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YMI Staff
YMI Staff
Dr. Steven Chambers (he/him) is the Executive Director of the New York City Young Men’s Initiative (YMI) where he leads the City’s effort to develop and champion policies, programs and partnerships that holistically support the success of young men of color. In this role he collaborates with the Mayor's Office, city agencies, local leaders, and community members to ensure intentional, high quality, and streamlined systems of support.
Prior to the YMI, Dr. Chambers served as Senior Advisor in New York City’s Mayor’s Office directly supporting the Department of Community & Youth Development (DYCD), the City University of New York (CUNY), the NYC Children’s Cabinet, in addition to spearheading various special initiatives and projects for the city’s most vulnerable populations.
An educator and theologian by training, Dr. Chambers' professional tenure includes classroom teaching, school district administration, pastoral leadership, community development, college and career coaching, and youth mentorship. Dr. Chambers’ civic engagement includes serving as a commission member to NYC’s Commission on Gender Equity, an advisory board member for Harvard University’s Leadership Initiative for Faith and Education, and is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Jahvaris Fulton currently serves as Program Analyst for the NYC Young Men's Initiative (YMI). In this role, he assists YMI's efforts with both public and private agencies to create opportunities for young people of color, specifically in the areas of juvenile justice, health, education, and employment. Mr. Fulton also contributes to YMI's community engagement strategies, identifying opportunities and platforms to better engage young people of color in YMI's programming.
Prior to joining YMI, he was a congressional intern in the Office of Frederica S. Wilson, serving three consecutive summers in both her district and DC office. Mr. Fulton is a graduate of Florida International University with a B.S. in Information Technology.
Thomas Scarabino is the External Affairs Manager for the NYC Young Men's Initiative. In this role, Thomas engages with NYC Communities, cultivates partnerships, manages media campaigns, social media efforts, and all publications.
Before starting at YMI, Thomas also worked in the non-profit sector. He was the Assistant Director of Communications at Kings County hospital, overseeing all press and government relations, events, paid advertising, and more. Before that, he served as the Marketing Associate at Cayuga Centers. Thomas is a graduate from St. John's University with a B.S. in Public Relations.
Ebube Nwaeme (he/him/his) is a Special Assistant at the NYC Young Men’s Initiative in the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice, where he supports youth centered programming, strategic communications, and engagement efforts.
Prior to joining YMI, Ebube was a Fellow at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where he contributed to the creation of the agency’s first Youth Committee on Mental Health and helped develop youth-driven mental health policy recommendations. He also served as a founding member and Director of Media Partnerships and Communications for the NYC Youth Agenda and as a Youth Engagement Officer on the DYCD Youth Board.
With over five years of experience in youth engagement, strategic communications, and community development, Ebube is deeply committed to uplifting underserved communities and advancing equity. Originally from Nigeria, he brings a global perspective to his work in advocacy.
Ebube holds a Bachelor of Science in Media, Culture, and Communication from New York University and is currently pursuing an Advanced Certificate in Youth Studies at the CUNY School of Professional Studies.