Internal News Update Page
Join exalt for the YSE Accelerator Virtual Fair on September 3!
We’re excited to share that exalt is participating in the Youth Skills and Employment (YSE) Accelerator – a program run by the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education).
The Accelerator is a program where US-based, youth-serving organizations are selected to participate in a year-long capacity-building program, with expert trainers, corporate partners, employee volunteers, and pro-bono services, as well as accelerator funding opportunities, to increase the impact we can have with the young people where we work.
This year, GBC-Education is organizing a Virtual Fair – offering businesses the chance to meet all 15 participating organizations. The event is an opportunity to meet vetted, youth-focused organizations like exalt, get to know them and their missions, provide feedback and ask questions.
Join us and cheer us on! The Fair will take place on Sept 3rd and 5th, with exalt presenting on September 3rd.
Register Now!
A Powerful Youth Art Showcase
Join us for A Note From the Field 003: The Story From Within, a compelling art exhibition featuring powerful creations from youth artists facilitated by multi-medium artist and educator, Keshad Adeniyi.
Through poetry, painting, and multi-medium expressions, these inspiring artworks explore themes of healing, community building, and the critical sociopolitical realities faced by youth navigating the criminal legal system.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 13th
Time: Gallery opens at 4:30 PM | Program begins promptly at 6:30 PM
Location: Seven Gallery House | 35 Meadow Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Enjoy refreshments, connect with community members, and engage deeply with transformative art!
About Keshad Adeniyi:
Keshad "ife" Adeniyi, exalt's Director of Education, is an acclaimed multi-medium artist and educator from Watts, California. His artistic practice and innovative curriculum, The Story From Within, empowers youth impacted by America's carceral system to share their stories and envision a path toward healing and justice.
This is the second event in a dynamic series of five Open Studios taking place through October—don’t miss this opportunity to witness powerful youth voices!
exalt Syracuse on “Monica Makes It Happen”
Dr. Gisele Castro, the CEO of Exalt, made an appearance June 30, 2025 on “Monica Makes It Happen” to talk about exalt’s expansion into Syracuse.
Dr. Gisele Castro, the CEO of exalt, made an appearance June 30, 2025 on “Monica Makes It Happen” to talk about exalt’s expansion into Syracuse.
[TRANSCRIPT EXCERPT]
Dr. Gisele Castro: “We planned to grow and to scale in upstate New York, and it was by an invitation by the state. We know that our young people, they are in need of academic access. We just saw it at our gala, where we gave five young people scholarships to go to college. We pay our young people… for an internship experience that begins to help them understand their future.”
Monica Morales: “Your program is so successful, that’s what I love about you. And it is those mentorship programs, it’s that internship, because they model success. If you see it, you can be it, right?”
Dr. Gisele Castro: “If you can see it, you can be it. And I want to give a big shout-out, using your words to all of our New York City internship providers. These are individuals like us that we are caring for our New Yorkers. We're giving young people an opportunity and I'm excited to see that we have a warm reception from Syracuse and I do know that we will be successful there again.
“And you understand this very well: We have to invest in our youth. It's a real commitment. It's a real, thoughtful approach to them and to their success. It's cliché to say that they are our future, but they really are.”
Monica Morales: “And we adore you. How do we help?”
[END EXCERPT]
Support exalt’s ability to empower court-involved youth: make a donation or learn how to become an internship provider.
Thank you to Pix11 and Monica Makes It Happen for your ongoing support!
exalt Appoints Dr. Lisette Nieves as Chair of the Board of Directors
Globally Recognized Scholar and Champion to Guide exalt’s
Next Chapter of Growth
We are proud to announce that Dr. Lisette Nieves will begin her tenure as exalt's Chair of the Board of Directors effective July 1, 2025.
As recently highlighted in Harlem World Magazine, Dr. Nieves brings more than 25 years of cross-sector leadership in education, workforce development, and public policy. Her appointment comes at a powerful inflection point, as exalt expands its statewide footprint and prepares for a new era of transformative impact for justice-involved youth.
