Our Team
Administrative
Beth Creek
Executive Director
A former classroom teacher in Cecil County, Ms. Creek opened Youth Empowerment Source to specifically address the needs of at-risk juveniles who often fall through the cracks until they are in serious trouble. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, her team has developed programs to provide intervention to youth deemed at-risk and identified by the local school system and the Department of Juvenile Services. She has also received advanced training in nonprofit management through a variety of sources, as well as training in dealing with vulnerable populations and those impacted by trauma. Most recently she has been responsible for developing the Drug Free Cecil Youth Coalition, sponsored by YES.
Cyndi Jones
Director of Operations
Cyndi is an expert instructor, Trainer of Trainers for Botvin LifeSkills, Results Based Facilitator, and has trained with the Transformation Education Institute using the Transformational Approach to Brain-Based presenting. She is also a trained mediator. Cyndi has been actively involved in youth service programs in Cecil County for over 25 years. She is passionate about developing programs that serve at-risk children, youth, and families in the community and has also created programming for parenting classes in the Cecil County Detention Center. She also enjoys providing training seminars. As Director of Operations Cyndi provides oversight to YES's programs and day-to-day operations which includes the role of Human Resource Manager. She helps implement practices that support strategic objectives and is responsible for performance management, staffing, federal and state law compliance, employee relations, employment contracts, employee benefits, and developing operational and human resource policies.
Emily Armington
Program Director
Emily received her bachelor's degree in adolescent education in 2010. Since then, Emily has dedicated over ten years to youth program development, non-profit management, grant funding procurement and management, and staff supervision. She served as Associate Executive Director for the YMCA of Greater Brandywine where she earned her Multi-Team Leader Certification. Emily has been trained in Leading and Coaching Others, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Ethics, and Racial and Ethnic Disparities as well as many other disciplines. Prior to her current role, Emily served as the Local Management Board Director for Cecil County Government where she facilitated the development of services for children, youth, and families. She is passionate about leading teams and projects to help meet the needs of Cecil County families.
Kassy Watson
Fiscal Agent
A native of Cecil County, Kassy attended Cecil College for Business Administration. She continued her education at Goldey Beacom, earning a BS in Business Management, an MS in Management, and an MBA in Finance. With extensive experience in non-profit accounting, she provides us with outstanding fiscal support.
Kimala Smith
Administrative Assistant
Kimala Smith, “Kim” joined the YES team in Spring of 2021. Kim’s previous experience as an administrator included 10 years of working for a large church where she cultivated her gift of working with individuals, many of whom were in crisis situations. She is a Cecil County native that has spent a decade in the event planning industry, has networked with local organizations, and has established impactful relationships with the community. Her organizational skills, ability to multitask, and stay calm under pressure are fantastic assets in her role as she serves the local children, youth, and families in Cecil County.
Case Managers
Dylan Coyle
Case Manager
Dylan graduated from North East High School while surrounded by instructors who served as his role models. May 2023 marked his graduation from Salisbury University with a Bachelor of Arts in social work. Social work piqued his interest because it integrates environmental and Human behavioral influences. His internship with CCPS Student Services gave him the opportunity to interact directly with students and families who were experiencing difficulties at home or in school due to social circumstances. He is eager to join the team and provide numerous services to his community.
Katelyn Loveless
Case Manager
Katelyn received her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2018 from Cairn University. In her first year, she completed an Urban Ministry program where she spent time in Philadelphia studying demographics, social norms and observing ways to engage in the community. During the rest of her time, she was a Social Work intern at a congregate-care facility and a behavioral therapist in an alternative school, both in which she worked with children and youth in growing educationally and learning life skills. Katelyn has had the opportunity to have traveled all over the US and across the world to places such as Guatemala, Ecuador, Kenya, and Egypt to study culture, economy, traditions, coach sports, and aid in community projects. She is a youth leader in her local church and is passionate about diversity, advocacy, and personal growth. She is very excited to join the YES team and engage in the community.
Natalie Jones
Case Manager
Natalie graduated from Elkton High School and went on to Frostburg State University to receive a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. She is passionate about giving back to the community that built her. She started her career in Social Work working with families receiving government assistance. She went on to work for Cecil County DSS, working closely with families experiencing abuse and neglect. She has had the opportunity to advocate and work closely with youth in a multitude of settings. Natalie is excited to continue to work with the families of Cecil County.
