YES is staffed by a team of highly skilled professionals who are joined in their commitment to make a difference in the lives of youth!
Our Staff
Wendy Weeks, Executive Director [email protected]
Wendy Weeks joined YES in 2015, bringing expertise that is empowering YES to expand its reach and opportunities. Previously, she placed adults in jobs through the Orange County One-Stop Center and she worked in Community Affairs with The Home Depot Foundation, where she funded and managed projects assisting our nation’s veterans. In addition, Wendy tackled challenging initiatives at Project Access, a prominent Orange County nonprofit.
Wendy works diligently to foster relationships with funders, donors and community partners to fortify our fundraising activities and expand our program offerings. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and her exuberance is inspiring.
“My first job was working summers at my dad’s machine shop in Huntington Beach. Once summer was over, I joined the local bakery, Herb’s Blackforest Bakery, where I learned my customer service skills and knew that helping people was my passion.”
Michelle Tachick, Program Specialist [email protected]
Michelle Tachick brings to YES over 25 years of experience in sales, training, customer service, leadership and public speaking with companies such as Nordstrom and Creative Memories. This experience, coupled with her passion for working with people, is a great asset to YES as she works with local schools and community leaders to develop and expand YES programs. In addition, Michelle has been involved with National Charity League for 14 years, volunteers with a number of philanthropies, and is actively involved with all her kid’s schools and sports activities.
“I took on two first jobs as I wanted to buy my own car. I worked at a very cool jewelry store, as well as Taco Time where I became a shift supervisor at age 16. My parents raised us to always do our best, and go above and beyond. As a result, I developed a great work ethic, and learned that you could have anything if you work hard enough.”
Bronwyn Lynsky, Program Specialist Assistant [email protected]
Originally from New Zealand, Bronwyn’s former medical career took her to Australia and Hong Kong, before relocating to the US in 1999. As a stay at home mom, Bronwyn was eager to “give back” as a community volunteer/tutor in the Newport Beach Pro Literacy program, as well as a volunteer to the YES organization. She was delighted to start in a part time role at YES in December 2014.
“My first job was at a popular café in New Zealand. Although only 13 at the time, I really enjoyed working in a team environment, interacting with customers and earning some money. I developed a strong work ethic from an early age and also appreciated that money brought independence. As time went on, I realized that I am very much a people person and love being part of a successful team: helping others is the icing on the cake!”
Vivian Sun, AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator [email protected]
Vivian is an AmeriCorps VIP (Volunteer Infrastructure Program) who recently graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in International Studies. She was active in community involvement volunteer projects where she discovered her passion to serve the community, especially youth and young adults. She enjoys volunteering in her own community as a teacher and camp counselor. As a seasoned volunteer, she hopes to help YES with the development of its volunteer program.
“My first job was working as a tutor for a small company in high school, enabling me to to earn some extra money. There, I learned how important it was to be prepared for the day’s lessons and to arrive early for appointments. From this experience, I realized that I enjoyed working with people and witnessing their improvement in the process. “