As summer is drawing to a close, school is in full swing, and we at Youth MOVE National are starting to get ready for our 2022 Rockstar Awards Ceremony. We wanted to take a moment today to share some good news and changes within the Youth MOVE National staff!
Victoria Eckert is now the Associate Director for Youth MOVE National!
Pronouns: She/Her
Victoria comes to Youth MOVE National as a Licensed Social Worker in New York State but also with family lived experience. As a young person starting her career, she was lucky to begin working as a Youth Engagement Specialist with Chautauqua County, NY System of Care that not only taught her about the importance of systems change work but led her to fall in love with the acknowledgment and encouragement that people with lived experience should always be heard. Victoria brings her strong background in System of Care implementation, suicide prevention, and trauma-informed care to the Youth MOVE National team. As Victoria loves to talk and share her passion for this work, you can also find her teaching undergraduate mental health classes at SUNY Fredonia. When Victoria is not working, she loves to spend time with family, garden, go backpacking, or hit up the gym with friends.
Lydia Proulx is now the Director of Youth Programs for Youth MOVE National!
Pronouns: They/Them
Lydia’s own lived experience with mental health, school, and youth leadership drives their dedication to authentic youth engagement, advocacy, and education. They’re excited about improving the service delivery model for LGBTQIA2-S youth on a national scale. As the former youth program manager at Youth MOVE Massachusetts and Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL), they led the development of youth peer support groups, youth trainings and speaking engagements, and the internship program. In their spare time, Lydia volunteers on a local farm for hunger relief and teaches comprehensive sexual health education to youth and young adults. Plus, they love antiquing on the weekends.