Our Mission
The Shaker Heights Youth Center’s (SHYC) mission is to foster the emotional, behavioral, and developmental well-being of a diverse youth community in Shaker.
Our Vision
The SHYC is an organization where youth and families in the Shaker Heights community can achieve and serve. The Center provides support to strengthen the leadership abilities of youth and offers opportunities where youth can continue to develop life skills. The SHYC provides high quality services and support to youth who need behavioral, academic, or emotional support as well as education to prevent substance abuse.
Our Staff
Staff List
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Karen Carter, LISW-S Executive Director
Kim Brothers, LSW
Student Care Specialist, Middle School
Laura Chapman, LSW, OCPSA
Student Care Specialist, Lomond Elementary School
Amber Cooke, LSW
Student Care Specialist, Fernway Elementary School
Danielle Frizzell, LSW
Student Care Specialist, Boulevard Elementary School
Emily Geier, LISW-S
Student Care Specialist, Middle School
Amy Jones
Agency Administrator
John Lisy, OCPC, LICDC-CS, LPCC-S, LISW-S
Quality Assurance Consultant
Lydia Ward, LSW
Shaker Youth Development Coordinator
Alia Worthy, LSW
Student Care Specialist, High School
Briana Young, LSW
Student Care Specialist, Innovative Center
Our Leadership
Leadership
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Alexandria Nichols President
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David Bell Vice-President
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Ed Long Treasurer
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Laura Rocker Secretary
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Alexandria Nichols President
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David Bell Vice-President
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Ed Long Treasurer
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Laura Rocker Secretary
- Roneisha Campbell
- Kim Cole
- Donald Gries
- Marlies Schweitzer-Schutte
- Shenita Siggers
- Jessica Smith
- Christine Williams
Advisory Board
- John Addison
- Peggy Bourguignon
- Jan Deveraux
- Stuart Kline
- Nancy Moore
- Robert O’Neal
- Candace Sheffler
- Bart Simon
Our History
Founded by Ann Landefeld and Fran King in 1970 as the Shaker Heights Drug Council, the organization soon evolved into the Shaker Heights Youth Center as the need to provide a wider range of services became evident. Over the years, the Center has continued to address the changing needs of adolescents and their families.
In 1977, the Center initiated a significant partnership with the Shaker Heights City Schools and formed the foundation for the agency as it exists today. The Center’s services have expanded over the years to meet the needs of children, adolescents and their families, providing holistic prevention services that help children and adolescents grow into thriving adults.
The Shaker Heights Youth Center has received many awards for its work including
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Human Relations from the Human Relations Commission of the City of Shaker Heights.
- Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) recognized the Youth Center for exhibiting excellence in addressing community needs and demonstrating measurable positive life changes in the youth that are served. Awards were given for the following major programs:
- SFY 2005 Award for the Academic Success Aid Program
- SFY 2001 Award for the Comprehensive Community Intensive Prevention Program
- SFY 2000 Award for the Mentoring Project
- The Alcohol, Drug, Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County (ADAMHS) awarded the Center
- The 2004 Matthew Dunlap Prevention Service Award
- The 2004 The Calvin Thomas Community Leadership Award
The Shaker Heights Youth Center received funding from the following organizations in 2024-2025:
Donor contributions allow us to provide much needed social/emotional support and life skills education to over 300 youth in 6 Shaker Schools. In addition, support from individuals like yourself ensure we can continue to provide vital after school and summer leadership and life skills programming to middle and high school youth in our community. We anticipate serving over 150 youth in these programs.
Our Leaders ($2,000 & above)
Donald & Lynn-Ann Gries
Barbara Sheffler
Our Champions ($1,000 – $1,999)
Michael Borden & Miranda Hunt Borden
David & Inez Myers Foundation
Chris Williams & Ken Frisof
Doug & Holly Wang
Our Innovators ($500-$999)
Michael & Jan Devereaux
Alexandria Nichols
Thomas & Stacey O’Neill
Doug & Lisa Schattinger
Donald & Toni Scherzer
Our Builders ($100 to $499)
John & Pamela Addison
David Bell
Leon & Marguerite Bibb
Jeremy & Jennifer Bordeaux
Maureen Brodar
Roneisha Campbell
Michael & Susan Cristal
Charlie & Mary Crowley
James & Karen Dakin
Charles & Nancy Davis
R. Jeffrey & Tina Fast
Mark & Kathleen Fisher
Norm & Toni Graham
Brian & Pamela Gleisser
Richard & Wendy Halle
David & Loraine Hammack
Andrew Hertz & Linda Rae
Brett & Annette Himes
Bruce Jackson
Howard & Marilyn Karfeld
Stuart & Terri Kline
John Lemay
John Lisy
Gilbert Lowenthal
Joseph & Eleni Matts
Kurt Miller & Leslie Greenhaigh
John & Nancy Moore
Tim & Leslie Moore
Marc & Amy Morgenstern
Arthur & Madeleine Obrock
Geoffrey & Molly Ritts
Laura Rocker
Edward and Teresa Ruch
Mark Schweitzer & Marlies Schweitzer-Schutte
Bart & Sheryl Simon
Jessica Smith
Ian & Catherine Stuart
Mark & Annette Sutherland
Mikki Wolfberg & Howard Weisbrot
Believers
Tom Abelson & Abby Goulder
Gail Arnoff
Elaine Bolasny
Gilda Cohen
Christal Crosby
George Gelehrter
Carol Gobel
Lawrence Hatch
Paula Klausner
Ed & Tanisha Long
Gail Long & Zachary Schiller
Harry & Helen Mercer
Peter & Kelly Nagusky
Bill & Shirley Nook
Richard Rakos
Kittie Warshawsky & Tim Tibbitts
Robert & Brenda Weltman
Daniel & Nancy Zavelson
