Pronoun: She/Her
Email: TSpringerLove@ftnys.org
Phone: 518-478-3769

Tiara is an ambitious leader, mental health advocate, and a community organizer who is dedicated to ensuring the voices of youth and young adults within underserved communities are not only heard, but recognized and used as a driving force for change within all child serving systems. Driven by her own lived experience with the foster care and mental health systems, her goal is to advocate for access to quality care for those within marginalized and oppressed communities. Tiara takes pride in her ability to provide skill development and create spaces where all youth and young adults can be empowered to take charge of their own lives. In addition to her primary job functions as the Director of Youth Power at FTNYS, Tiara is also an alumni of CUNY Hunter College’s Silberman School of Social Work where she obtained her Master of Social Work degree. As a part of the FTNYS team, Tiara hopes to bring excitement, passion, and joy.

Pronoun: She/Her
Email: ADavidson@ftnys.org
Cell Phone: 518-949-0368

Amanda is a driven young individual who plans on making the world a better place for young people step by step. Her experience in mental health, child welfare and substance abuse has allowed her to grow the skill to recognize the ability for change. Amanda works statewide to persistently amplify youth voice in state systems that involve suicide prevention, school mental health education, child welfare, kinship/foster care and many others. She has shared her personal story and experiences in front of the whole NYS Board of Education including Commissioner MaryEllen Elia to influence the mental health education curriculum law passed in July of 2018, the 2018 Suicide Prevention Conference sharing her own personal experience with suicide and what helped or harmed her during that time, the 2018 System of Care Summit explaining her transition from child serving systems to the adult serving systems, and MANY other conferences, meetings, councils and committees. She is deeply passionate about the mental health education law and ensuring students have the best supports and resources when it comes to learning such an important topic! With her story told throughout different outlets, she hopes young people with similar experiences can find power in sharing their own story because Amanda knows our stories matter!

Pronoun: He/Him
Email: RLettieri@ftnys.org
Phone: 585-866-9333

Robbie Lettieri is a national public speaker and advocate who is passionate about spreading love and kindness into a world he feels desperately needs it. Growing up in both the health care and mental health system, Robbie is dedicated to advocating for others who have endured similar hardships. Being a part of multiple boards and committees on state and local levels, he consistently strives to advocate for the larger voice. With years of experience coordinating and facilitating trainings and events, offering individual and group support, and advocating on a system, peer, and individual level, he looks forward to his future with FTNYS.

Pronoun: She/Her/Hers
Email: JWalcott@ftnys.org
Phone: 518-432-0333 x 43 

Justice, born to Jamaican immigrant parents, is a tenacious and dynamic young scholar, who aims to empower those in underserved and marginalized communities. Growing up in such a community, coupled with her experiences with mental health, medical care, immigration and education, fuel her passion for diversity and inclusivity. She aims to create access to equitable care and education for all youth in every community. Justice strives to empower not only communities but equip  individuals who advocate for their communities with support and resources. Her favorite phrase is “Each one, teach one” and with this ideology she aspires to create communities of advocates who have the courage and support to change their lives and the world. Obtaining her Bachelors Degree of Social Welfare while concentrating her studies in Sociology at the University at Albany, has certified her love for advocacy. Justice encourages youth from all walks of life to share their narratives because she believes there are so many beautiful things to find and learn from amongst our differences!

Pronoun: He/Him
Email: ZKilmer@ftnys.org
Phone: 518-708-3808

Zack Kilmer is an autistic LGBTQ+ young adult who has had a passion for activism and civics since he was a child. Raised by a single mother and brought up in special education programs, Zack knows the struggles young people face and wants to change the system to better suit their needs. He is excited and honored to be working with Youth Power to achieve that goal. Before joining Youth Power, Zack graduated from SUNY Brockport with a bachelor’s degree in English & Political Science. Shortly after, he worked on the New York 19th District 2016 Congressional Election in support of Zephyr Teachout. He then used the skills learned in that race to run his own campaign for Town Council in his hometown of East Greenbush.

Pronouns: She/Her
Email: LRomanoff@ftnys.org
Phone: 631-432-5608

Laura Callen is a compassionate leader who strives to provide a space for others to feel heard. Her experience navigating the mental health system for herself has given her the ability to assist others. As a teenager Laura struggled with anxiety and without the proper supports, she began to suffer. It was during her undergrad at Stony Brook University where she began seeking services to get the support she needed. With a Bachelors in Psychology and currently working towards a Masters in Human services she actively and consistently is strengthening her leadership style to empower youth across Long Island. Before joining Youth Power, Laura worked with children/young adults who have been diagnosed with various Intellectual, Developmental Disabilities and complex mental illness comorbidities. Laura is committed to becoming that anchor for those in the community who feel that they are alone while showing them the power that they have to navigate and thrive in these systems.

Pronoun: They/Them
Email: gjackel-dewhurst@ftnys.org
Phone: 315-415-0592

Gabe is a passionate advocate for people, especially youth, living with mental illness. They have had difficult experiences with the New York mental health system throughout both their childhood and young adult life. They understand the positive difference proper support can make in that environment, and their goal is to make sure that same guidance and encouragement is available to others. Having studied English and psychology at Rochester Institute of Technology, Gabe values open-mindedness and creativity in this work.

Pronouns: She/Her
Email: KRivera@ftnys.org
Phone: 315-276-6650

Kristin Rivera is a driven, ambitious leader who strives to eliminate barriers in recovery systems. Her passion stems from personal experience living with mental illness and facing difficulties in navigating mental health system during her childhood and into adulthood. Kristin was the first of her family to pursue higher education where she graduated from Binghamton University (SUNY) with degrees in Psychology (B.A.) and Sociocultural Anthropology (B.A.). Before joining Youth Power, Kristin had the privilege of working with youth, young adults, and geriatric communities to assist in educating and empowering individuals on their road to recovery using peer recovery programs, direct care management, and community-based services. Kristin’s favorite phrase is, “be the change you wish to see in the world,” which she embodies in her personal and professional life. Having grown up in the Central New York Region, Kristin aspires to fulfill the YP mission in her community as well as create a safe space across mediums for youth members to establish and maintain a sense of community during their advocacy journey.