(KYC) Board is proud to announce the hiring of Jennifer Gilbride-Brown, formerly of Ohio Campus Compact, as the new KYC Executive Director, effective April, 2010.  I am so pleased to have this opportunity to do such important work with amazing youth, volunteers, and supporters!  I have been "on the job"  for three months and it has been busy as well as inspiring.  There are lots of great things happening at Kaleidoscope and so I won't take too much space about me.  You can read the full bio and press release on our webpage.  For now, here is a brief overview of who I am and where I have been in my professional journey.  I welcome calls, emails, and meetings over iced tea--so if you'd like to connect, please do!

I received my Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from The Ohio State University, School of Educational Policy and Leadership in 2008.  I have worked in youth development in a variety of capacities over the last 15 years.  I am particularly interested in work and research that advances inclusive, empowering spaces for under represented youth.  I earned my B.S. in Secondary Education: Social  Studies from Miami University and my M.Ed. In Higher Education Administration from the College of William and Mary.  Bottom line, I've taught, fundraised, and administered programs in educational contexts for many years with a deep commitment to positive youth development. This is great work and I am so happy to be with Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Inc.

Glenn Zermeno, MSW, LSW i s our Program Director.   A recent transplant from New York City, Glenn has worked with LGBTQ youth since 1999. Glenn’s professional career working with LGBTQ youth began at the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School, where he worked as a case manager providing support and referral services to homeless and at-risk youth. From 2000 through 2002, Glenn worked as an Independent Living Skills Specialist for LGBTQ youth aging-out of the New York City foster care system making the transition to independent living as adults as a part of St. Christopher Ottilie’s Family of Services’ GLBTQ Program. In the summer of 2002, Glenn was hired as a Prevention Specialist at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center’s Youth Enrichment Services Program, to provide HIV and substance abuse prevention services to the larger LGBTQ youth population (13-22 y.o.) of New York. In the fall of 2005, Glenn was awarded the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene grant for study at Hunter College School of Social Work’s One-Year Residency (OYR) Program. In 2007, Glenn received his Master’s in Social Work in Group Work Practice. Shortly thereafter he was promoted to Senior Program Coordinator – Supportive Services in the Youth Enrichment Services Program. Glenn has worked in social services for over 11 years in a range of areas including youth leadership and program development, case management, advocacy work and training in working with LGBTQ adolescents, HIV & substance use prevention and comprehensive sexuality education. Glenn has been an advocate for creating safe communities that are inclusive of all forms of gender expression and sexual orientation. His approach to youth work has been defined by his work in strength based, youth leadership and empowerment models as well as prevention and harm-reduction, group and community-based, creative arts programming. In January of 2009, Glenn relocated to Columbus, Ohio with his partner and began working at the Kaleidoscope Youth Center as the Programs and Services Coordinator. Glenn brings a diverse and dynamic skill set and experience to his new role at Kaleidoscope. He oversees program development and leadership programming including partnering with youth leaders who serve on the Center’s Youth Advisory Board. Glenn is also responsible for training and coordinating the volunteers who generously offer their time and resources to provide regular recreational and skills-building activities and groups for the KYC youth community.    Feel free to e-mail Jen @  Jen@KYCOhio.org  or Glenn @ Glenn@KYCOhio.org