About Us
Kimberly Montes
Founder, President and Designer
Kimberly's childhood experience as a creative soul led to the pursuit of a Fine Arts education from West Chester University. In the years following graduation, Kimberly became a liberal arts educator to students ranging from grades K-8; this is where she discovered her passion for teaching. After 5 years of teaching, she felt the need to infuse creativity into her daily work & so she returned to pursue further education at Drexel University. From 2015-2018, Kimberly studied Interior Architecture and Design at the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. It was at Drexel U that she developed her love for community engagement and design. For her graduate thesis, Kimberly conducted boots-on-the-ground research of design & gentrification and their effects on lower-income communities. Her passion for education, the arts and design helped guide her towards the mission of YDP, granting inner-city students of Philadelphia early education and access to the principles and importance of design.
Kimberly's favorite thing about design is its ability to transform spaces and lives. It is profound!
Fun Fact: Kimberly is a certified Yoga instructor and Visual artist. She love's painting figures and flowers!
Marie Mastrobattista
Designer, Design Researcher, and Secretary
Marie graduated from Drexel University in 2020 with an M.S. in Interior Architecture and Design and an M.S. in Design Research. Her studies and thesis projects at Drexel focused on environmentally and socially sustainable design and the ways that design can help solve complex problems. Prior to this, Marie completed her undergraduate studies in Art History and Entrepreneurship at Rutgers University and worked as a museum educator and design historian. It was her experiences teaching others about design history that brought Marie to Philadelphia to study design in new capacities at Drexel. Marie hopes to bring her love of design problem solving infused with knowledge of design history to the projects she works on with YDP.
Marie's favorite thing about design is how vast of a world it is. There is always something new to learn!
Fun Fact: Marie enjoys spending free time at estate sales and flea markets searching for fun and unique furniture and decor.
Brianna Bacon
Assistant Designer and Treasurer
Brianna graduated from Arizona State University’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. She is passionate about introducing digital cartographic solutions that allow community members, business owners and other clientele to understand the demographic image of an area; ultimately, she hopes to help clients leverage this knowledge to create positive outcomes for their communities.
Brianna's favorite thing about design is its ability to solve problems. It is incredibly rewarding!
Fun Fact: Brianna is interested in bike riding, mentoring and civic engagement.
Emmy Montes
Grant and Media Coordinator
Emmy graduated from Pierce College in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in Legal Studies. She is currently enrolled at SNHU, pursuing a master's in English and Creative Writing. Emmy was raised in Philadelphia, and it gives her joy to be a part of an organization that allows inner-city students to learn design, an opportunity she didn't have as a child.
Emmy's favorite thing about design is the ability to be fully creative by mixing colors, metals, and textures, all while adding your flare!
Fun Fact: USA Today's Bestselling Author, Emmy, loves reading fiction, from romance to fantasy novels. In her free time, she enjoys locking herself away, typing furiously, to create her own stories.