Tom Yuska

Experience

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  Porter/Matjasich and Associates

  Jan 1981 - Jan 1983

  Graphic Designer

  Designed and managed production of two- and three-dimensional graphics for consumer and industry-oriented clientele. Assisted in the development of marketing strategies for consumer products.

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  Tom Yuska Design and Calligraphy

  Jan 1983 - Jan 1987

  Freelance Graphic Designer

  Designed and managed production of graphic materials for profit and nonprofit clients. Additionally provided photographic, calligraphic and writing services.

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  Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

  Jan 1984 - Jan 1985

  Graphic Designer

  Worked with internal departments to develop graphics for education and public relations, including magazines, posters, exhibit guides, fundraising events and brochures.

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  Design Horizons International

  Jan 1985 - Jan 1987

  Graphic Designer

  Designed printed materials for travel, real estate and retail clients. Contributed to team efforts in logo, annual report and series brochure designs.

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  National Wellness Institute

  Jan 1987 - Jan 1988

  Art Director/Designer

  Led redesign of marketing and educational print materials. Consolidated all graphics projects under internal control. Produced sales catalogs, newsletters, posters and conference brochures.

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  Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis

  Dec 1991 - Dec 1992

  Program Associate in Healthy Cities

  Provided technical assistance to leadership and program development efforts for Healthy Cities projects in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Gary, Indiana. Facilitated planning and organized resources for city-wide and neighborhood level activities. Wrote community organizing process guides. Designed graphic materials to support project dissemination, networking and marketing. Healthy Cities was a World Health Organization concept advocating a holistic view, and thus multi-sector approach to community health, sharing responsibility for, and incorporating local people in decision-making. Show less

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  FamilyMeans

  Mar 1993 - Dec 2021

  I recently retired from a role designing and managing program environments that equip school-age youth to learn, thrive, connect and contribute throughout their lives. I led a team that brings equity of opportunity and experience to youth in two under-resourced mobile home communities. Our programs offer youth choice, challenge, physical and emotional safety, support and respect.As Director, I:• Guided program development by melding youth development research and best practices with contextual knowledge of our youth and their communities. Used this approach to create the Ready To Be program–a framework and curriculum guiding teens toward thoughtful preparation for postsecondary life.• Incorporated forward-thinking concepts and resources into programming, including Open Badges and digital portfolios.• Created and managed the operations-related portions of a $450,000 departmental budget.• Successfully wrote grant proposals, securing over $1 million dollars during my full FamilyMeans tenure for general operation, the arts, health and wellness, postsecondary preparation, technology, evaluation and community enhancement. • Designed and produced program communication materials in print, photography and video formats for internal and external audiences.• Contributed critical planning, communication and fund raising skills to a successful $1.2 million dollar youth center capital campaign. Show less Developed and lead youth development program using the bicycle as a vehicle for skill building, fitness, goal attainment and community discovery. School-age youth age 9+ learn, then practice bicycle repair, earning bicycles and parts in exchange for their commitment. Youth also can participate in twice-weekly rides that build endurance and safe riding skills, travel to new and/or appealing destinations, expose them to different types of riding, and cultivate the potential for the bicycle as a means of transport and a lifelong pursuit. Youth earn credit for every mile pedaled, earning a bike upon reaching 150 miles.In 2018, 59% of ride participants bicycled at least 100 miles within a 13-week summer season. Show less Invested two decades of work developing programming and aligning resources that increased the social infrastructure and individual opportunity in Landfall, Minnesota, a Twin Cities mobile home community. Efforts evolved into a focus on youth development.• Developed, delivered and managed youth programming that earned the City of Landfall three-time recognition as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance (2008-2010). http://www.americaspromise.org/landfall-minnesota-0• Achieved program outcomes that convinced city council and my nonprofit board members to authorize a still-continuing commitment to the project.• Facilitated youth program expansion to serve teens, then guided replication of programming in a second mobile home community.• Honored with a Children’s Leadership Award from the Sheltering Arms Foundation. Show less

  • Director of Youth Development

    Oct 2013 - Dec 2021

  • Summer Youth Bicycle Program Director

    Jan 1997 - Jan 2018

  • Community Organizer

    Mar 1993 - Sept 2013