Our Team
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.
Isabella Jones
Case Manager
Isabella Jones has received her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wilmington University, with certifications in Trauma-Informed Approaches, Conflict Resolution, and Child Advocacy Studies. She is the former President of the University Psychology Club. Isabella is also a certified LifeSkills Instructor and certified in Nurturing Parenting. She has been working with children, youth, and families for the last 6 years in her role at YES.
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.
Jessica Doerr
Case Manager
A Delaware native, Jessica earned a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services with a clinical concentration from the University of Delaware in 2012. Upon graduation, she started her social work career with the
Delaware Division of Family Services as a treatment worker for at-risk families and youth. She has extensive experience in case management, specifically involving the youth population who have
experienced abuse and neglect. Having completed such trainings as Forensic Interviewing and Identifying Human Trafficking, challenging topics are not off-putting to Jessica, who is an avid advocate for kids
facing adversity. While she also has administrative experience as a business owner, a staff recruiter/supervisor, and case management involving senior citizens, Jessica’s lifelong passion has always been with children.
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.
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 outstanding fiscal support.
Cindy Fitzpatrick
PATHS Instructor
Cindy Fitzpatrick is a former classroom teacher/administrator for Cecil County Public Schools. Recently retiring after 41 years with CCPS, she still has the desire to work with children, supporting them with skills to help them become successful. As a principal for 21 years, Cindy utilized the many services provided by Youth Empowerment Source to help address the social and emotional needs of the children in her schools. She saw first-hand the positive impact the services provided by YES had on children and is extremely excited to be a part of the team.
Dale Kerns
PATHs Instructor
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.
Kimala Smith
Administrative Assistant
Kimala Smith, “Kim”, joined the YES team in Spring of 2021. Kim’s previous experience as an administrative assistant included 10 years working for a large church, where she cultivated her gift of working with individuals in crisis. A Cecil County native, she has spent the last decade in event planning, and her attention to detail, ability to multitask, and calm under pressure are fantastic assets in her role. Always smiling, Kim is loves working with our team and community partners in serving local children, youth, and families.