January is National Mentoring Month, and in today’s Pathways to the (Y) episode we’ll hear from Erika Swales, the Y’s Reach & Rise Mentorship Program Director and Group Mentoring Director Kaday Kabba-Howard, as they both share their personal past experiences that lead them to the positions they now hold within the Y.
IN THIS EPISODE:
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
RESOURCE LINKS:
Northwest YMCA Atlanta Website
Reach and Rise Mentorship Program Website
BIOGRAPHY:
Erika Swales is the Y’s Reach & Rise Mentorship Program Director. With a Bachelor's degree in French and Italian and a Master’s Degree in European culture, Erika was born and raised in England. As an adult, she moved to Canada prior to her time in the U.S. Early on and joined the Y as a member, where she participated in fitness classes and volunteered. In 2013 she began working part-time at the Northwest Cobb Family Y in the children’s play center and was later promoted to full-time as the Family Programs Coordinator. In 2019 she became the Y’s Youth Development Director, and then in September 2022, she transitioned into the role of Reach & Rise Mentorship Program Director.
Kaday Kabba-Howard is the group mentoring director of the Y’s Reach & Rise Program. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from Penn State and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Georgia State. Kaday has experience working in mental health and substance use in residential treatment facilities, outpatient organizations, individuals who identify as homeless or low-income, and private practice settings.
