Chavely Mateo

Executive Strategy Co-Co

chavely@youthinactionri.org

she/they

Hi! I’m from Providence, RI born to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. I graduated from Classical High School and am currently pursuing a degree in youth development and public administration. I’m passionate about creating spaces where people can show up as their authentic selves, challenging norms we’ve been socialized to adhere to, and using transparency with empathy as a means of creating change.

I first experienced Youth In Action as a youth in Immersion programming, and it truly was a life-changing experience. Now as a staff, I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to continue creating meaningful impact in my community, and excited to tend to connections with people that bring me joy, care about my personal and professional development, and reinforce YIA’s value of doing this important work through a lens of joy and belonging .

Sarah Kern

Development Director

sarah@youthinactionri.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 feels privileged to work alongside young people, learning from them and sharing knowledge as our youth 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 historically racist and inequitable 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

Executive Development Co-Co

rahmat@youthinactionri.org

she/her

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.

Aisha Isabel

Program Coordinator

aisha@youthinactionri.org

Hey y’all, I’m Aisha. Being from Providence RI, I’ve learned the value of storytelling. I often spend my time in spaces where I get to share my stories with others and learn from them. It’s a passion of mine to continue doing work that encourages people to take space and tell a story that only they can tell.

Elliot A. Rivera

Executive Director

elliot@youthinactionri.org

he/him/el/ellos

Elliot is a first generation Salvadoran with over 15 years of professional experience focusing on the intersection of healing, leadership and collective positive social change – especially through an intergenerational and anti-racist lens. He brings extensive experience throughout the non-profit sector, researcher, fundraiser, manager, evaluator, educator and community organizer in a myriad of settings. These include non-profit leadership at the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University, Program Director & Community Engagement Specialist for the City of Worcester’s Division of Youth Opportunities and serving as chair for the city’s task force on the healing of boys & men of color. He also brings a deep research and evaluation lens, serving as community level researcher at Worcester State University, UMASS Medical School and Clark University, including being part of the founding of Clark’s research Collaborative For Youth & Community Justice and serving as an Associate Researcher & Evaluator for the collaborative.

He would describe himself through 3 words– humility, joy and love, and lives this through his love of getting outside, co-creating and participating in intentional healing and affinity spaces, and creating space & time to support community led efforts, especially supporting other leaders of color, returning the favors and support he’s received throughout his career. Currently he also serves on the Executive Committee of the Rhode Island After-School Network, pushing to co-create more spaces for learning, healing and radical positive change for how we care for youth and the adults who serve them in Out of School time opportunities throughout the Ocean State.

If he’s not on campus at Tufts working on his graduate degree in Urban & Environmental Planning, catch him in the mountains or by the water– and he’ll be more than happy to share some adventure time with you!