Yakeita (she/her/hers)

Raised in New Haven, Yakeita first joined LEAP as a Junior Counselor in 2006. Passionate about advancing the social, physical, and emotional well-being of children and youth of color, she continually took on leadership positions within LEAP, from first serving as a Site Coordinator to later managing the Children’s Program. In these roles, she built and maintained relationships with community leaders to improve programming for over 240 LEAP kids. In addition to graduating from Albertus Magnus College with a degree in Psychology with a focus on Child Development, she is a certified medical assistant, having worked at Fair Haven Community Clinic part-time from 2012-2014. As Chief of Staff, Yakeita liaises directly with the New Haven Board of Education and the Housing Authority to ensure LEAP families and kids are equipped with the resources they need to thrive both within and beyond programming. She believes in the importance of giving young people a voice and opportunity, which is one of the many reasons she loves LEAP. Her interests and hobbies include event planning, cosmetology, writing and listening to music, and travel.