For more than two decades, Yanira Medina, Senior Program Manager/WIB Program Manager at the Father Center of New Jersey, has dedicated her career to helping people overcome barriers, boost their confidence and find stable employment.
Before joining The Father Center of New Jersey, Yanira spent 16 years at Opportunities for All assisting individuals reentering the community after incarceration, and later worked with an agency supporting people with disabilities as they prepared for work. “I’ve always believed in leading with kindness,” she says. “A lot of these guys need someone who will listen.”
At The Father Center of New Jersey, Yanira plays a central role in several workforce programs, including Drive2Independence, Travel for Success and Skills2Prosper. She recruits participants, coordinates classes, partners with instructors, conducts evaluations and helps clients explore careers through hands-on experiences and job sampling. She also brings in guest speakers, organizes creative activities and develops workshops that keep participants engaged and motivated.
Her recent Career Exploration Scavenger Hunt and Career Exploration Bingo events were real hits with our participants. She made it fun and interesting to explore job opportunities.
No matter what the task, Yanira gives it her all. And she is always approachable and helpful. Participants will often stop by just to talk. And she will always make space for them. Whether concerns are job-related or personal, she offers empathy, steadiness and respect. “Whatever I ask them, they support me,” she says. “Relationships should be built on trust and mutual respect.”
Some of Yanira’s favorite moments are when men who completed their 30-week program return—employed, proud and eager to say hello. “It’s beautiful when someone comes back just to tell us they still have their job,” she says. “This is their safe space.”
Outside of work, Yanira lives in Hamilton and is a devoted mother to two daughters—one a recent college graduate, the other still in school. She is also a cancer survivor, carrying her resilience into every part of her life.
