Colby Peters, LGSW
Colby Peters, 31, lives in Annapolis, Maryland and is a Regional Coordinator for the Building Futures Mentoring Program at the Y of Central Maryland. Colby developed and currently manages the Building Futures program at the Dancel Family Center Y in Ellicott City, in addition to assisting her colleagues in Baltimore with cases at the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center Y.
Colby attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and graduated in 2002 with a double major in Psychology and Art History. Unsure as to what career path she wanted to take, she tried interior design, newspaper reporting, and event planning before she decided to get her masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland in 2008. Colby chose social work because, while working at the local newspaper, she had developed and run a very effective cognitive therapy women’s group in cooperation with Oasis the Center for Mental Health in Annapolis. Colby believed that getting her masters in social work would enable her to be a better group leader and eventually, a professional therapist.
Colby’s first class at the University of Maryland, Government Policy and Social Work, was a powerful education about the vast educational, health, and economic disparities between various social groups and communities in America. At the conclusion of the Policy class, she changed her major from a clinical concentration to Administration and Community Action in Social Work, because she wanted to address these disparities on a larger, or macro, scale.
Colby has worked for the Y as a Regional Coordinator of Building Futures since May 2010. She loves working for the Y of Central Maryland and truly enjoys carrying out the mission of the Y through the Building Futures mentoring program. Since she started at the Y, Colby has observed dramatic positive changes in her matched mentees, and has seen the benefits of a positive relationship in her mentors as well.
Colby plans on continuing her work at the Y and is working on her clinical license with her supervisor, Michelle Cuebas, LCSW-C, so that she can better serve the children and their families in the Building Futures Mentoring Program at the Y of Central Maryland.
Ashley Norris, BSW
Ashley Norris- Graduated from Salisbury University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. Has worked with at-risk youth in such environments as group homes, detention centers and schools. Outside of work, continues to be involved with team sports through playing and coaching and enjoys time with family and friends or anything around, on or in water. Finally, is someone who still believes she can change the world one person at a time.
Carey Andrews, LGSW
Carey Andrews, LGSW, first realized that she wanted to pursue a career in social work when she joined a mentoring program in the city of Richmond, VA, where she attended college. She enjoyed the relationship that she built with her mentee and began to recognize the powerful impact that social programs can have on those individuals that they serve. Shortly after graduation, she returned to her native Baltimore to pursue her MSW. Carey started her career as a social worker in 2006, when she graduated from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Carey has since then worked with teens and young adults from Baltimore City and County, as well as abroad. In 2007, she spent a year working as a social worker for an orphanage in Parramos, Guatemala.
Carey began working with the Y of Central MD's Building Futures Mentoring Program in May of 2010. She has since then enjoyed the opportunity to work on the other side of mentoring, where she is able to match adult volunteers with young people throughout Baltimore City and County, and watch their relationships develop over time. Carey has also taken an interest in helping to supplement the existing mentor training curriculum for Building Futures with new activities and materials. Carey very much enjoys her position as Regional Coordinator for Towson and Baltimore City and is very excited to have had the opportunity to see Building Futures grow from an idea to a fully operational mentoring program.
Rhea Butler, BSW
My name is Rhea Butler a native of Maryland. Growing up I thought I was going to be an accountant. Then because of the love that I had for kids I decided to become a Social Worker. I thank myself everyday for changing mind to become a Social worker and I enjoy working with kids and families.
