About Us
Sharing our voices for good
The Wyoming Youth and Young Adult (YaYA) Council is a group of young Wyomingites who are connected and committed to co-creating hope with our state’s young people and those who care about us.
YaYA’s mission is to create an engaging environment among Wyoming’s youth and young adults to improve our health and wellbeing through connection to resources, education, community, and policy.
Meet our Staff
The YaYA Council is facilitated by staff at Susan Markus, PhD,
Counseling & Consulting, LLC.
Susie Markus, YaYA Coordinator
I’m a Wyoming native. I’m a counselor, and have always worked toward a hopeful Wyoming for youth and families, no matter what my job has been. Coordinating the YaYA Council is a dream come true for me, because I feel that young people’s voices, experiences and wisdom have been missing for far too long in our work. Listening to youth and young adults as they set directions and foster change for their futures is a chance for us to heal and move forward together in hope.
Baylee Markus, Assistant Coordinator
Hi, I’m Baylee Markus! I am the Assistant Coordinator of the Wyoming YaYA council. My job includes coordinating meetings, finding opportunities to share voices, and building connections between youth and young adults. The best part of my job is listening to council members share their experiences, ideas, and solutions.
Arianna Fischer
Arianna is passionate about giving people a voice and ending the stigma that surround suicide and mental illness. “My heart is with the youth and the endless possibility for greatness they possess. Being a part of YaYA will help bring voices to youth across the state of Wyoming that aren’t being heard. I hope YaYA can bring the ability to build relationships and connections to provide an abundance of safety, security, access to health, education and above all else hope for all ages throughout Wyoming.
Sam Markus, Marketing Coordinator
Sam is passionate about story-telling and amplifying youth voices. “I believe that our council’s opportunity to share our lived experiences is extremely important. We have so many unique stories among our members that will inspire Wyoming youth and change our state for the better. I want to bring awareness to health care access, mental health resources and sources of strength for anyone that is struggling.”