“It is a profound honor to step into the role of Board Chair and continue working alongside our remarkable young people, dedicated staff, and community,” said Dr. Nieves.“Throughout my career, I’ve focused on reimagining systems that cultivate talent and possibility. exalt embodies this vision, and I am deeply committed to helping grow its reach and ensure that every young person we serve is empowered to shape their own future.”
Dr. Nieves currently serves as President of the Fund for the City of New York (FCNY), where she leads innovation strategies that improve the performance of government and nonprofit organizations citywide. A Rhodes Scholar, Truman Scholar, and Presidential appointee to the AmeriCorps Board, she has held senior leadership roles at New York University, the U.S. Department of Education, and was the founding Executive Director of Year Up New York.
Her scholarship has shaped national discourse on equity, college access, and youth workforce pathways. She is the co-author of two influential books:
Working to Learn: Disrupting the Divide Between College and Career Pathways for Young People
Working for a Future: Equity and Access in Work-Based Learning for Young People
Dr. Nieves has long been a champion for young people and a trusted partner in exalt’s mission. She brings the rare combination of visionary scholarship and pragmatic leadership. Her deep expertise in cross-sector transformation will be critical as we scale our model, navigate a challenging financial climate, and build statewide partnerships to serve more youth.
Since 2016 under Dr. Gisele Castro’s leadership, exalt has grown from a $950,000 organization to a $10 million nonprofit, raised over $30 million in philanthropic support, and served more than 2,500 youth across New York City. exalt’s model integrates education, paid internships, mental health support, and court advocacy to help young people succeed in school, at work, and beyond the justice system.
Now expanding into Syracuse, NY, exalt is replicating its proven model to meet statewide demand. With Dr. Nieves leading the Board and Dr. Castro advancing the organization’s long-term vision, exalt is poised to deepen its systemic impact and reimagine opportunity for youth across New York State.
As exalt approaches its 20th anniversary, this leadership transition represents more than a milestone, it reflects a bold commitment to advancing equity, access, and opportunity for the next generation of leaders.
exalt's 2025 Gala: "Innovating for Impact"
Last night at Trinity Church NYC, we gathered for an unforgettable evening to celebrate belief—belief in the brilliance of our youth, the urgency of this moment, and the power of community to transform lives.
We honored Maria Hinojosa, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and founder of Futuro Media, who tells stories fearlessly to amplify the voices of the unheard.
We celebrated two of our extraordinary internship partners: CIVILIAN, a global architecture and design studio, and Douglas Elliman, a leader in the real estate industry. Their commitment to mentorship and providing opportunities help create bold futures for our young people.
In a powerful moment, we presented our five 2025 exalt scholars. They are a testament to what’s possible when youth are given the chance to thrive. Since 2020, exalt has awarded over $400,000 in scholarships to 40 young people.
As we celebrate this milestone, we also mark a moment of transition. We are deeply grateful to Yumari Martinez (Board Chair), Ruth Fromer (Treasurer), and Kunal Das (Secretary) for their years of service and steady leadership as exalt’s governing officers. Their commitment has been instrumental in positioning exalt for this next chapter of growth. A new slate of board leadership will take the helm on July 1st, continuing exalt’s strong trajectory with purpose and vision. We will announce our incoming Board Chair soon.
Our 2025 Gala video captures the life-changing impact of internships—how they open doors, spark dreams, and expand possibilities.
See the video and event photos here.
Contributions up to $600,000 were generously matched by the Lawrence Foundation and an anonymous national foundation. Our gracious sponsors also included:
Cavas
CD&R Foundation
CIVILIAN
Con Edison
Douglas Elliman
Fund for the City of New York
JP Morgan Chase
Nine8 Advisory
Ocean First Bank
Open Impact Real Estate
Park&K Public Affairs
The Petey Greene Program
UpCasa Technology Services
Letter to the NY Times Editor: Investing in Youth to Reduce Crime
To The New York Times Editor:
Re "A Rise in Youth Arrests Prompts an Appeal for Solutions" (The New York Times article, Oct. 20)
This article presents an invitation to react to this challenge with ineffective, punitive measures against our children. We must not accept that.
