Youth Empowerment Group’s nonprofit mission

We are dedicated to strengthening youth mental, social, behavioral, and physical health by equipping Weld County, Colorado schools and youth-serving organizations with free, research-backed life skill curriculums to use in their programs and services to help young people thrive amidst today’s challenges.

Believing that every young person deserves life skill education with practical tools for building resilience, confidence, happiness, good relationships, healthy habits, and successful lives, we also offer licensed use nationally.

Powering success in youth—through the organizations that serve them

The nonprofit Youth Empowerment Group (YEG) is comprised of volunteer professionals in mental health, education, and medicine in Colorado. Starting with their premier PowerUp Girls for Life‍ ‍program and incorporating in 2018, grant awards funded the production of PowerUp Co-Ed, a video-based mental, social, and behavioral health life skill curriculum for 5th through 12th-graders.

Both curriculums are phasing in authentic youth from our national firm project speaking about mental health and life to seize the power of peer-to-peer support and influence. Curriculums are now available for free use within Weld County, Colorado and licensed use nationwide. Twelve of the 21 co-ed curriculum sessions have now been modified for children as young as age 9 and release is expected in late 2026. The enhanced new PowerUp Girls curriculum will become available in 2027.

Youth Empowerment Group is a Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation

LAURIE BERDAHL, MD

Executive Director, Board member, Curriculum Writer and Producer

Retired obstetrics and gynecology physician, author, blogger, speaker on adolescent wellness & parenting

Co-author of the book, WARNING SIGNS: How to Protect Your Kids from Becoming Victims or Perpetrators of Violence and Aggression, Psychology Today blog

MD, ABD PhD Genetics, University of Iowa

Greeley, CO

BRIAN D JOHNSON, PHD

Principal Curriculum Advisor

Licensed Child & Adolescent Psychologist, Professor of Counseling Psychology

Department of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

University of Northern Colorado

PhD, Counseling Psychology, University of Iowa

Greeley, CO

AMIE CIEMINSKI, ED.D, MA

Officer, Treasurer, Research Team Lead

Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies

University of Northern Colorado

Ed.D, University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, CO

LAISSA PRATI, PHD, MA

Curriculum Advisor, Latina Cultural Advisory Committee Chair, Research Team

Licensed, multilingual (including Spanish) Psychologist in private practice

Experienced researcher, university professor, and adolescent girls program developer 

MA, Social and Institutional Psychology

PhD, Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Fort Collins, CO

SHERRI DENNSTEDT, Ed.D.

Board of Directors, Curriculum Advisor

Site Professor, University of Colorado Denver, Teacher Candidate Program

Educational Consultant, Savvas Learning Company

Former STEM Science Instructional Coach at Denver’s Cherry Creek School District

EdD, Educational Reform and Equity

MA, Education: Leadership for Innovation and Change

MA, Interdisciplinary Studies for Secondary Science Teachers

Denver, CO

JAVONDAI ANDERSON, MA

Curriculum Advisor

MA, School Counseling

School Counselor, S. Christa McAuliffe STEM Academy

Greeley, CO

KERRY R LUKE, PSYD

Curriculum Advisor, Social Media Coordinator

Licensed Psychologist

https://bodyappreciationandself-kindness.com/

Doctorate, Clinical Psychology, Xavier University

Erie, CO

TERRY ANDERSON, MS

Curriculum Advisor

Dean, Allied Health and Wellness

MS, Sports Administration, University of Northern Colorado

Aims Community College

Greeley, CO

JENNIFER GRAY, PHD

Officer, Secretary, Curriculum Advisor

Licensed Child Psychologist

School Psychology Intern Supervisor, Denver Public Schools, and Private Practice

PhD, School Psychology, Texas A&M University

Fort Collins, CO