Staff:
Melynda Stone
Executive Director
Melynda (Mendy) Stone is a lifelong Claremore resident, graduating as Class Valedictorian in 1978 from Claremore High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising/Public Relations from the University of Tulsa in 1981 and has been married to Gary Stone since 1980. They have two children, Amanda and Brett. Mendy leads a staff dedicated to enriching the lives of young people in our community through a school based mentoring program called PAL and an after school program, and a Juvenile Graduated Sanctions Program. She has been involved with Volunteers for Youth since 1999.
Nancy Turpel
Project Director
Juvenile Graduated Sanctions Program
Nancy Turpel is originally from the Chicago area, graduating from the University of Illinois in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She and her husband, Art, have four grown children. Nancy taught eleven years at various grade levels in Florida before moving to Oklahoma in 2004. She began volunteering as a mentor in 2005 and was hired in the spring of 2006 to fill the need for an assistant with the PAL Program. Nancy now fills the role of Project Director for the Juvenile Graduated Sanctions Program.
Cindy Vanaman
Project Director
PAL Program
Cindy Vanaman was a founding board member for Volunteers for Youth and served as the organization's Board President. With the 2008-2009 school year she took the reigns of the PAL Program and serves as the Project Director. Cindy's spent 16 years with the Department of Human Services in child welfare. She was an Adoption Supervisor for a 16-county area during her last six years at DHS. Cindy holds a Master's Degree in Social Work and is married with three young children.
Susan Jensen
Project Director
After School Program & Summer Camps
Susan was born in St Louis, Mo, but has lived in Oklahoma for many years and in Claremore since 1980. She attended Oklahoma University. She has one grown daughter, Jessica, who lives in Tulsa. Susan has worked with children for over 25 years and is currently also running a program for children whose parents attend or work at Celebrate Recovery at DestinyLife Church in Claremore. Susan has been with Volunteers for Youth since 2008 and now fills the role of Project Director for after school programming and summer camps.
Alyson Short
Project Director
Drug Free Communities Support Project
Alyson was born in Tulsa and has lived in Oklahoma all her life. She graduated from Claremore High School and has a Bachelor's in Business Marketing from the University of Central Oklahoma. Alyson is newly married, has two dogs, and lives in Oologah. She is the Volunteers for Youth Project Director for the Drug Free Communities Support Program.