Harrisburg, PA (May 6, 2026) -- Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. announces new Board of Directors members and officers as the national nonprofit enters its second half century building capacity to give more communities family-centered, accountability-oriented alternatives to placing young people in trouble and crisis in corrections and care facilities.
On the heels of YAP’s 50th anniversary year, the Board has added four new members -- Monica Chavez-Silva, Tony Mann, D.Ed., Jason Szanyi, and Willie L. Todd, Jr., Ph.D. Clarence Campbell, who previously served as Treasurer, has been named Board Chair, supported by incoming Officers, Vice Chair Janet Lincoln, Treasurer Mark Lester, and Secretary Heather Wenzel. Campbell, who joined the Board in 2021, is Senior Vice President of Member Services at Freedom Federal Credit Union.
“Led by Clarence, the expanded Board, with its range of extensive governance and industry expertise, will be vital as we work to secure and sustain public and private partnerships to extend the reach and deepen the impact of our unique model,” said YAP President and CEO Gary Ivory. He added, “We are also extremely grateful for the dedicated service of member Teddy Reese who as former Chair, set the stage for the new era; Bill Wachob, who just completed his term and served as one of YAP’s first employees 50 years ago; and Thomas Foster, who recently retired from the board after his career as a juvenile court judge.”
Supported by philanthropy in partnership with child welfare, justice, mental health, and education systems YAP is the nation’s premier provider of evidence-based services that are a safer, more effective, and less costly alternative to youth incarceration and other out-of-home placement. Guided by strength-based principles that include individualized services and a “no reject, no eject” policy, YAP also partners with public safety systems to help communities reduce neighborhood violence. In 31 states and Washington, D.C., YAP’s Advocates, mental health professionals, and other employees empower program participants to see and nurture their strengths and put their lives on a positive course. Simultaneously, the staff connect program participants and their parents, guardians, and other loved ones with economic, educational, and emotional needs tools to firm their foundation and turn their lives around.
New Board Members
- Monica Chavez-Silva, Grinnell College’s Vice President for Community Engagement and Strategic Planning, is recognized as a national leader in developing effective cross-sector collaborations. She spearheaded the Grinnell Education Partnership which has improved learning outcomes for at-risk students. She serves as Manager of the Strand Theatre LLC, Vice President of the Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation, Chair of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, and Advisory Council member of the Anchor Institution Taskforce. She previously served as President of the Iowa Council of Foundations, a board member of the International Town and Gown Association, and as communications chair for the Small Town and Rural Planning Division of the American Planning Association. Chavez holds an AB from Harvard College.
- Dr. Tony Mann serves as Superintendent of Molalla River School District in Oregon where he has led a new vision for education and the passing of the district’s first capital improvement bond. Dr. Mann is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Oregon teaching graduate-level Education Policy and Leadership courses. He believes communities should create conditions enabling every young person to find agency and shape a vibrant and compelling future for themselves. Co-founder of the Oregon Recovery High School Initiative, Dr. Mann helped establish Oregon’s first recovery high school serving adolescents in recovery from substance use disorder. His leadership contributed to the passage of Oregon’s HB 2767, expanding access to recovery high schools across the state. He has also held governor-appointed advisory positions focused on healthcare and whole-child well-being. Dr. Mann sees his work as a reflection of those who have influenced him most, including his wife, Alison, and sons, Miles and Eli.
- Jason Szanyi is an advocate and civil rights attorney with extensive experience working to reform and reimagine how communities work with young people who have contact with youth and adult criminal legal systems. An independent consultant, Szanyi previously served in staff and management roles at the Center for Children’s Law and Policy. He led and coordinated impactful local, state, and national data, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement-focused initiatives that created youth diversion options and incarceration alternatives. In 2015, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation acknowledged Jason's work with its Champion for Change award for juvenile justice reform. Jason is a graduate of Northwestern University and Harvard Law School. An Indiana native, his proudest achievements are being a dad to two young sons and his marriage to his wife, Rosie.
- Dr. Willie L. Todd, Jr. serves as the 22nd President of Talladega College, the oldest private historically Black liberal arts institution in Alabama, founded in 1867. A visionary and transformational leader, Dr. Todd is guiding the College through a bold strategic framework, Reimagining Liberal Arts Education, designed to align academic excellence with innovation, workforce relevance, and global engagement. Prior to his presidency at Talladega, Dr. Todd served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Denmark Technical College, where he led a nationally recognized institutional turnaround characterized by fiscal stabilization, strengthened academic offerings, and a renewed commitment to student success and community impact. Dr. Todd’s distinguished career in higher education spans more than three decades and includes senior leadership roles such as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wiley University, as well as Vice Provost (I) and Associate Vice Provost at Norfolk State University. He has also held key academic and administrative positions at Clark Atlanta University, Albany State University, and Denmark Technical College. In recognition of his impactful leadership, Dr. Todd has been honored as CEO/President of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners and is a recipient of the Diamond Award for excellence in education, leadership, and community engagement. He serves on the Presidents’ Advisory Board for the National HBCU Title III Administrators and is Vice President–Elect of the Talladega County Chamber of Commerce Board. A committed servant leader beyond the academy, Dr. Todd is a life member and regional Membership Intake Director for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. A native of West Point, Georgia, and raised in Decatur, Georgia, he earned his Ph.D. in English from Georgia State University and holds two degrees from Albany State University. He is the proud father of two daughters, Tatia and Jessica.
About YAP
Founded by Tom Jeffers in 1975, YAP collaborates with community and public systems backed by philanthropic funders to deliver four signature programs: Youth and Family Empowerment, Bringing Systems Change, Global Capacity Building, and Investing in Economic Mobility. YAP’s decades of service include working with many young people whose histories include serious offenses, multiple arrests, and lengthy out-of-home placements. John Jay College of Criminal Justice research found 86% of YAP’s youth justice participants remain arrest free, and six – 12 months after completing the program, nearly 90% of the youth still lived in their communities with less than 5% of participants in secure placement. The nonprofit has been featured in national and local media, including The Marshall Project, Pennlive.com, and The Christian Science Monitor. Learn more about YAP and how you can support the national nonprofit’s work at YAPInc.org.