Our Staff

Director

kharp@ellington-ct.gov

860-870-3130 x2200

Kristen Harp is the Youth Services Director for the Town of Ellington. Kristen has a Bachelors in Sociology: Family and Gender Studies and a Masters in Elementary Education. She has worked in education in both urban and suburban settings for ten years before joining the Town of Ellington’s Youth Services Department.

Kristen has also completed certifications and trainings in Mental Health First Aid, QPR Gatekeeper, Psychological First Aid Responder, SOS, SBIRT, and Talk Saves Lives.

Kristen utilizes her education background to serve the community of Ellington while developing and promoting programs that focus on growth through creativity, diversity, equality, and leadership.

Assistant Director

EYS Alliance Co-Advisor

kbahler@ellington-ct.gov

860-870-3130 x2123

Kayla Bahler has worked at EYS in various roles for the past 10 years, with the current role as Assistant Director. She aims to provide community awareness & outreach while fostering emotional & physical safety for Ellington’s youth and families.

Kayla has worked with preschool aged children up to young adults. Kayla has vast amounts of training in this field including: state certified sexual assault counselor, tobacco treatment specialist, psychological first aid, mental health first aid, QPR gatekeeper, SOS, and a certified SMART Recovery Facilitator.

Kayla also has a passion for the arts which is shown through designing and illustrating our many publications, logos, and marketing materials.

Program Coordinator

EYS Alliance Co-Advisor

jmaitland@ellington-ct.gov

860-870-3130 x2126

Jessica Maitland has been a part of the EYS team since 2020. As program coordinator, Jessica works with preschool aged children up to young adults. She has taken on the role of incorporating mindfulness into many of Youth Services’ programs. She has completed a teacher training in yoga and mindfulness which focuses on the complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of students offered through Little Flower Yoga. Her other certificates include that in mental health first aid, psychological first aid, and Signs of Suicide trainer. Her most notable projects so far have been researching and creating mental health publications, leading elementary- aged emotional awareness classes, mentoring high school students, and offering conversations around managing anxiety.