Changing Lives Through the Science of Learning
We recognize that accessible and effective education is crucial. Success in the classroom requires hard work, dedication, and the right support. Too often, learners find themselves lost in generic classroom settings, struggling to stay engaged. We understand this, and we offer the solution.
The aim of the Empower Youth Foundation is to give underprivileged students the educational opportunities that would not otherwise be available to them. For some families extra educational opportunities can be costly, as a result a family’s financial situation can make providing essentials difficult and affording additional educational activities impossible. Our initiatives are aimed to identify areas within a community needing assistance and look at how Empower Youth can ease the burden on families to ensure that all children are being afforded the same opportunities that allow for young minds to development and thrive.
Leadership
President - Donny Newsome - Ph.D.
Dr. Donny Newsome earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and his PhD from the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Donny is a Director at Fit Learning, a precision teaching laboratory. Dr. Newsome is also a former Co-President of the Standard Celeration Society (SCS). As an Associate Consultant with Praxis2, he frequently provides advisement and educational services to global corporations in the energy industry. His research initiatives have focused on organizational behavior and educational technologies across various business sectors, including public utilities, universities, school districts, Fortune 100 companies and community service providers. As a consultant and educator, he has been invited to share his expertise via presentations, workshops and university courses on a wide variety of socially relevant topics to a diversity of professional audiences. He has successfully developed and supervised dozens of teams of practitioners, researchers, community groups and organizational initiatives. The overarching value guiding Dr. Newsome’s work is contributing to the transformation of human well being through the science of teaching and learning.
Secretary - Kendra Brooks Newsome - Ph.D.
Dr. Kendra Newsome earned her PhD in 2010 from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of Nevada. She has served as the President for the Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis and is a former Co-President of the Standard Celeration Society. Dr. Newsome is a Founding Director and Owner of Fit Learning, Reno – a Precision Teaching Learning Laboratory that has served over 1,400 families since 2004. Dr. Newsome is a regular contributor to scientific and professional communities on learning science and evidence-based instruction. She and her colleagues have pursued inquiries into the role of language and relational flexibility in the establishment of complex academic repertoires. Her research initiatives include applications of Relational Frame Theory to education, the incorporation of Precision Teaching into Response to Intervention frameworks, and contextual analyses in clinical settings through the use of Standard Celeration Chart. Dr. Newsome has given numerous invited presentations and lectures on science-based approaches to education and serves as a consultant to individuals practicing Precision Teaching in the academic domain. Her professional actions are guided by the commitment to transform educational practices in the world so that all students have the opportunity to develop the kinds of skills and expertise that will allow them to make a difference in their communities and beyond.
Board Member – Dr. Ashley Greenwald
Dr. Ashley Greenwald is a Licensed Behavior Analyst and an Associate Research Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Greenwald is the Project Director/Principal Investigator of the Nevada Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Technical Assistance Center, located within the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities. In her role, she directs the statewide Multi-tiered Systems of Support project funded through the Nevada Department of Education, oversees the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports in 10 Nevada school districts and state-run juvenile facilities, and leads direct behavioral support services for children with disabilities and dual diagnoses throughout the state. Dr. Greenwald’s research interests include parent/caregiver training, behavioral medicine, and behavioral systems change. She has received and managed more than $19 million in grant funds to support these efforts.
Clinical Director – Terralyn Sawyers
Board Member – Brooke Cage
Board Advisor – Kelly Coleman
Email – Kc74coleman@gmail.com Kelly A. Coleman has had a long and successful career as a medical aesthetician and a manager of a medical spa. She began her career in 1999 and most recently ran her own business until 2016. She chose to close her business at that time to focus on raising her three young children. Her son was diagnosed with severe ADHD at that time and was enlisted in the Fit Learning program. After seeing his great strides as part of their program, she was inspired to help children less fortunate with similar problems. Along with her husband, Brett Coleman, and Donny and Kendra Newsom, they formed Empower Youth. She is actively engaged in many charitable activities, including forming Nevada’s Masquerade organization that currently benefits the Nevada Military Support Alliance. She also serves as director of the Brett and Kelly Coleman Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on assisting children in need.
