Hornell Area Concern for Youth Staff

Executive Director's Statement


I am most thankful to our volunteers who are willing to share their special talents with us for a time and get to know our agency’s mission, kids and staff. I feel all of the above benefit from these relationships. To help us make the most of your volunteer experience, try to think ahead of time what you would like to get out of it. For example, is it to learn what a youth prevention agency does? Is it to connect with a few kids and help them out? Is it to help by sharing your talents? Is it to help the agency by pitching in with chores, copying, cleaning, and organization while you are learning about this? Is it to help fundraise with a group? Any of these or a combination of them or even your own idea is great. If you communicate that to us, it will help us help you achieve your own outcomes. Feel free to ask me for an appointment. I welcome the opportunity to get to know you better and share my insights. 


Susan Hooker


Staff Members


Executive Director: Susan Hooker
Director of Prevention: Lisa Oliver


SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION SPECIALIST: Lita Brown
SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT EDUCATOR: Justin Berry
ACTIVITIES SUPERVISOR: Chloe Davis
ACTIVITIES SUPERVISOR TRAINEE: Anthony Carrington
Intern: Alex Schick 

Susan Hooker

Executive Director, BS Social Work, SUC @ Buffalo, MS Education Alfred University

As a Youth Development Educator, it is a priority to give a fun and enriching environment for the kids to interact. Building rapport with the youth that attend the center is a big part of my role. I hope to continue to facilitate activities for these kids and give them what they need to make the most of their Hornell CFY experience!"

LITA BROWN

My name is Lita Brown, and I am the prevention educator at Hornell Area Concern For Youth. 


I received a Bachelor’s degree from Alfred State College in Human Services Management. I have been employed with Hornell Area Concern for Youth since 2015 providing evidence-based

educational programs to elementary students throughout Western Steuben County. 


I visit over 100 classrooms per month during the school year. In 2020 I received the Gary S Pruyn Youth Service Worker Award. Other duties include: supervision of summer youth employment and assisting in the

two youth centers Lita Brown can be contacted at cfy_prevention@yahoo.com/ (607) 324-0808 Empower the youth with skills today, and will build a better world tomorrow.

Justin

As a Youth Development Educator, it is a priority to give a fun and enriching environment for the kids to interact. Building rapport with the youth that attend the center is a big part of my role. I hope to continue to facilitate activities for these kids and give them what they need to make the most of their Hornell CFY experience!"

Lisa Oliver 

Lisa Oliver is the Director of Prevention for Hornell Area Concern for Youth. In addition to having a Bachelor’s Degree from S.U.N.Y. Potsdam, she is also a NYS Office of Addiction Supports and Services CPP, or Credentialed Prevention Professional, a credential she has held since October of 2000. Regular duties include, but are not limited to, conducting prevention education classes at local high schools, overseeing the agency’s Prevention Counseling Program, providing counseling and Teen Intervene services, and supervising the Canisteo Valley Youth Center. July 2024 will mark thirty-four years of employment with the agency for Mrs. Oliver.

Katlyn Cignarale

My name is Katlyn Cignarale. I received my BA from Alfred University in Psychology, focusing on the counseling aspect. I am currently working toward my Masters in Mental Health Counseling at Alfred University as well. As the Special Projects Coordinator at Hornell Area Concern for Youth I spend my

time supervising the youth, building a safe space, and working behind the scenes planning and implementing activities and educational programming. My passion in life is promoting the wellbeing of the current and future generations by modeling and promoting the understanding of oneself, which is a

life long journey. No two people are the same, so why would our journeys be?


“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatestaccomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson