EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As the Executive Director of Project Kindred, Yaa is dedicated to driving transformative change in her communities. With a diverse background spanning economic development, venture capital, and education, Yaa brings unique insights to strategic planning and team leadership. She previously led revitalization projects for Milwaukee’s inner harbor at Harbor District, Inc. Yaa is a proven changemaker whose efforts to empower marginalized communities have garnered wide recognition–from Fortune magazine for her work investing in and supporting Black Founders of high-growth startups, to Michelle Obama for her initiatives with young leaders and voter education. Outside of professional pursuits, Yaa enjoys witnessing her son’s growth, spending quality time with loved ones, exploring the world, embracing new experiences, and sweating it out with hot yoga.

ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Leslie was born and raised in Milwaukee and attended the University of Kansas. She lived in Kansas City for seven years and is thrilled to return to her home state. She spent her summers growing up as a camper, and she’s been lucky to call the friends she made her first year of camp her best friends to this day. She’s spent her time working on events and community planning for the past few years. She is pursuing a master's in Cultural Foundations of Community Engagement and Education at UWM. She loves to bake and cook and is excited to harvest many herbs and fruits from her garden this year.

PROGRAM MANAGER

Mario Sinclair was born and raised in Milwaukee. Growing up in some of the toughest conditions that plague his city, Mario found safety, guidance, and his passion within youth organizations across the city. Mario spent his summers as a camp kid where he was able to hone his leadership skills and embrace the values of diversity and community. Mario now serves the same children from his neighborhood as an educator for Milwaukee College Prep and as the mentor coordinator for Future Urban Leaders. Mario knows the transformative power of camps and wants to share the magic of discovery, community, and pure joy camps bring with Camp Kindred for many summers to come!

PROGRAM LEADER

Molly was born and raised in Milwaukee. She is a proud graduate of MPS and UW-Madison, where she completed her degree in teaching. Molly is in her 15th year teaching in Milwaukee and loves being a positive part of the community she grew up in. She has been honored and excited to work with Project Kindred throughout the past 4 years. As an educator in both the traditional school setting and now the camp setting as well, she is fully committed to the growth, equity, and empowerment of our youth in this city and in the surrounding areas.

PROGRAM LEADER

Emma is so grateful to be a part of PLT! After experiencing (and loving!) the camp counselor side of Project Kindred, she is excited for this new role. She’s currently a graduate student at UW-Milwaukee, and is working towards a degree in social work. She loves books, animals, and community!

PROGRAM LEADER

Milo, born and raised in Milwaukee, has been a part of Kindred since 2022 as a counselor, and is excited to be getting more involved with a community they love. They're currently a senior at Marquette University, pursuing a degree in educational studies and history. Milo enjoys biking, art, tabletop games, and spending time with their friends.

ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER

Joanna has been part of Project Kindred since being a (virtual!) counselor in summer 2020. She joined the Program Leadership Team in 2022 and has loved being part of the Kindred community. Outside of camp, Joanna was a licensed school social worker for 4 years. She currently works as a youth and family therapist at a shelter for youth who are experiencing homelessness. She graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in sociology, and earned her Master's in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2019. She is passionate about social justice and increasing youth voice and agency within systems that serve youth. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and pets, as well as reading, seeing live music and being out in nature.

PROGRAM LEADER

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Makaila has lived in Milwaukee for over five years working in various roles within education, and has made this city home. Coming from humble beginnings, Makaila never got to experience summer camp as a youth. In fact, up until getting involved with Project Kindred, Makaila didn’t even know this was something kids like her could experience. Having worked as a classroom teacher, care coordinator, and advisor to youth in Milwaukee, however, Makaila has gotten to know youth and their families from all different areas of the city, and is so glad a program like Project Kindred exists. Makaila believes that giving youth access to opportunities to connect with others, participate in community, and engage with nature through exploration is essential in developing this city’s future leaders. In her free time, Makaila likes to read, watch movies, go for walks, or enjoy any of the many events curated by the good people of Milwaukee.