The Nonprofit Youth Empowerment Group’s Mission
To promote mental, social, and behavioral health, equality, safety, healthy relationships, and academic success in youth by producing and providing innovative life skill education programs or curriculums to schools, youth organizations, community groups, and parents
members of our team
We’re volunteer mental health, education, and medical professionals committed to supporting youth well-being and success who started by developing the premier comprehensive PowerUp Girls for Life mental and social health life skill curriculum for tweens. Multiple grant awards funded the enhanced reproduction of this girls’ program to serve tweens and teens with maximal flexibility and teaching ease with online access, as well as the production of our parallel co-ed PowerUp life skill curriculum for all 4th through 12th-grade youth.
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
MEG SPENCER, MA
Board of Directors, Curriculum Advisor
Faculty Coach, Aims Community College
MA, English
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