Board & Staff

Executive Director
415-974-5554, ext. 7262
christell@ya-nc.org

Christell Lewis is an arts educator, actor, singer, and dancer dedicated to empowering youth through arts education. She believes that every young person should have the chance to experience the transformative power of the arts. Through her work with children's theater companies, public schools, and nonprofit organizations, she has created impactful opportunities for young people.

Christell earned her BA in Journalism from Howard University and her MA in Educational Theater from New York University. She is currently a fellow in the Leaderstrong Women of Color 2024-2025 fellowship program, which focuses on professional development to enhance the skills and well-being of women of color leaders in the nonprofit sector. She is set to complete the Nonprofit Certification Program at Cal State East Bay in the summer of 2025. As a leader in arts education, Christell is committed to advancing equity to elevate the impact on youth and our communities.

Director of Arts Education
415-974-5554, ext. 7268
Kirah@ya-nc.org

 Kirah has spent over 15 years in social services, working in youth and family services, on both the east and west coasts and holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management from USF. She has served as Program Director and Director with many youth-serving non-profits including Larkin Street Youth Services, First Five of California, Project Avary, Junior Achievement, and the Boys and Girls Club. Kirah also served in the US Peace Corps as a volunteer, teaching grades K-12. She also founded her own bilingual Spanish preschool and is a mom of three boys.

In addition to her role as the Director of Arts Education, she was a lead dance and music teaching artist for YANC for over eight years, working with grades TK-6. Kirah was also member of Phoenix Azul, and Afinkao, Afro-Cuban salsa performance dance teams based in Oakland.