our Team and Careers
Poonam Borah
Executive Director
Poonam@detroitydrc.org
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Poonam is responsible for leading the YDRC team, implementing its strategic plan, and program design & development. She has been dedicated to bringing strategic vision to youth-focused initiatives and professional development, driving transformative change through partnerships, evidence-based program design, impactful implementation, and continuous improvement. Her expertise encompasses organizational leadership, social and emotional learning, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising, ensuring measurable outcomes for the communities she serves.
In her previous roles, including as a Program Officer with UNESCO and a Senior Research & Practice Specialist at the Forum for Youth Investment’s Weikart Center, she led initiatives that advanced youth development and capacity building in the U.S and on a global scale. From designing and implementing training programs to monitoring progress and securing grants, her work has consistently shaped policies and practices that empower young people across diverse cultural and social contexts.
Poonam has a master’s in educational studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a masters in English, from St. Stephens College, University of Delhi, India.
Albi Taipi
Manager of Capacity Building and Learning
Albi@detroitydrc.org
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Albi is responsible for supporting YDRC's capacity-building initiatives, professional learning programs, and workshop development. He also coordinates with YDRC's consultants and coaches to support network members and leaders.
Albi is a graduate of Wayne State University. He is passionate about youth services, Michigan politics, and the outdoors.
Prior to joining YDRC, Albi was a Challenge Detroit fellow at Detroit Public Schools Community District, where he worked in Government and Community Affairs.
Our Team
Yvonne Mejias
Deputy Director
Yvonne@detroitydrc.org
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Yvonne is responsible for leading the organization’s day-to-day operations and development efforts and supporting its administration, programs, and strategic plan. Her work centers on building cultures of belonging where people thrive.
For over fifteen years, Yvonne has endeavored to support continuous growth within herself and those she serves with empathy, consistency, and excellence. Through her work directly serving youth in out-of-school-time spaces, Yvonne has a firsthand understanding of the challenges and rewards of implementing high-quality youth development practices in programming. Her career opportunities have also provided her with experience in schools, working with parent groups, and developing and implementing curricula centered on social-emotional learning to support academic and life outcomes for youth. She is a licensed teacher, certified external assessor, coach for program quality assessment, Youth Work Methods and Management trainer, Social and Emotional Learning Methods facilitator, and restorative practice and circles facilitator.
Yvonne holds a Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership from Marquette University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Elizabeth Stewart
Program Associate: Network Engagement and Advocacy
Elizabeth@detroitydrc.org
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Elizabeth is responsible for network engagement, coordinating advocacy campaigns, and monitoring national policies impacting out-of-school time programs and youth development at YDRC. Her work centers on aligning grassroots insights with systems-level strategy, using policy analysis, narrative-building, and cross-sector collaboration to elevate the voices of youth-serving organizations.
Prior to joining YDRC, Elizabeth served as the primary liaison for 13 social impact clients, supporting events, managing stakeholder coordination, and leading survey design and analysis. A Detroit native, she is passionate about building genuine connections between people and systems and advancing sustainable program practices that strengthen cross-sector collaboration
Elizabeth holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Spring Arbor University.
Tammy Miller
Senior Manager of Development and Operations
Tammy@detroitydrc.org
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Tammy is responsible for the operational infrastructure, development systems, and organizational processes that support YDRC’s strategic priorities. In partnership with the leadership team, she leads organizational operations, finance and human resources administration, development coordination, data systems, and cross-functional initiatives that strengthen effectiveness and long-term sustainability.
Tammy’s connection to YDRC began through her work at the University of Michigan SSW, where she collaborated with the Detroit TAC to support youth-serving organizations. This experience sparked her passion for OST youth development and strengthening the systems and partnerships that create high-quality opportunities for young people. Before joining YDRC full-time, Tammy owned Miller Business Solutions, providing operations and database/project management services. She brings more than 25 years of experience across higher education, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations. She holds an Associate in Applied Science in Business Management from Washtenaw Community College, studied at Eastern Michigan University, and earned a Management Essentials certificate from Harvard Business School.
Malik Jarrell-Miller
Program Associate: Development and Communications
Malik@detroitydrc.org
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Malik is responsible for supporting YDRC’s development and communications efforts, including storytelling, outreach, and community engagement that strengthen Metro Detroit’s youth-serving network. His work focuses on amplifying the voices of youth and the organizations that serve them, building connections through compelling narratives, and ensuring the YDRC mission reaches a wide audience.
Being a Detroit native, Malik brings experience in digital marketing, nonprofit communications, and youth program coordination through previous roles with the Black Male Educators Alliance, Wayne State University’s Debate Team, and 3:5 Creative[s] Digital Marketing Agency. He is also a scholarship recipient and Dean’s List student at Wayne State University, where he is pursuing a B.A. in Communication Studies.
Malik is passionate about equity, leadership development, and community storytelling, and is dedicated to uplifting youth voices to create lasting change in Detroit.
Consultants, Assessors, Coaches, Trainers
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Kiylise Lowe
Consultant
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Leanne Roy
Consultant
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Taylor Davis
Improvement Coach and Facilitator
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Kelly Rossi
Improvement Coach and Facilitator
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Nickole Fox
Improvement Coach and Assessor
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Dana Robinson
Improvement Coach and Assessor
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Edgar Gomez
Improvement Coach and Facilitator
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Vanessa Vela
Improvement Coach and Assessor
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Destynee Nixon
Assessor and Facilitator
Steering Committee
Meg Blinkiewicz
Sirrita Darby
Maria Franklin
Shuna Hayward
Antoine Jackson
Monica Marie Jones
Andrea Meyer
Yolanda Scarborough
DeLashea Strawder
YDRC Careers
We're Hiring: Director of Capacity Building & Learning
Join the Youth Development Resource Center (YDRC) in a senior leadership role focused on strengthening the youth development ecosystem across Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan