks, traveling the world, laughing with her husband and kids, and making things happen at YVC!

4:45 PM – 6:30 PM

Prepare for evening event

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Awards Ceremony and Dinner

Salon A