WARREN — Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation have announced new staff positions created through the Strategic Partners Fellowship, which is supported by the Raymond John Wean Foundation.

In 2022, the Wean Foundation partnered with TNP and YNDC to launch the first fellowship cohort. In 2024, the new fellows continue the partnership’s intention to promote leadership development and racial equity in the nonprofit sector.

Kevin Stringer joins TNP as a community engagement coordinator. He will be responsible for program outreach for all TNP programs, and a direct focus on initiatives related to safe and healthy homes and outreach around lead safe housing.

A lifelong Warren resident, Stringer previously served as the coordinator for family engagement at Warren City Schools for 11 years, and he continues to serve on the boards of the Trumbull Memorial Health Foundation, Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board, Americorps Seniors and MYPath Mahoning Valley.

“I am thrilled to take on this new challenge where I can both apply my existing skill set and expand my knowledge base while serving the Warren community I love,” Stringer said.

Vi Aguirre is the community engagement manager for YNDC. She plays a lead role in organizing efforts around housing, community safety and other long standing issues affecting the quality of life in Youngstown’s neighborhoods.

Having arrived in the Mahoning Valley eight years ago, Aguirre has worked at Catholic Charities, helping the underresourced Hispanic community to access health care and legal services, among other things. Aguirre also worked for the state’s ASPIRE program, for which she taught English to speakers of foreign languages.

Aguirre serves on the board of Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership and plans to start her MPA program at the University of Phoenix this fall.

“I’m excited and honored to have the opportunity to be in this fellowship,” Aguirre said. “I am looking forward to learning new skills and bringing those skills back to my community so that my efforts have a greater impact.”