EDUCATION

Youth Empowerment Alliance

Meet the Experts

Liz Warner
Youth Empowerment Alliance Project Leader

Liz Warner is the Youth Empowerment Alliance (YEA) Project Leader at United Way of Morris County.  Liz joined the United Way team in 2007 and has been leading the Alliance's work to help Morris County's middle school students navigate their increasingly complex world.  Previously, she held a variety of not-for-profit leadership roles in the United Kingdom, including Chair and Founder of the Dover Beck Trust and Chair of the largest branch of the National Childbirth Trust.  She has also been involved in numerous fundraising initiatives.  Before tackling the non-profit world, Liz spent 16 years in education publishing where she was Managing Director of W.H. Freeman Ltd. and Global Sales Director for Macmillan Press.  In addition to her work on YEA, Liz is a motivational speaker.  She often shares the icy tale of her 10-day trek to the North Pole in April 2005, illustrating the power of commitment and trust in oneself to adults and impressionable young teens.

Carol Blank
Community Empowerment Toolkit Co-Chair

Carol Blank is co-founder of Utterly Global Bullying Prevention in Cranford.  Through this grassroots company, Carol and her business partner, Lorrie Sanchez, have focused their efforts to preserve the comfort and well-being of children in the school environment through the elimination of bullying.  Currently, the company's programs and products are being implemented in more than 25 schools locally and nationally.  Prior to her work with Utterly Global Bullying Prevention, Carol was a guidance counselor, school social worker, crisis intervention counselor, and home instructor for sick children and children with disabilities.  She received her bachelor's degree in elementary education, with a concentration in behavioral science, from American University.  She is also I-Safe certified and is working on a research project to examine the effects of early intervention and training on subsequent behavior and bullying.  Carol is a longtime United Way volunteer and is a member of the Kids on Track Action Team. 

Teresa LaSala
Community Empowerment Toolkit Co-Chair

Teresa LaSala is a Certified Positive Discipline Associate and currently serves as Chairman of the Board for the International Positive Discipline Association Board of Directors.  Throughout the Northeast, she facilitates ‘Positive Discipline in the Classroom' workshops in schools to support the development of a complete comprehensive daily curriculum and a campus-wide social-emotional character education program through ongoing work with administrators, teachers, students, and parents.  Teresa presents regularly at educational conferences and provides high level training sessions for the PD Association.  As a result of her hard work, she received the Program Excellence Award from the NJ State Department of Education.  Prior to her involvement in education, Teresa worked as a Licensed Nurse for 23 years.  Teresa is an active volunteer at United Way of Morris County where she is involved with the Youth Empowerment Alliance.  She serves as YEA's Community Empowerment Toolkit Co-Chair to connect schools with local community organizations.

Lorrie Sanchez
Community Empowerment Toolkit Co-Chair

Lorrie Sanchez is co-founder of Utterly Global Bullying Prevention in Cranford.  Through this grassroots company, Lorrie and her business partner, Carol Blank, have focused their efforts to preserve the comfort and well-being of children in the school environment through the elimination of bullying.  Currently, the company's programs and products are being implemented in more than 25 schools locally and nationally.  Lorrie is I-Safe certified and is actively involved in sharing bullying prevention best practices.  She is a longtime United Way volunteer and is a member of the Kids on Track Action Team.

Judy Rawla
Cyber Connections Web Project Chair

Judy Rawla is Program Director at Deirdre's House, a United Way of Morris County member agency that serves Morris County children who are victims of abuse and neglect, or who have witnessed domestic violence.  Judy began volunteering with United Way in 2004 and is a member of the Kids on Track Action Team.  She is also very involved with United Way's Youth Empowerment Alliance and acts as the initiative's Cyber Connections Web Project Chair.  Judy received her bachelor's degree in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.

 

 

Patrick Fennell
Middle School Mentoring Chair

Patrick Fennell is the Founder and President of Empowerment Solutions, LLC in Pine Brook.  Empowerment Solutions specializes in the development of individuals by facilitating the skill of goal setting, applying a positive attitude toward life, and improving interpersonal skills.  Patrick's passion for exceeding expectations, combined with his diverse experience, enables him to assist people in discovering and fulfilling their purpose.  Patrick earned a four-year, full tuition scholarship to the University of Maryland at College Park, where he received his bachelor's degree in economics.  He has participated in several mentoring programs, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Junior Achievement, and the About Face program.  Patrick serves on United Way of Morris County's Keeping Kids on Track Action Team and serves as a mentor trainer for United Way's mentor program.

Mary Vinies
Community Resource Guide Chair

Mary Vineis, B.A. is Coordinator of Prevention Services at NewBridge Services, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of community-based mental health and substance abuse prevention programs for schools and community groups.  Mary also provides direct service to school groups, and facilitates faculty training and parent education programs.  She is a member of the Traumatic Loss Coalition, the School Crisis Response Team of Morris County, and is the Coordinator for the Pequannock Township Municipal Alliance.  Mary also serves on various community committees and is a Certified Disaster Response Crisis Counselor.