Melynn Schuyler is the Founder and Executive Director of YouthWorks.  Originally from the state of Washington, Melynn trapped pocket gophers in New Mexico while studying biology, lived, worked and hitch-hiked across Japan, earned her BA in International Relations from Boston University and her MA in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from the Phillips Graduate Institute in California. Melynn has three sons, raised as a result of the help of YouthWorks participants, joined as a large family to assist each other to meet success.

YouthWorks was created as a community-based organization to connect marginalized “opportunity” youth in Santa Fe to hands on workforce training, life skills training, alternative education instruction, case management and counseling and career and college placement. In addition to having created a caring, open-door youth-serving organization with wrap-around services, Melynn has polished YouthWorks into an agile, creative nonprofit that addresses social equity through an evolution of initiatives that are entrepreneurial, collaborative, replicable and sustainable.  

Contact: Melynn@santafeyouthworks.org 

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Carrice is a visual artist who has travelled extensively, exhibited internationally, and for the past 11 years has made Santa Fe, NM her home. She served a year with AmeriCorps VISTA at Santa Fe YouthWorks and was responsible for capacity building to bridge the gap between disenfranchised youth and community leaders in the northern New Mexico region. Carrice worked with YouthWorks to connect marginalized youth in poverty with work-based learning, workforce preparation, training, business apprenticeships, job placements, and education opportunities to promote their economic advancement and success.

In 2025, Carrice transitioned into a case manager role at YouthWorks and assists with the Youth Arise Pilot to support safe, healthy paths away from violence and offers diversion services centered on youth and their goals through connection, care and community. Carrice draws upon her education – BFA in Illustration and MFA in Sculpture, her professional experience as an art professor, as well as her past and current lived experience of service and outreach in the various communities she has lived. She is continuously enhancing her skill set and expanding her professional development by earning her double masters in Art Therapy and Counseling from Southwestern College Santa Fe, in order to elevate her service to her community.

Contact: Carrice@santafeyouthworks.org

Geegee is a passionate advocate for all youth, ensuring all participants know that they are capable and supported.

Geegee is originally from Santa Fe, and she is a graduate from YouthWorks programs. Geegee originally came to YouthWorks as a Santa Fe Youth Corps participant, and today is working as a peer mentor to guide other youth toward success. She is learning all aspects of YouthWorks client navigation and case management to assist with the demands of client/participant needs.

Contact Geegee@santafeyouthworks.org 

A proud Santa Fe native, Anne-Marie is passionate about helping young people discover pathways to meaningful and fulfilling futures through her work with Santa Fe YouthWorks. She supports youth in building resumes, providing job-finding assistance, and accessing the resources they need to step confidently into the workforce. Raised in Santa Fe by a mother who has been a dedicated caterer of African cuisine for over 20 years, Anne-Marie learned early on the value of hard work, community, and cultural pride.

She earned a double major in English and Theater before joining Teach For America, where she completed her Master’s degree in Special Education while teaching at a K–8 charter school in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. During her eight years in the classroom, she spearheaded a drama club, creating a space where students could build confidence, creativity, and self-expression. Now back in her hometown, Anne-Marie is excited to continue working with youth in the community that shaped her.

Contact: anne-marie@santafeyouthworks.org

Lizbeth comes to YouthWorks with extensive experience in property management and affordable housing. She first joined YouthWorks on a part-time basis in the winter of 2017, helping manage the ShelterNow! Program, an emergency overnight shelter for young people that was hosted in local houses of worship.

Today, Lizbeth is a full-time staffer and serves as a case manager coordinating services to meet the needs of our young people, with special focus on housing issues. Lizbeth also oversees an intensive community monitoring program for youth in the juvenile justice system, working particularly with many of our Spanish-speaking clients.

Contact: lizbeth@santafeyouthworks.org

Johnny Gee was born and raised in Santa Fe New Mexico. Johnny left Santa Fe to study in Oregon at Portland State University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Community Development, only to find that he left his heart in New Mexico. He has since moved back to Santa Fe to retrieve it, and to give back to the city that raised him. Johnny is the YouthBuild Construction Trainer and is a certified Core Curriculum Instructor with the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).

Having grown up in Santa Fe, Johnny is passionate about the future of Santa Fe youth and loves watching his students build better lives for themselves one nail at a time.

Contact: Johnny@santafeyouthworks.org

Jay was born and raised in New Jersey but has lived in six different states across the country.  He moved to New Mexico for graduate school and stayed to work for YouthWorks and to enjoy the art and natural beauty all around Santa Fe.  Jay has more than 25 years of experience in education, most of which has been teaching Composition and Philosophy at the college level or tutoring test preparation, including the GED and SAT tests.  Jay believes that a healthy community serves the youth first and hopes his work makes a lasting positive impact.

Contact: Jay@santafeyouthworks.org

Kaylee Gutierrez is an instructional assistant of YouthWorks. Originally from Costa Rica and raised in Guatemala, she has been working with the impoverished youth of Guatemala since the age of 14 years old. She taught Spanish for three years before she began teaching at YouthWorks. Kaylee then moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her little baby, only to find her passion and love for teaching and trying to make a positive change in young people’s lives. 

Contact: Kaylee@santafeyouthworks.org 

Levi was born and raised in Santa Fe NM, and after dropping out of high school he went to YouthWorks to acquire his GED. After getting his GED with YouthWorks he left Santa Fe at 16 to search for what he wanted to do in life. After trying a few different fields he decided to join the Coast Guard. He became an electrician’s mate and served 6 years. He is a lover of the outdoors and after getting out of the Coast Guard he decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. Finally life returned him back to Santa Fe where he has decided to try and help the youth as he was helped.

Contact: levi@santafeyouthworks.org