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YOLO Mentoring

and

Therapeutic Services

Joe Adorno

CEO & Founder

Joe Adorno is the founder of YOLO Mentoring LLC. 

He holds a Master’s degree in social work (MSW) from the University of Central Florida and an undergraduate psychology degree from the University of Tampa. He has more than a decade of experience working in the social services industry and worked in the Circuit 9 Court System as a family and children’s advocate. He has helped a variety of children and families from varying cultural backgrounds, homeless persons, people undergoing substance abuse, people with mental health problems, and has worked with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice as well as the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Mr. Adorno enjoys working with the youth, especially teenagers of all backgrounds and situations. His love for encouraging and helping the youth overcome life’s obstacles is what drove him to start the unique YOLO Mentoring program. He lives by the philosophy that “no matter how hard life may get, there is always an opportunity to better yourself and change your situation.” Mr. Joe tries to instill this philosophy in every child that goes through the program.

Our Team

Joseph Leone

Assistant Director

Joseph received his Master of Education in Foundations of Behavioral Analysis from the University of Cincinnati. He started working with children as a volunteer with underprivileged youth in Ohio and later continued his work volunteering at a professional services center for both children and adults before moving to Florida and starting a career in child welfare.

His favorite part of mentoring is the feeling of making an impact on the lives of the youth, the leaders of tomorrow. The philosophy that he attempts to instill in every child is that “Life is what you make of it. Every negative situation is an opportunity to learn and create a positive situation”.

He enjoys being active and playing various sports such as Ice Hockey and Soccer. He also enjoys playing his guitar and other creative ventures in his free time. 

Josh Colon

Job Recruiter/Senior Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Felix Carela

Senior Mentor and Trainer

Felix is currently attending Florida International University where he will be graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Public Administrations with a minor in Criminal Justice. After graduations, Felix plans on pursuing a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.

There are numerous hobbies that Felix enjoys. Basketball, running, reading mystery novels, and movies are just a few. Felix also has a passion for exploring new places that he's never been to as well as traveling and learning new things.

Felix's favorite part of mentoring is meeting and getting to know the children that he works with. He enjoys connecting with them and their diverse cultures. Through this connection, he is able to learn a little more about this vast world. Felix believes that the children teach him as much as he is able to teach them.

Joseph Guzman

Senior Mentor and Trainer/Administrative Assistant

Joseph enjoys learning and is currently enrolled at Valencia College. He is currently studying architecture and someday hopes to become an architect to share his passion with the world.

Basketball, soccer, and tennis are some of Joseph's favorite sports to participate in during his spare time. Joseph loves being active with the children he mentors and often takes them to parks to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

Joseph's favorite part of being a mentor is getting to be a positive role model for children who are missing that part of their life. He takes this role very seriously as he understands how important that is to a developing mind.

Zachary Bregman

Senior Mentor and Trainer

- Perspective is key!

-Park Vista Community High School Class of 2017

UCF political science major-prelaw track

- My goal is to go on to law school and get involved with family law so I can continue to help families and kids navigate through a hard time.

- Sports, video games, hanging out with friends and always being social

- Politics, law, and any sort of constructive conversation

- Just like everybody I have had my fair share of family issues, and anxiety and depression that has resulted from it. As a result, I have developed into a very passionate and positive person, and even if I haven’t been through what some of the kids we mentor have, I always try and turn situations in a positive one as well as a learning experience. I like to see that I can make an impact and influence kids with my positive mindset as well as show them that I have the perspective to be able to empathize with whatever they are going through and help find a positive way to navigate whatever these kids are feeling. I always say there are no regrets in life, just things that we can do better and improve on. This positive thinking is something that has helped me, and I enjoy seeing the impact this can have.

Greg Velazquez

Senior Mentor

Greg has been with the company since April of 2014. Greg received his Associate's degree from Valencia College. He is now working on his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida. He plans to continue his education at the University of Central Florida and work towards earning his Master's degree.

