Milpitas, California Oct 24, 2024 (Issuewire.com) - Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY), an award-winning Bay Area nonprofit founded in 2000, welcomes our new President and CEO, Artavia B. Berry, effective November 4th, 2024. FLY’s mission is to partner with youth to unlock their potential, disrupt the pipeline to prison, and advance justice in California and beyond. FLY serves over 2,400 youth annually across five Bay Area counties and advocates for more just and equitable systems at the local and state levels.
Artavia joins FLY with over 25 years of experience in the social sector. Artavia is a passionate and visionary leader who strives to create positive and lasting change for marginalized and underrepresented communities. A Chicago native, Artavia relocated to the Bay Area over ten years ago and has a diverse and impressive background in nonprofit management, fundraising, and leadership development. She most recently served as the CEO of At The Crossroads, San Francisco. Artavia is driven by her mission to empower, inspire, and transform lives through service, education, and innovation.
“I am deeply honored to join FLY, an organization I have admired for its unwavering dedication to justice and empowerment. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team, the youth we serve, and all of you who support our mission. Together, we will continue to disrupt cycles of incarceration and build brighter futures for youth across California.” - Artavia B. Berry FLY’s incoming CEO
This announcement follows an extensive search following the transition of FLY’s previous President and CEO, Ali Knight, who served in leadership at FLY for 10 years and succeeded FLY’s founder, Christa Gannon, in 2019. When FLY was founded in 2000, we were guided by the input of youth in the juvenile system to create programs grounded in legal education, mentoring, and leadership training. BIPOC youth impacted by the justice system have been at the center of our work over the past 25 years. Their voices have led the way in the growth and evolution of our program offerings. We seek to continue elevating the voices of young people to make our systems more equitable, just, and humane. Together, we are moving our society from service for some to justice for all.
Artavia has led and grown several nonprofit organizations in the fields of community development, youth empowerment, and social justice in the US and abroad, including Multiplying Good, Super Stars Literacy, Public Allies Chicago, and BeSpeak Spirit. Prior to At The Crossroads, Artavia completed an Executive Fellowship with LeaderSpring Center, a prestigious program that supports social sector leaders in creating systems change. She also founded and launched two innovative apps, pocket.rev and Blaqmoji, that promote spiritual development and black culture and history, respectively.
“The Board is thrilled to welcome Artavia as FLY’s new President and CEO. Her deep understanding of FLY youth, her extensive experience as a nonprofit executive director, and her passion for justice give us great confidence that she is the right leader to take FLY into its next chapter.” – Meera Chary and DeAnn Work, FLY Board Co-Chairs
Fresh Lifelines for Youth is an award-winning nonprofit whose mission is to partner with youth to unlock their potential, disrupt the pipeline to prison, and advance justice in California and beyond. By 2030, through partnering with young people, communities, and systems, FLY will contribute to the fight for equity and justice by taking concrete steps to dismantle California’s pipeline to prison, equip 30,000 youth to transform their lives and create meaningful opportunities for them to live healthy, free, and productive lives.
For more information, visit: https://flyprogram.org/
Media Contact
Fresh Lifelines for Youth tracy@flyprogram.org (669)243-0922 568 Valley Way https://flyprogram.org/
