Meet the APEX Team

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Written by Lisa FItzpatrick

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Lisa Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, is a former healthcare executive who has over 20 years of management and public health policy experience. She has also owned and operated a regional technology company, as well as the founder of APEX Community Advancement, Inc.  She also currently serves as Director of Emerging Ministries at Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church as a Supply Pastor.

In addition to her management technology experience, Mrs. Fitzpatrick has extensive experience in the arts.  Dancing and singing since age 3, Lisa’s resume includes stage and television appearances throughout the U.S. and Mexico, in top venues in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New York and more.  She has toured the United States with a professional stage group, as well as appearing on stage, film and television.

After an injury ended her professional entertainment career, Lisa founded The Early Parenting Center in Southern California.  The Center offered education and ancillary support services for women and their families as well as physician and staff training at major hospitals and medical facilities throughout Southern California, to improve outcomes for pregnancy and early childhood, lower healthcare costs, and increase accessibility.  The board of advisors for The Early Parenting Center included some of the most well-known names in Women/Infant/Children care including Dr. William Sears.  Her credentials include Certified Perinatal Educator, Certified Parenting Instructor, Certified CPR Instructor (expired), Certified Adult Educator, Certified Exercise and Fitness Instructor and others.Sr. Mary Lou Specha, PBVM, a Sister of the Presentation for over 25 years is an experienced Non-profit Executive.  Sr. Specha most recently served as the Executive Director of Café Reconcile.  Sr. Specha has a  decade of nonprofit leadership and administration and a career devoted to programming for youth and young adults.   Sr. Specha has experience in strategic planning, nonprofit board development, and fiscal reporting.  Sr. Specha also served  as Director of Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa. Her commitment to working with young adults was developed through years of overseeing leadership development and peer ministry programs for college students. Organizing service trips for those students to New Orleans post-Katrina ignited her passion for the city and its people and inspired her move to New Orleans to serve the Central City neighborhood.  

Sr. Mary Lou Specha, PBVM, Program Director, a Sister of the Presentation for over 25 years is an experienced Non-profit Executive.  Sr. Specha most recently served as the Executive Director of Café Reconcile.  Sr. Specha has a  decade of nonprofit leadership and administration and a career devoted to programming for youth and young adults.   Sr. Specha has experience in strategic planning, nonprofit board development, and fiscal reporting.  Sr. Specha also served  as Director of Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa. Her commitment to working with young adults was developed through years of overseeing leadership development and peer ministry programs for college students. Organizing service trips for those students to New Orleans post-Katrina ignited her passion for the city and its people and inspired her move to New Orleans to serve the Central City neighborhood.  

Olivia Brown, Education and Volunteer Coordinator, is a native of the South Carolina Lowcountry and received her B.S. in Biology and Sociology from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. Miss Brown is driven by her belief that no matter where a child is born, his/her socioeconomic status, or family situation that if given qualityhealthcare/health education, a great formal education and a supportive environment that the rifts and divides that separate us will lessen.  She believes that every child should be given a chance to make their dreams a reality. After graduating from the College of Charleston she worked at the Medical University of South Carolina’s Children’s Hospital as clinical associate in the Infant and Toddler unit and later for the Hospital’s Medically Fragile Children’s Program working with medically complex foster children. Her passion for children’s health along with a belief in health equity led Miss Brown to pursue an MPH focusing in Global Maternal and Child Health. As a master’s candidate at Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Miss Brown worked on issues that affect mothers and children, health equity and health disparities through her work as a research assistant for Dr. MarkDal Corso in the area of cultural competence and also as an intern with both World Vision’s Maternal Newborn and Child Health division, the Tulane-Rand Community Health worker Institute and the APECX Community Center. At Tulane University Miss Brown also enjoyed the privilege of being a maternal and child health leadership scholar. Following graduation Miss Brown worked with The Learning Place in South Carolina to enrich the educational experience of Children in the Bluffton area.  Believing that every child deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy and full life, Olivia Brown plans to continue to work on issues that address disparities within child and adolescent health by joining the APEX Community Center.

Danny Fitzpatrick, "Mr. D", Facilities Manager, formerly served on the Board of Directors of Webster Habitat For Humanity and a former Vice-President of that organization.

Mr. Fitzpatrick’s background is in Corporate Finance, Mortgage Banking, and Major Project Funding.  His extensive sales background includes advertising, real-estate, retail chains and major purchases.  His high-level Executive Management experience with such firms as Mariani-Buss (owners of the Lakers Sports Franchise as well as major sports venues and office properties) A.G. Spanos (Major developer and owner of mega-apartment complexes, retail space and office buildings) and Pacific-Ocean Finance give APEX Community Advancement, Inc. the benefit of having sound management, backed with decades of experience.  Mr. Fitzpatrick specialized in Finance as well as Major Property Management, overseeing as many as 10,000 units.  His previous experience leaves him well qualified to manage a large facility and to oversee staff and maintenance.

A Letter From Our Founder

Category: About Us

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Written by Lisa FItzpatrick

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Every Child Matters

Did you know..