Greg enjoys working with children and making a difference by being positive influence in their lives. Greg is passionate about teaching children new activities and showing them more positive, productive ways of living. Greg's philosophy, which he tries to instill in every child that he works with, is "not to let any issue or obstacle control you. You're always in control, whether you give that issue power or not."

Greg enjoys playing soccer, football, and basically any physical activity. He always loves dancing and tumbling and was even an Acrobat/Performer for Universal Studios.

Tyrus Cooper

Senior Mentor

Over the past few years, Tyrus has served as an Executive Administrative Assistant for an IT consulting firm. In this position, he was responsible for meeting planning (virtually and face to face), website/customer service management to name a few. His structured background and international travels have helped him become a well rounded (cultured) individual and an effective communicator.

In 2009 he began mentoring at-risk youth through a program with Children’s Home Society. Since then, he has become certified as a Foster Care/Adoptive parent, with the intent to be an advocate for our youth. He believes that he is finding his calling as he devotes his time to increase the light inside you to shine for all to see.

In his free time, he appreciates capturing the beauty of our world through his camera, keeping a photo journal of his life’s adventures. He also appreciates a wide variety of music, movies, and food. His personal mantra is to try something new. This, he believes, helps him live adventurously while maintaining respect and admiration for all cultures.

Marlon Akbar

Senior Mentor

“Act like the person you want to become.”

-John C. Maxwell

-Graduated from St. Josephs Academy High School

-Associate of Arts Degree from Daytona State College

-Currently studying Emerging Media Management at UCF

In pursuit of becoming a successful and world-renowned entrepreneur.

-Reading, Studying Topics of Interest, Rock Climbing, Working Out.

Psychology, Communication, Astronomy, Ecology, Culture, Entrepreneurship, Fitness & Athletics, Nutrition.

-To me, mentoring is more than just teaching people how to learn and grow from their occurrences. It’s about giving individuals a figure of inspiration of which they aspire to become. It’s about providing people with ears to listen, words of encouragement and motivation, and the ability to see them not for who they are today but for who they will become when the rest of the world has become deaf, blind and mute. If I am able to implement these characteristics into just a few, then I would consider my life to be an incredible success since it is not entirely just what we do whiles we reside within this world that matters, but what we leave behind for others. The opportunity to be able to make such a profoundly positive impact within the lives of individuals and, in turn, the lives of which they will impact, makes mentoring incredibly enjoyable. 

Xavier Latortue

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Tanner Fleming

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Brandon Ha

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Darius Dwyer

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Jonathan Peoples

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

George Muniz

Mentor

Education – school, and degree (include education goals): gateway high school: high school diploma

Valencia college: associates degree

Hobbies: Watching movies, playing videogames, working out, and driving.

Interests: Learning new things, watching media like movies, shows, and videos.

What you enjoy about mentoring: I like having kids but not actually having kids, I like learning things from my kids, I enjoy seeing them smiling and happy. I like teaching them new things as well. 

Jake Wexler

Mentor

Favorite quote:

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is You-er than You.”- Dr. Seuss

Education – school and degree (include education goals):

Senior at the University of Central Florida (BSBA)

Potentially aiming for a teaching certification

Hobbies:

Playing Sports

Videogames

Board games

Interests:

Watching sports

Puzzles

Math

What you enjoy about mentoring:

As someone who has worked at a summer camp and a nursing home, I have discovered that the most rewarding thing I can do is give back. Being a mentor would allow me to make a positive impact on the community around me while also being a role model for the youth.

Israel Perez

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Jonathan Moore

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

Matthew Evans Spates

Mentor

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given

us.”

Bachelor’s in Bible and Theology with a Youth Ministry Emphasis.

Hope to finish my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

I like to walk my dog and play Ultimate Frisbee.

I enjoy connecting with the youth and reminding

them that someone cares about them and their future.

Richard Jones

Mentor

Bio to be published soon!

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