Staff
Bernadette Souza
Executive Director
A New Bedford native and life-long City resident, Bernadette is deeply committed to her community, especially its youth. She is a longtime youth advocate and has significant experience in youth programming by virtue of her long tenure at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford. She is the Executive Director for Youth Opportunities Unlimited and has been for the past fourteen years.
What motivates her the most about being involved in her community is her love for the beautiful city of New Bedford and the SouthCoast area. She believes that while many valuable resources exist within the community, the true impact comes from connecting the right youth and families to those opportunities. Guided by the mentors and maternal figures who shaped her own life, Bernadette lives by the principle of “paying it forward.” She finds great purpose in helping young people build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging and in knowing that, each day, she has the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
A natural connector and relationship builder, Bernadette is known for bringing people together around a shared vision. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the New Bedford Whaling Museum Board and Chair of its Museum Learning Committee. She is a Board of Corporators member for BayCoast Bank, a board member of One SouthCoast Chamber and Round the Bend Farm, and serves on the Greater New Bedford Youth Alliance. Bernadette is also one of the founding Trustees of Our Sisters’ School, where she served on the Board for eight years and continues to serve on its Advisory Council. In addition, she serves on the Advisory Councils for The New Bedford Light, New Bedford Research & Robotics, and Nativity Prep.
Bernadette attended Rhode Island College and earned her Youth Ministries Certification through Assumption College and the Worcester Diocese. She is a graduate of Leadership SouthCoast (Class of 2013) and most recently completed and graduated from the Harvard Business School LEADS program, joining a cross-sector cohort of leaders committed to transformational change.
With boundless energy, deep faith, and an unwavering belief in the potential of young people, Bernadette is a powerful advocate for youth, families, and community. Her leadership continues to shape Y.O.U.’s impact and strengthen the future of New Bedford.
Doonie Brewer
Director of Development
Doonie joined the Youth Opportunities Unlimited team in July of 2025. After teaching English for many years, she moved to New Bedford and became a development professional, supporting several local non-profits in various capacities.
As the first Director of Development, Doonie will blend experiences from her education and advancement careers to usher Y.O.U.'s inevitable growth process. She looks forward to meeting supporters of Y.O.U. and sharing its stories with them. Doonie earned a BA from Penn State and an MA from Trinity College. In her free time, she likes to do trail hikes with her dog - the closer to the water the better - and she enjoys a wide variety of activities.
doonie@younb.org | (774) 532-8516
Carrie Hawthorne
Director of Operations and Programs
Carrie joined the Youth Opportunities Unlimited team in March 2025 as Director of Operations & Programs, bringing more than two decades of experience in informal environmental education. Her professional journey has focused on bridging the gap between urban audiences and the natural world. Prior to joining Y.O.U., she served as Community Engagement Coordinator for Mass Audubon’s South East Region, where she developed and implemented programs and fostered community partnerships in Fall River and New Bedford. Earlier in her career, she held key positions as Curator of Education at Buttonwood Park Zoo (2014-2021) and School Program Manager at Roger Williams Park Zoo (2004-2014). Carrie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences & Ecology from Otterbein University and a Master’s in Environmental Education from the University of New Mexico.
Carrie is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to outdoor recreation and is a strong advocate for climate change communication and activism. She is a trained facilitator with the National Network for Ocean & Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) and has participated in field work with Polar Bears International. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and contributes to a local cat rescue as Treasurer, social media coordinator, and foster.
carrie@younb.org | (508) 954-6586
Karina de Brum
Out-of-School Time Program Manager
Karina is a child at heart, which is evident in her excitement and wonder for the world around us. Born in New Bedford and raised in Hawaii, she embodies both the spirit of a multigenerational New Bedford native and a transplant from the Pacific. Karina earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. She has taught in a remote village in the Marshall Islands and worked as a human rights policy maker for the government of the Marshall Islands.
