Meet the STAFF
Mark Sellers M.S.W., L.S.W., OCPS II, M.P.A. Senior Vice President of CompDrug, Prevention of CompDrug Corporation
Jill Smock
B.S., OCPS II, DirectorTy Sells B.A., OCPS II, Director of Training & Development
Cheryl Campbell
B.A.,OCPS II, Local Program DirectorStephanie Christie
B.A. OCPS II, Prevention SpecialistKevin Rigby
B.A., Prevention SpecialistSteven Thompson
Media Specialist
Mark holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from The Ohio State University. He has more than 20 years experience in the field of prevention. Mark is a co-founder of Youth to Youth and the Senior Sense programs. He has served as a consultant, program developer, and national trainer for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) in Washington, D.C.
Jill Smock has been impressed with the power of Youth to Youth since she volunteered as an adult staff in 1984 at a local summer conference. She joined the, then very small, Youth to Youth staff in January of 1985. At that time Jill worked directly with the teens running the Youth Advisory Board and the Speakers Bureau. Soon Jill was traveling across the country, training communities to begin Youth to Youth groups and facilitating summer conferences. In 1989, Jill moved overseas and worked for the US Army Youth Services. It was there that the Youth to Youth connection with the military began, as she worked with military dependent teens to take leadership in running peer prevention programs. Under Jill's direction the military has since contracted six overseas Youth to Youth conferences. Three years later she was back at Youth to Youth International where she directs the Youth to Youth International program. Jill coordinates the Western States conference, as well as, out-of- town training contracts. She also is in charge of national informational and marketing materials and the Youth to Youth Speaker Service.
Ty Sells began his involvement with Youth to Youth in the summer of 1985, when he attended his first conference. He immediately became a member of the Speakers' Bureau and the Youth Advisory Board. Ty served as a volunteer Youth Staff member in 1986, and was hired by Youth to Youth in the summer of 1987. While pursuing his degree in Communication at The Ohio State University, Ty shared his time loading vans and cleaning storerooms for Youth to Youth. As the program expanded, Ty was given new opportunities and responsibilities. By the early 90's Ty had worked his way up to Youth Development Coordinator. This new role included many challenges. Ty became responsible for creating and developing much of the programs content, as well as, overseeing the Youth Advisory Board. During this time, Ty helped created many of the trainings and presentations still used today. These include Advanced Leadership Training, The Seeds of Violence, KEYSS to Recruiting and Working with Young People, and A Step Beyond Training presented at national conferences in California and Washington D.C.
Ty also took on a new role as a keynote presenter. His presentation, "The Power Of Acceptance", has taken him all over the world including Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Canada, Italy, Germany, and Japan. Ty has also authored a chapter that is featured in the book Teen Empower. The chapter is entitled Thank You, and is dedicated to the many adults who have dedicated their lives to helping young people.
Ty is currently the Director of Training & Development for Youth to Youth International. After seventeen years he still loves and believes in the program. He still enjoys the many challenges involved in working with youth and the creative process of finding solutions. As a product of the program, Ty is aware of the impact Youth to Youth can have. As a young boy, to a college student, and even as a professional, Youth to Youth has influenced and affected Ty Sells. Ty hopes to one day give back, as much as Youth to Youth has given him.
Check out Ty's website
[ tysells.com]
Cheryl has been involved with Youth to Youth since 1993 at the age of 13 when she attended her first Eastern States Summer Conference; where she had such a positive experience that she continued her involvement with Youth to Youth through high school and college. In 2002, after graduating with a degree in Education from Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, Cheryl began her teaching career working with students grades K-12. For the past two years, Cheryl taught at a small, private school servicing children with autism and related disorders. At the same time, she volunteered as the co-advisor to a Youth to Youth group in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. In the summer of 2006, Cheryl said goodbye to her students in Rhode Island and moved to Columbus, Ohio to join the staff at Youth to Youth International. As an employee for Youth to Youth, Cheryl serves as the Youth Services Coordinator. She is the liaison for middle school and high school advisors, works with the Youth Advisory Board and Speakers Bureau.
Stephanie has been involved in Youth to Youth since 2001, when she attended her first Speakers’ Bureau Training as a high school youth. Intrigued not only by the skills she learned, but her peers excitement and enthusiasm, she stayed heavily involved and got several opportunities to speak with Youth to Youth thereafter. After she graduated high school in 2003, she went on to Duquesne University, returning every summer to volunteer for the Youth to Youth International Summer Conference. Still feeling very passionate about spreading the drug free message, she moved back to Columbus, Ohio after 2 years at Duquesne, and began working at Youth to Youth in 2004. She is currently finishing her last quarter at The Ohio State University, and will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in March. Stephanie currently works with the local team on speaking engagements, trainings, fun events, and the weekly Youth Advisory Board Meetings. She also serves as the Office Manager for both the International and Western States Conferences. Recently, she has been working on research for the development of a bully prevention program within Youth to Youth.
Kevin Rigby
B.A., Prevention Specialist
Kevin Rigby has been involved in Youth to Youth since the summer of 2002 when he attended his first conference as a participant. Going into high school he became actively involved in the local Youth Advisory Board and Speakers Bureau. Youth to Youth gave Kevin the opportunity to travel to many places like: The Cayman Islands, California, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and the great city of Toledo. After a year removed from the program Kevin decided to apply for a Summer Staff position and was accepted. After a grueling summer of packing, unpacking, loading and unloading vans, driving, two conferences, and traveling he proved himself to be an exceptional worker and was hired part-time as a Prevention Assistant. As Prevention Assistant Kevin works with the Youth Advisory Board and on the Local Team planning and organizing events for Franklin County. While working at Youth to Youth Kevin majors in Communications at Capital University and is expected to graduate in 2010.
Steven Thompson
Media Specialist
Steve Thompson is a direct product of the Youth to Youth program. He has been involved with Youth to Youth ever since his first camp when he was in the seventh grade. Even at the young age of twelve he knew he would fall in love with the positive messages of the program. Steve went on to become a YAB (Youth Advisory Board), and Speakers Bureau member through high school. He had the opportunities to travel to Alaska, Atlanta, and California, to help train and share his love for the program with other teens. Steve will never forget the amazing people that he has met and all the great memories that he made while he was in the program. Steve has had many roles as an employee of Youth to Youth International. He started right out of high school packing vans and cleaning storerooms, and loved every moment of it. After a brief couple years off , while attending Ohio Christian University, Steve has come back with a whole new role. As the Media Specialist for Y2Y he oversees all the multi media productions of Y2Y. He is the graphic designer, videographer, photographer, and audiovisual expert in the office. Steve is currently pressuring a degree from Columbus State Community College in Digital Design and Graphics. He not only loves the Youth to Youth program he also believes that the young people are going to change the world.
