Melissa Meyer, as a nurse, trainer and organizational leader, Melissa has helped communities tackle complex issues like LGBTQ inclusion, comprehensive sexuality education and intimate partner violence prevention through collaboration and partnerships. She’s worked with youth and youth-serving professionals in juvenile justice, drug treatment, mental health care, schools, disability services and health care for over 25 years. Now she shares her talents with Hamilton County Ohio’s Safe and Supported, a project of Lighthouse Youth Services to end LGBTQ youth homelessness by 2020.
Meredith Hicks is committed to improving the health of young people, and champions them as leaders on the policies and programs that impact their lives. She currently serves as the Planning and Policy Director at Lighthouse Youth Services, partnering with youth and community organizations to end youth homelessness in Cincinnati by 2020. She received her Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota and her B.S. from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Meredith is a grassroots organizing trainer with Wellstone Action, and enjoys community gardening and birding with her young son.
Ryan Hall serves as the manager of the Youth Outreach Program – a program within Lighthouse Sheakley Center for Youth – Ohio’s only homeless shelter that serves 18-24 year olds exclusively. Ryan is passionate about Youth Outreach Program’s mission of engaging with young people living on the streets and connecting them to shelter, permanent housing and other services. Ryan received his Masters in Social Work from University of Cincinnati and is a licensed social worker. Outside of the Sheakley Center Ryan runs several music-related projects that explore the intersections of music and social activism.