Blog

Oakland, CA - November 24, 2009 -The Board of Directors of Youth Movement Records (YMR), one of the Bay Area's leading non-profit youth media organizations, announced today that it has named Ms. Ryan Peters as Executive Director. She holds the top position at the organization, taking over for YMR's Founder and former Executive Director, Chris Wiltsee.

This announcement concludes a national search that was begun when Wiltsee resigned his post in September in order serve as the Executive Director for The Recording Academy, San Francisco Chapter (GRAMMYs). Wiltsee plans to remain actively involved with the organization by serving on its Board of Directors. Ms. Peters is an Oakland native and has been with Youth Movement Records since 2006, when she was brought on board to lead the Professional Internship Program. She was then named Program Director in 2008 and has served as Interim-Executive Director from September through November of this year. The post of Program Director will be assumed by Diaris Alexander who is a Gates-scholar, UCLA graduate and one of YMR's founding youth participants. Youth Movement Records was founded in 2003 and now has operations in Oakland's Fox Theater and at the RYSE Center in Richmond.

"This transition marks a powerful inflection point for Youth Movement Records. Ms. Peters is a powerful artist, advocate and organizer who understands first-hand the issues facing urban youth today, and the transformational power of music and the arts. I have every confidence in her ability to take the organization to new heights. Regarding our new Program Director, Diaris Alexander, I cannot think of better testimony to the impact of YMR than to have one of our brightest and best alums return to help lead the program," says Wiltsee.

Ryan Peters, 29, was an ideal candidate for the position with a demonstrated success in the arts, as well as in the non-profit, youth development sector.  Ms. Peters is an associate artist with the California Shakespeare Theater, was named Oakland's top poet in 2007 and performs regularly with her musical group, Nu Dekades. She served as Program Director at the East Oakland Youth Development Center and developed local and statewide initiatives for minority and women-owned businesses with Mason Tillman Associates and for California youth with the organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. Ms. Peters has a degrees in Sociology and Political Science from San Diego State University.
 
Peters' contributions to YMR are quite numerous. Notably, she has developed effective outreach strategies and critical consciousness training, administered YMR's regional expansion efforts, and was instrumental in fostering partnerships with the City of Oakland.