• Louisiana has one of the worst teenage pregnancy rates in the nation.  By and large, these pregnancies are by choice.  Overwhelming when asked why this was their choice: “I just wanted someone to love me” is the reply.
• Many teenage boys have fathered multiple children by the time they are 21.  When asked why, most of them say they just want to have their life mean something to someone.
• Murder is the number one cause of death in Louisiana for African-American teens, ages 15-24, the second leading cause of death for all teens and youth nationwide. In New Orleans, the majority of the shooters are younger than the victims, often doing the bidding of adults, in a kill or be killed scenario.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among all young people ages 10 to 24.  Many teens when spoken to about the future, tell counsellors they don’t expect to have a future.
• Homicide and Suicide account for more deaths among young people than all other natural causes of death, such as disease and birth defects, COMBINED.

This Disease of Despair has reached epidemic proportions and it is killing our children, our future. But there is hope, for there is a light shining into the darkness of the urban night, at the very apex of our city.  APEX Youth Center offers teens a safe, positive, loving and structured place to learn, to dream and to grow.  APEX averages 40 to 80 kids every day, where they always receive a healthy snack and a hug.  We do a sit-down dinner on Thursday nights, feeding up to 60 hungry teens.  Every Saturday we do a community cook-out, feeding up to 100 family members. Teens come from all over the city to APEX to learn how to look at the world and their fellow human being in a different way. The over-riding theme is “Reconciliation, Never Retaliation”. This type of social learning through behaviour modelling has been shown to be one of the most effective means to develop high and long-term success in diverse demographics. That’s the clinical terminology.  We know it as being the hands and feet of Christ for the world.

One day I teased a carload of young men, as we were on our way to church, “So, why do you all want to come to church with this old lady?”.  “You are the first person to ever ask us.” was the reply.  One of the inspirations for APEX came a few years ago when a girl of 14 told me I was the first person to ever tell her she was precious, the first person to ever let her know that she mattered. I was completely struck. I vowed then that I would do everything in my power to never let another child in my community think they do not matter.  Join us in making this possible. Join us in our goal of Every Child Matters, as we reach children in our community and give them the tools and resources they need to succeed.  

Join us for our Grand Opening of our new APEX Youth Center this Saturday, Sept. 10 at noon.  

Sign up to volunteer, cook a meal, or sponsor an activity.  To find out more about how you can help, please visit come by or visit our website at www.ApexYouthCenter.org. 

Lisa Fitzpatrick,
Executive Director, APEX Community Advancement, Inc.

APEX Mission and Vision

Category: About Us

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Written by Lisa FItzpatrick

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Mission and Vision Statement

APEX Community Development, L.L.C.

“Improving Young Lives Through Education, Technology and the Arts”

The APEX was founded with the goal and purpose of “Improving Lives Through Education, Technology and The Arts”.   We believe our goals are best met by serving not only the adult population of our parish, but starting our children on the path to their future.

The APEX is a different type of community and youth center.  We provide not only structured activities, mentoring and tutoring, but will do so within a context of preparing our children to be productive and community-minded adults.  Our ultimate objective is to create cycles of creativity and accountability, therefore reducing cycles of poverty, crime, illiteracy and neglect.

We are committed to bringing to the children of New Orleans:

Accountable Programs that have personal and community value based on sound guidelines and curriculum.

Actionable Objectives that enrich the lives of children and teens and prepare them for adulthood through education and mentoring.

Tangible Results through production of products for the community at large, i.e. visual and fine art performances, art shows, websites and newspaper publication.

Sustainable Outcomes by partnering with other community based organizations and creating programs that teach and practice sustainability.*

The APEX Youth Center

Always Pursuing EXcellence

Accountable, Actionable, Tangible and Sustainable Excellence!  Our children deserve nothing less!

*AATS © 2008, Lisa Fitzpatrick, Vision To Purpose.

About APEX

Category: About Us

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Written by Lisa FItzpatrick

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APEX Community Advancement, Inc. was formed for the expressed purpose of supporting, innovating and creating programs and services focusing on the needs of young people from age 5 through 25 in our communities.  Our first goal and major project was to create a flagship youth/teen center and arts venue. 

The center services children, primarily ages 12 to 18, during the day, with special activities and programs in the evening targeted to teens and young adults between 15 and 25.  Mentorship training for older teens and young adults is offered side by side with our afternoon programming.  We purposely place every activity center, every piece of furniture, to allow small groups to interact with each other.  Volunteers circulate, and facilitate positive social interaction, teaching the necessary verbal and non-verbal communication skills to resolve conflict and develop relationships.  Homework help, tutoring, computer access, non-violent video games, a pool table and indoor and outdoor team sports and recreation are offered to allow the kids to experience real-life encounters in a safe and structured environment.  Journaling is encouraged, art supplies and stations are abundant, and a musical stage and open microphone provides the opportunity to be noticed above the crowd in a positive atmosphere.  Conflicts are often resolved with a game of pool, a football game, or a Dance Off.  We do offer classes in acting, art, music and dance, but truly the majority of our best work is done teaching the kids how to look at the world and their fellow human being in a different way.  The over-riding theme is “Reconciliation, Never Retaliation”. This type of social learning through behavior modeling has been shown to be one of the most effective means to develop high and long-term success in diverse demographics.  The APEX allows children and teens a positive, supervised, and structured atmosphere to play, learn, work, and dream.  APEX NOLA hopes to become a pilot and flagship model for other centers across the United States.