Rebecca Silva
Case Manager
Rebecca (who’s commonly called Becky but will answer to almost any variation of her name) has been employed in numerous capacities as an educator after earning her B.A. in Child Development from Juniata College. She has taught middle school history and English and high school history and has served as a guidance counselor, academic advisor, class advisor, and homeschool coordinator. Most recently, she has worked as a GED instructor for Cecil College.
Her roles as teacher and IEP coordinator made her realize that she’s especially drawn to students who struggle in some way - academically, socially, and/or emotionally. This led her to earn a MEd. in Trauma-Informed Education from Columbia College. Becky's greatest joy in working with young people is to help them to see that they are more capable than they think they are and can, indeed, “do difficult things.” Her goals for her students are that they understand their intrinsic worth, know that they are loved, and learn how to learn.
Drug Free Cecil
Mason Watters
Youth Advisor Aide
Mason has been part of the Drug Free Cecil Youth Coalition for three years before stepping into his current role as the Youth Advisor Aide. He has attended many CADCA conferences where he started in prevention. Following his first conference, he wrote a grant and implemented the "If You Feel Different, You Drive Different" initiative that is now a policy in all five Cecil County high schools. Mason was a Rising Sun High School senior and part of the Teacher Academy of Maryland at Cecil County School of Technology. He is currently attending Cecil College as a Secondary Education Major with a Concentration in Mathematics. Previously, he worked at a daycare center, serving kids from 18 months to 12 years. That is where he realized his passion for helping the younger generations reach their highest potential.
Facilitators/Instructors
Keleigh Davis
Legacy Facilitator
.jpeg)
Dale Kerns
PATHs Instructor
Keleigh earned her bachelor's degree in marketing and business management from Goldey Beacom College and received her Social Media Marketing certification from the University of Delaware. After having children of her own, Keleigh's outlook on life and career shifted. Keleigh has held several positions for years, teaching, coaching, and mentoring middle and high school students. Keleigh has built a rapport with middle and high school students, allowing them to engage personally and academically with her on many levels. Her students view her as their teacher, friend, and ally. Keleigh's classroom is a close community where she allows her students to take small risks and push themselves out of their comfort zones. It also helps when she brings snacks, candy, and corny jokes to break the ice! Keleigh enjoys teaching because it provides opportunities and can change the lives of her students.
Keleigh enjoys spending time with her husband and two children in her spare time. You can usually find her at the gym or the field cheering on her kids; she is their biggest fan! Keleigh is also passionate about volunteering, boating, reading, and spending time at the beach.
Following a 30+ year career as an educator and School Counselor in Cecil County, Mrs. Dale Kerns has spent two years implementing the Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS)in the county. She is passionate about helping children, young adults and families succeed. Using her skills and expertise in the areas of elementary education, curriculum development and school counseling Dale brings a wealth of knowledge to assist children and their families. Empowering children to solve conflicts, face challenges and be successful learners both in and out of school are driving forces in her work with YES. Dale holds Bachelor degrees Elementary Education and Psychology as well as Master’s of Arts degree in School Counseling and Master Level Certificate in Administration and Supervision.
April Zeauskas
PATHS Instructor
Wendy Kirsh
PATHS Instructor
April earned her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in education and science from Liberty University. Upon graduation, she began her career as an elementary school teacher in Cecil County, MD at TriState Christian Academy and later at KidCity preschool in Rising Sun. April went on to further her education at Southeastern University where she obtained an MS in Pastoral Care and Counseling.
As an educator, April saw firsthand the importance of creating a nurturing environment where students could develop academically, socially, and emotionally. She is passionate about connecting with students on a personal level by developing supportive relationships and equipping them with the necessary skills to successfully navigate challenges in the classroom.
In her free time, April enjoys spending time with her family, watching her daughters play sports, and making sweet treats for her in-home baking business.
Wendy earned her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from West Virginia University. She is certified by the Department of Public Instruction in the state of Delaware to teach K- 4th grade. Super Kids Preschool and Kindergarten was established by Wendy in 1997. She taught Kindergarten and was the owner and early childhood administrator of Super Kids preschool for 23 years. The state of Delaware certified her as a director of administration in 2008. She has a passion to help children grow socially and emotionally and is looking forward to her new position as a prevention program instructor.