Leadership:
Custom Trainings

YESS has trained 5,000+ mentors, teachers, parents, nonprofit teams, police officers, and other community leaders to develop skills in leadership, emotional intelligence, and professional development. 

These are the building blocks for success.
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Our Philosophy


Influencing schools, communities, and individuals starts from within, with introspection and deep emotional intelligence.


Our teaching style focuses on allowing participants to learn from peers. Our workshops are individually customized to fit your team's needs. We focus on the teacher, the adult, not on the student.

With 23+ years of experience, we have a proven track record of success in providing high quality leadership training to a diverse range of clients.

We offer a spectrum of workshop topics

All of which are crucial for leadership success. 

Here are just a few examples:
  • Burnout Prevention ("The Love Cup")
  • Self-Awareness & Emotional Management
  • Learning Solutions & Best Practices
  • Drug Awareness & Education
  • Accountability & Cooperation
  • Conflict & Ownership
In depth analysis
Market structure
Technical insight

Who we train

We provide training for individuals, CEOs, managers, mentors, police officers, community members & more!

Our aim

Our aim is for you to excel at social-emotional and leadership skills to help you to make better decisions as a leader in your field.

"As educators, we are often told that we are responsible for regulating students' behaviors.  I now know that's impossible without being able to regulate your own behavior first.”

- 2023 YESS Academy Workshop Participant

"Everything was outstanding! It was so easy to understand concepts and relate to them."

- 2023 Participant, Colorado Mentoring Summit 

"This was by far my favorite session of the summit!

- 2023 Workshop Participant, Colorado Mentoring Summit

"Refreshing look at self care & burnout. This was not the same type of self-care presentation that you hear over and over." 

- 2023 Workshop Participant, Colorado Mentoring Summit

"This workshop was extremely powerful and engaging. I would highly recommend others to take this workshop as well."

- 2023 YESS Academy Workshop Participant

Our workshops will teach you a variety of skill sets

Workshop Competencies

Taking
Accountability

Burnout
Prevention

Positive
Role Modeling

Behavioral Management

Setting
Boundaries

and much more!
Real-life skill development
Quality training by experts
Customized to your precise needs
Our team

Meet our facilitators

Carlo Kriekels
YESS Institute Co-Founder & CEO

Carlo co-founded the YESS Institute in 2001 to bring the benefits of emotional intelligence skills to youth and role models. He completed a 4-year program in Emotional Intelligence Coaching and has trained 4,000+ youth and role models at national, regional, and local conferences / workshops. He is the author of "The 9 Key Components of Peer Mentoring," and has received national & international awards for community / youth outreach, SEL curricula development, & leadership training.

Lex Rodriguez
Director of Training & Curriculum Development

Lex has a BA in Urban Sociology & Community Studies, MA in Curriculum & Instruction, and 15 years of experience working for non-profits and educational programs developing curriculum. She specializes in communication, restorative practices, and conflict resolution. Her work is rooted in Humanizing Pedagogy, Trauma-Informed care, and Restorative Justice. Lex strongly believes we must provide the building blocks for students to see the future they want to create.  

James Silva
YESS Institute Program Manager

James Victor Silva has deep cultural and historical roots within the mestizo Hispano people of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. He has served in various professional leadership roles in schools, scholarship boards, and social justice organizations; all with a primary focus on advocating for underrepresented communities and our diverse Latinx cultures. He views himself as a lifelong educator, advocate for underrepresented students and their families. 

Daniel Medina
Lincoln High School Program Director

Daniel dropped out of Lincoln High School as a freshman, became gang-involved and ran away from home. He was married by age 18 and by 30 he had six children. He eventually turned his life around, completed his GED, started his own construction company and volunteered as a sports coach. In 1999, Lincoln High School, struggling to reduce gang activity, asked him become the school’s community / attendance liaison and a coach. His hands-on model combined with the street-credibility earned as a result of his background has helped him connect with and help turn around many “lost kids”. 

Don't hesitate.

Take your leadership skills to the next level!

Check it out!

Watch as Carlo Kriekels gives a Leadership training to the Denver Police Department!
This training focuses on improving social and emotional skills, and practicing different ways to handle stressful situations.
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9 Key Components of Peer Mentoring

Check out our new Audiobook: 9 Key components of peer mentoring. Sign up now and get the first chap^ter for FREE!
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It all starts with the 9 Key Components of Peer Mentoring

Peer mentoring can be broken down into 9 key components:
  • Ownership
  • Recruitment
  • Retention
  • Training
  • Process
  • Logistics
  • Meaningful activities
  • Completion
  • Measuring Outcomes

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