Our Mission
YouthPlaces develops the skills of the youth we serve, and in doing so, we increase their opportunity for success. We focus our efforts on under served youth in high-risk communities where few other agencies operate. Our high-quality afterschool programs engage youth from within their community, and are responsive to input and feedback from youth leaders and the community as a whole.
Our Vision
We believe in the youth we serve. We commit ourselves daily to our mission because, in the end, our youth deserve a chance to succeed. To us, success takes no single form. Our steadfast hope is that through our help, youth find their own way in the world as they transition into happy, healthy, productive and responsible adults. And as they do, we firmly believe that they will lift their communities with them, helping to realize a better future for Pittsburgh as a whole.
Our Values and Beliefs
Through our mission and vision, we have set a direction for YouthPlaces. That direction is reinforced by the values and beliefs that are shared within our organization.
- We embrace a positive youth development approach, which focuses on building key developmental assets as a means to achieving youth success
- We provide safe, accessible sites where youth can engage in activities without physical or emotional barriers
- We are responsive to youth, actively involving them in planning, implementing and governing the programs in which they participate and incorporating their needs, their interests and their abilities into our operational decisions, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or cultural background
- We are a consistent and reliable presence in the communities we serve. • We collaborate with the communities we serve, engaging families, schools, other youth serving agencies, and grassroots organizations to provide the best possible services to youth.
- We employ individuals who are comfortable with and respectful of the youth they serve.
Talk is cheap, so our adherence to these standards is crucial in order to demonstrate our commitment to our mission and vision. By embracing these values in all that we do, YouthPlaces earns the trust of our youth, the communities we serve and the partners who support our work.

Our History
YouthPlaces was founded as a community response to an overwhelming need for afterschool programs for teens in high-risk, under served communities. Established in 1997 through the Youth Crime Prevention Council comprised of civic, community and corporate leaders, YouthPlaces began with 5 sites and 500 youth, and has evolved to seventeen sites serving over 4,000 youth annually. In 2005, YouthPlaces incorporated as an independent not-for-profit, and in 2012, YouthPlaces established a hub center on Pittsburgh’s Northside that houses managerial offices and program opportunities.
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Chair
Mike Denove
Partner
Ernst & Young
Treasurer
Juan Garrett
Executive Director
Riverside Center for Innovation
Secretary
Dr. Quintin B. Bullock, DDS
President
Community College of Allegheny County
Board Members
Dara Ware Allen, Ph.D
President & CEO
City High
Debra L. Caplan
Executive in Residence
Forbes Funds
Brandi Fisher
Founder & Executive Director
Alliance for Police Accountability
Sabrina Saunders Mosby
President & CEO
Coro Center for Civic Leadership
Christopher Ragland
Commander, Zone 1
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
William J. Sheridan, Esq.
Partner
Reed Smith, LLP
Deanna Sieberkrob
Controller
Carlow University
James E. Taylor, PhD
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
UPMC
William Thompkins
Executive Director (retired)
The Pittsburgh Project
Mike Woychek
Google
Damon Young
Editor-in-Chief
VerySmartBrothas.Com
Honorary Directors
Diana A. Bucco
President
The Buhl Foundation
David J. Malone
President & CEO
Gateway Financial
Frederick W. Thieman
Chair for Civic Leadership
The Buhl Foundation
Our Team
Administration
Cynthia L. James
President & Chief Executive Officer
412.434.0851 x101
Finance Office
412.434.0851
Operations
Uwe Calloway
Chief Operations Officer
412.956.5224
Desiree Johnson
Operations Manager
412.584.9679
Programs
Weston White
Director of Leadership and Engagement
412.495.9930
Jane Lee
Director of Education
412.935.9556
Natalie Jones
Regional Site Manager
412.312.1107
Natasha Kennedy
Regional Site Manager
412.863.1045
Ayodeji Young
Regional Site Manager
412.396.9185
Tammy Brown
Site Manager – Wilkinsburg
412.512.1686
Demetra Franklin
Site Coordinator – East Hills
412.584.4802
Brenda Sawyer
Site Manager – McKeesport
412.589.4073
Northside Central 412-434-0851
New Site Open!!
YP Central YouthHub 1037 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh PA, 15222.