Karina spent two years teaching life skills through sailing and ocean-based activities in New Bedford with the Community Boating Center. Having worked with children most of her life, she always has a song, a joke, or a fun fact ready for any situation. As our Out-of-School Time Program Manager, Karina hopes to instill the same sense of awe and excitement for adventures and learning that she experienced during her summers in the New Bedford area.
karina@younb.org | (508) 204-0024
Blanca Santiago
Program and Family Outreach Assistant
Blanca joined our team in September 2023 and brings a variety of unique skills to this organization. Born in Manati, Puerto Rico and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Blanca has dedicated herself to making a positive impact in the community. Blanca received her Medical Administrative Assistant Certificate from Burdett College and graduated from the Clemente Course for the Humanities in Spring 2017. She has held over 13 years of office administration experience at Our Sisters’ School in New Bedford. While also obtaining 7+ years in customer service, 5 years in management assistance and 8+ years of child care experience.
Blanca is passionate about Childhood Education, Community Service, advocating for the LGBTQ+ Community, Cooking, Dogs, Family and Friends, and most importantly the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. When she is not with Y.O.U., she successfully runs and operates Petz N’ Comfort, a dog walking and sitting service in Southeastern Massachusetts, and spends quality time with her daughter, Luna!
Abigail Hevey
Development Consultant
Abigail has several years' experience writing grant proposals for a variety of organizations in and around New Bedford. Abigail has a Master's in Professional Writing from UMass Dartmouth, and along with grant writing, has written press releases, supporting documents, website content, social media posts, and more. Abigail is passionate about using her skill set to bring funding to important causes that do great work in the Southcoast so they can grow and increase their impact. When she is not writing grants, she is hanging out with her husband and two small children, or finding time to sneak in some reading.
Lillianne Condez
Marketing and Communications Manager
New Bedford born and raised, Lilli is a passionate and dynamic individual, especially when it comes to serving the community that raised her. With a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Bridgewater State University, Lilli has embraced the power of digital storytelling through various roles, culminating in her current position as Marketing and Communications Manager.
Fueled by the discovery of unknown opportunities available to her as a child, she has dedicated herself to using her skills to support organizations bringing new experiences to SouthCoast youth. With a creative and ambitious heart, Lilli is excited to share our story and make a meaningful impact!
Bob Nichols
Garden Manager
Bob has been with Youth Opportunities Unlimited a little over four years. He is a jack of all trades and a master of it all. He received his Bachelor of Science degree with a teaching certification for Science and Physical Education from Northeastern University. From there, he began teaching physical education in grades first through sixth while coaching eighth grade football in West Bridgewater. He spent sixteen years with York Steakhouse Systems as the Regional Operations Manager. Bob also has many years under his belt as a restaurant owner in the town of Raynham.
Currently, Bob is enjoying his retirement and spends his time managing and teaching youth how to ski at Sunday River in Maine, volunteering at Sharing the Harvest Farm in Dartmouth, growing oysters in Matapoisett and managing our Victory Park Children’s Garden, here in New Bedford. Bob received his Master Gardeners Certificate six years ago from Bristol Community College and has a huge interest in soil quality to nutrient dense vegetables and how to grow food that’s really good for you!
Bill Trimble
Bike Shop Manager, Beekeeper, Lego Robotics Instructor
Bill is a retired mechanical engineer and former school science teacher. He loves everything about bicycling, riding road and mountain bikes, and bicycle touring. He is a member of the Dartmouth Pathways Committee and biking chair of the Appalachian Mountain Club Southeast Massachusetts Chapter. He is a certified bike mechanic and avid cyclist, who has a mobile bike repair business serving the area.
At Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Bill excels in implementing experiential learning. He runs our Community Bike Shop located on West Rodney French Boulevard. As beekeepers, Bill and his wife Suzy, teach our youth about honeybees and their importance for our food production. Bill explores an introductory component of STEM education by teaching Lego Robotics (Lego Prime) during our youth programming.