The rise in violent youth crime and the matching rise in adult crime in New York City are, of course, troubling. The article quite rightly points out that a critical factor is the disinvestment in youth programs that provide alternatives and tools to avoid resorting to violence and crime.
Detaining a young person is expensive and a fast track to creating a lifetime of adult incarceration.
Alternatively, solving for their underlying social problems (specifically getting them back in school and into the workplace) is a proven strategy to prevent them from reoffending. That can be done at a fraction of the cost of locking them up.
The answer to this problem requires investment in youth, not reverting to old ways already proven to be failures. We know what to do. In New York City, this is absolutely achievable.
Gisele Castro
New York
The writer is the C.E.O. of exalt, a nonprofit that works with court-involved teenagers.
Nov. 10, 2024
"Working for a Future" Book Event at exalt
On September 12, 2024, exalt's headquarters buzzed with excitement as we hosted a groundbreaking discussion on equity in work-based learning. The event centered around the newly released book "Working for a Future: Equity and Access in Work-Based Learning for Young People" by Dr. Lisette Nieves and Dr. Noel Anderson, which prominently features exalt as an innovative model to be emulated. Attendees engaged in a lively Q&A session and had the opportunity to have their books signed by the authors. #WorkingForAFuture #EquityInWorkBasedLearning #exaltImpact
exalt's 2024 Gala: "Innovation Over Incarceration"
Our annual gala took place on June 11, 2024 at Trinity Church Wall Street. We honored SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. for his dedication to educational excellence, and Michelle Henry of JPMorgan Chase & Co. for her leadership and dedication to justice and equity for the young people of NYC. We also recognized Elizabeth Elston for 12 years of dedicated board service and presented our 2024 Freedom Fund scholarship to Khamel Terry, who explained,
“exalt is more than just a program to me – it's a lifeline, and I am grateful and honored to be this year’s scholarship winner. Through exalt, I discovered the world of youth advocacy and civic engagement, opening doors I didn't even know existed. exalt has helped me unlock my potential, build confidence to believe in myself, to see my worth, and to strive for success. Most importantly, it showed me that I could make a difference—not only in my own life but also in the lives of others.”
All the proceeds from the evening went to support exalt's mission and programming to help 1000+ young people annually avoid future involvement in the criminal justice system, reconnect to their love of learning and thrive. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters!
In our 2024 Gala video, exalt Board, staff and alumni join CEO Gisele Castro to discuss the positive impact of our programming on the young people we serve.
Gisele Hosts Career Panel for Alumnae with NYC Mayor’s Office of Contract Services
exalt CEO Gisele Castro was featured in PIX-11 News story on March 18, 2024:
More than a dozen of New York City’s most influential women leaders came together for a summit in Lower Manhattan. One is a Latina leading a nonprofit helping youth turn their lives around.
It was the power of city hall to CEOs in Lower Manhattan, a women’s summit where they shared their secrets to success. The Mayor’s Office of Contract Services executive team led the discussion, and all women of color supervise New York City’s $40 billion annual business contracts.
Hosting the event is Gisele Castro, CEO of Exalt Youth. For over two decades, Castro has transformed young people’s lives through education, employment opportunities, and criminal justice reform.
Click here to read the full story.
Gisele Castro: A Trailblazing Leader Strategically Empowering Change in Juvenile Justice and Beyond
In the world of leadership, where traditional boundaries are being shattered, Gisele Castro stands as a beacon of inspiration and resilience. As the CEO of exalt, a groundbreaking organization in the juvenile justice space, Gisele’s journey is marked by an unwavering commitment to redefine success and empower the next generation of leaders. Her unique perspective... Read more