Our Staff

Where Mission Meets a Melting Pot

Our mighty team is bonded with a shared mission to illuminate the path to a healthy new life for our youth and young adults. We walk these paths together – as experts, colleagues, often neighbors in the same communities we support. We are as diverse as our program participant community, speaking Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean Creole.

We lean on each other so that our program participants and community partners can rely on us each and every day. Our days are filled with joy, laughs, challenges, breakthroughs, setbacks, and above all progress.

Meet Mia
Mia Alvarado, Executive Director

Mia Alvarado has been the Executive Director of Roxbury Youthworks, Inc. since 2008. She is responsible for a $3.5 M annual budget, a 40+ member staff and manages all of the agency’s contracts with the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Youth Services and the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance.
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Meet Diana

Diana Thompson,
Deputy Director

Diana started her professional career in the banking system managing several branches in the Boston area before transitioning to the nonprofit sector. Since 1998, she has worked at 3 community and faith-based organizations managing programs, systems and people. Diana has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, and a minor in Psychology.

Meet Joyce

Joyce Gray,
Executive Assistant

Originally from Jamaica, Joyce is very passionate about her work. She graduated from Spanish Town High School and business school with a certificate in Business Administration.

Her work experience includes the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the Boston Medical Center Department of Food and Nutrition Services.

Cherrelle “Elle” Tillery

Meet Elle

Cherrelle “Elle” Tillery,
BUILD Program Director

Cherrelle Tillery has been an active member of the Boston Community for over ten years, with services with Homeless families, advocates for Boston Youth and the Boston Art Community. She was awarded the “NEXT Gen” award from the NAACP  for her work with the organization “We are the Ones”.

Meet Kianesha

Kianesha Reeves,
DYS Provider Contract Manager

Kianesha has over 10 years experience in the nonprofit sector. She received her bachelor's degree from Fisher College, where she was the Human Services Student of the Year. She is continuing her education at Suffolk University, including a Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

 

Meet Prema

Prema Bangera,
Director of GIFT Programs

Prema Bangera (pronounced “pray-ma ben-gay-ra”) has over 15 years of experience working within Boston neighborhoods as a nonprofit leader with a trauma-informed lens in supporting BIPoC communities, including LGBTQIA2S+ youth and immigrant families. She is also a community organizer, educator, multidisciplinary artist, cultural worker, and an arts-healing facilitator. Bangera was selected by the Boston Women’s Fund in partnership with the Boston Foundation for their 2022 Women of Color Leadership Circle. She was formerly the founder and executive director of Teen Voices Emerging, a grassroots organization aimed to uplift youth to use their voice and words for advocacy.

 

Meet Keshelle

Keshelle Dolly-Richardson,
Program Director

Keshelle has over a decade of experience within non-profit organizations. With a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Bridgewater State University and licensed as a Mental Health Counselor, she is deeply invested in enhancing individuals' lives. Keshelle excels in crafting nurturing environments and implementing tailored programs to meet community needs. Beyond her work, Keshelle enjoys exploring new restaurants and embarking on enriching travel adventures. Her passion for both professional excellence and personal fulfillment underscores her unwavering commitment to social and emotional wellness.

It Takes a Mighty Team

We have a staff of 40+ people who bring to life 5 transformative programs across 7 community sites throughout the city of Boston. Our vibrant staff is multicultural and multilingual, reflecting the culture and language of the youth and families we serve. Many reside in the same communities in which we operate, the very same neighborhoods where our youth live and go to school. 

Interested in joining our mighty and growing team? Learn about our career opportunities here.

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