Carol Behrer founded the Youth Policy Institute of Iowa in 2000 to provide policy analysis, training, technical assistance, research and evaluation in the areas of youth development policy and practice.  Ms. Behrer, who has more than 25 years experience in state and federal policy arenas, served as Associate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), from 1989 – 1993.  Prior to her appointment at HHS, she was a senior legislative associate with the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee from 1985 – 1989 and a legislative assistant to Iowa Congressman Tom Tauke from 1981 to 1985.   Before founding YPII, Ms. Behrer worked with the Child and Family Policy Center in Des Moines on a variety of youth development and early childhood projects and served as a consultant on numerous national, state, and local youth related policy projects.  A native of Iowa, Ms. Behrer received her BA degree from the University of Northern Iowa and an MA in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University in Washington, DC. 

Kim Danos started at YPII as the Iowa Aftercare Services Coordinator with the Youth Policy Institute in 2002.  In 2005 she took a position as the Senior Data and Research Analyst working with all the YPII initiatives.   Her current responsibilities include: data analysis, research, evaluation methods, technical assistance, and writing in the areas of youth development policy and practice.  Ms. Danos has fifteen years experience in human service related fields with a specialization in evaluation, research and writing; spending the last seven years working in Iowa on a number of state and federal programs targeting youth and early childhood initiatives.  Prior to joining YPII, Ms. Danos worked for the Human Service Planning Alliance as a grant writer, program evaluator and the Polk County Coordinator for Empowerment.   Ms. Danos graduated with a BA from Regis University in 1993 and from Kansas State University with her MS.  Her post-graduate work at Kansas State University included positions as a  Program Coordinator, therapist, and researcher in the University Counseling Services and Student Services Departments. 

Erin Davison joined the Youth Policy Institute of Iowa in June of 2005 as the Opportunity Passport™ coordinator and has assumed increasing responsibility for the overall implementation of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative in Polk County. She is responsible for overall project management activities and is YPII’s link to the community partners involved in implementing the Opportunity Passport™ program. In addition, Ms. Davison provides training to other Jim Casey sites aound the counry and technical assistance to the Iowa Aftercare Services Network. Prior to joining YPII, Ms. Davison had a variety of direct service experience in both Iowa and Colorado, including a youth residential setting at the Youth Emergency Services and Shelter in Des Moines, community-based services for aging adults at Bee Hive Homes and Home Instead Senior Care in Denver, and special education classrooms in both Aurora and Adams County School Districts in Colorado. Ms. Davison holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work from Metropolitan State College of Denver and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Drake University.

Joan Havel came to the Youth Policy Institute of Iowa in July of 2005 with over 15 years experience in the human service field.  Ms. Havel spent one year working at Central Iowa Residential Services Inc., in group homes with Developmentally Disabled adults teaching adult living skills.  She then became a Social Worker for the Abbe Center for Community Care in Marion Iowa from 1990 to 1994 working with mentally ill adults in a residential setting.  From 1994 to 2005 Ms. Havel worked for Four Oaks of Waterloo.  During her 10 years with Four Oaks Ms. Havel held several different positions including in-home Family Therapist, Community Based Case Coordinator for residential programs, and Customer Care Specialist.  Ms. Havel received her BA Social Work degree from Mount Mercy College.