2020-2021 Cohort

Shakima Figuera-Collins is currently a Director for the DYCD COMPASS SONYC/Middle School Programs. She has over 15 years of experience in the field of youth development and has spent her career serving youth and families in underserved, low-income areas. Shakima earned her BA in Political Science and Sociology from St. Francis College and earned her Master’s in Public Administration-Non-Profit Management from Baruch College.

I currently serve as the Chief Operating Officer for Kids Can Community Center in Omaha, Nebraska. I have 12 years of Youth Development experience including time as a front-line staff, Site Director, Multi-Site Program Manager and now as COO. Over the years I have gained experience designing, implementing, and administering programs in a wide variety of settings including school based, community centers and city parks. Kids Can serves over 650 children per day in Out-of-School and Early Childhood programs. As COO, I oversee all facets of program implementation and management including program design and innovation, professional development, evaluation, strategic planning, community partnerships, and financial management.

I hold bachelor’s degrees in History and International Studies from the University of Nebraska Omaha and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Bellevue University. My wife and I recently became parents with the arrival of twins (Henry and June) on March 4th.

After-school was not a profession that I imagined for myself. I knew very little about the field, having grown up in rural Las Vegas, an area that did not see much value in after-school programs. Like many youth development professionals, the option to pursue the profession came by way of random luck. My first interview right out of school from the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work was with an afterschool and summer camp program in inner city Denver for 3rd through 5th graders. Four years later, I am still in love with the field, it is ever-changing and allows for creative solutions. At the Heart & Hand Center in Denver, I started as a program manager at a school site and developed a skillset that led to being the Director of Community Partnerships. In developing community based and family centered programming I was fortunate to garner recognition among the National After-School Association. As a NAA NextGen Leader in 2019, I was able to understand the full impact after-school has across the country for so many youth. After leaving Denver, my heart yearned for after-school and it was clear to me where I found passion. When not able to work in the field, I volunteered at a local manufactured home community at an after-school club and became a mentor. More recently, I took on a role as a scholarship administrator for the Sachs Foundation in Colorado Springs. Currently we serve African American youth and their families starting in 8th grade with access, equitable opportunities, mentoring, and support to realize their college dreams. As I think about what’s next, evidence-based models and innovative thinking are what excites me most. I enjoy researching, learning and collaborating with other professionals. I appreciate the adaptability, how dismantling of barriers and creativity are used to create meaningful relationships and intentional programming in the after-school world.

Yasmin is an experienced out-school time professional committed to enhancing young people's lives through innovative, hands-on programs that inspire informed choices. She is the Assistant Youth and Family Services Division Director at Cypress Hills LDC and has been there for 6 years. She oversees all programming related to adolescent youth.

She is a camp kid for life and believes in the impact of youth-adult partnerships as a key lever in changing young people’s lives. In the past few years, she has participated in Restorative Justice and Talent Management initiatives. Born in Israel, raised in NJ, she now lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She earned her Master’s in Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Specialization in Out-of-School Time Education and Leadership for Adolescents and Youth at Lesley University and earned her BA in Women and Gender studies at Rutgers University.

Fun facts: Yasmin is always in the mood for karaoke and explores her fascination with the ocean by scuba diving or watching documentaries about marine life.

Favorite thing to do with NYC visitors: Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Ask me about…: How to have a successful interview