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Leadership of Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth undergoing changes
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Jan. 26, 2012 | 8:29 a.m.
The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth on Wednesday reinstated its executive director, who earlier this month filed a complaint alleging that the nonprofit's founder had misappropriated funds.
Meanwhile, founder Kathleen Vermillion said she would be leaving the partnership.
"I am too much of a liability," Vermillion said. "I care enough about this organization to step aside."
Vermillion said she had been speaking with other charitable groups about absorbing her organization, which provides services to homeless teenagers. Providing further evidence of conflict within the organization, the board said it is not engaging in any discussions with other groups about a possible takeover.
The partnership's board of directors reinstated executive director Arash Ghafoori on Wednesday after he was placed on administrative leave Jan. 3.
Ghafoori filed a complaint with the attorney general's office on Jan. 11 alleging misappropriation of funds by founder and Chief Operating Officer Vermillion. Vermillion said that the allegations brought against her are false and that she believes documents have been falsified.
"I am not stealing from my charity," Vermillion said.
According to an email obtained by the Review-Journal, Vermillion placed Ghafoori on leave "by unanimous vote of the executive committee."
Vermillion wrote "this action is solely due to an allegation that you shared employee health related information with a representative of Clark County."
Adam Levine, Ghafoori's attorney, said Ghafoori was asked by the board to return to work on Wednesday.
Even as Ghafoori resumes his role, Vermillion said she is finalizing a "separation agreement" removing her from the partnership.
She said she does not want the organization to be punished because of the lawsuit she filed against Clark County and ex-boyfriend and Clark County Commission Steve Sisolak alleging defamation and invasion of privacy.
"The partnership receives more than $400,000 a year from the county for direct services," said Vermillion, who added she is on a medical leave of absence from the organization. "Given the mere fact that I filed the lawsuit and how ugly and specious the publicity has been, I don't see myself as an asset to the agency and them being able to secure those grants next year. It is in their best interest that I step aside."
Vermillion said she has been meeting with other organizations to discuss a possible merger.
"Everyone can see where this is going," Vermillion said. "It's going to inevitably be absorbed by a larger agency."
But the partnership released a contradictory statement that said the board of directors and the partnership's management staff "are not in any formal or informal discussions with the WestCare Foundation and HELP of Southern Nevada to take over."
Terrie D'Antonio, president and CEO of HELP of Southern Nevada, said Vermillion contacted the organization Monday about taking over the nonprofit. D'Antonio even got permission from HELP's board to discuss a "possible merger."
"If it is in the best interests of HELP of Southern Nevada and our current youth shelter, we would certainly look into it," D'Antonio said. HELP "will do anything that we can to assist when it comes to the kids."
HELP took over the Shannon West Homeless Youth Center, a shelter that houses up to 64 youths, four years ago when the couple who founded it retired.
WestCare CEO and President Richard Steinberg was unavailable for comment.
A statement released by the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth said, "NPHY services have not been affected by recent situations and continues to fulfill its crucial community function of serving countless youth in crisis throughout Southern Nevada with absolutely no interruption in service delivery."
Reporter Lynnette Curtis contributed to this report. Contact View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 702-387-5201.
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Winslow Boy, I agree with you on many points, but I have to step in here and at least for the sake of balance add a different perspective when it comes to Arash Ghafoori. I have had personal contact with Mr. Ghafoori on several occasions myself and I cannot believe that anyone that has spent time with him would say that his wisdom is "limited" comparing him to other 28 year olds. It certainly far surpasses that of an average 28 year old. My colleagues in the state nonprofit community and I would rank him as one of the most brilliant and mature young men we have ever run across and we have held this position for at least the last 24 months. He's extremely well read and educated and his mentors have been many in education and business that are very successful. That's how he ended up at UWSN to consult in metric advancement. He wasn't there to be "mentored" by Dan Goulet and he certainly didn't go to Kathleen to be "mentored." I also know that he is a member of the Mensa Society and has a father that is a University Professor for god's sake, so before we paint an oversimplified picture here in the public I think we should consider that this is not a normal 28 year old by any measure. And no, I don't have a dog in the fight, I'm not a family member and I haven't talked to him since soon after he took the job so this is entirely unsolicited. I'm just somebody that has been working in the community for years that has been very impressed with him over time.
Too bad the new board can't put it's own ego on ice and look to eliminate duplication of services and come together with Help or Catholic Youth charities and ask both or either for their receivership. Arash appears to be a well intentioned young man but his mentors have been now two failed executive directors and not much more from Nevada.s tich culture of charity and non profit experts and practioneers. My own personal contact with him has demonstrated that his wisdom is that of most 28 year-olds: limited. Arash was on those junkets with Kathleen. And Arash began only to speak up when his own tenure with the charity became uncrtain uncertain. He could be a executive director one he clears out the friendship cronies Kathleen hired and begins to invite the best and the brightest of western colleges and universities social services graduates to spend tow years with the charity and ties their service to the retirement of college loan debts, etc.
Why is it when they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they suddenly have some medical episode to explain their behavior?
Yep, she needs to just go away, or be put away!
There are too many bogus charities out there to keep track of. I don't care about the scams which only swindle private donors. I'm strongly offended by the ones which use their political connections to get government (taxpayer) money.
This just show you how that line about "our government has the fewest number of employees per capita" is totally BOGUS. Employees of scam, politically connected charities the government picks as "outsourcees", don't get counted.
Vermillion said The partnership receives more than $400,000 a year from the county for direct services
Another scam charity leeching off of you and me.
Let's get this straight. "I am not stealing from my charity." First of all...The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth is NOT Kathleen's charity. Yes she may have been the founder and she may think she "owns" this group as demonstrated by her controlling behaviors over the past few years. But this is a nonprofit group governed by a board of directors made up of all volunteers that get no pay or profit. They are volunteers doing good work and giving of their time. It's unfortunate that she has misled them and put them in this position. She has no right to be negotiating deals with other groups especially under these circumstances. If she really cares about the charity she will just go away quietly and let the board and Ghafoori do his job. She is hurting too many people including the youth and the people who support the charity.
"...I'm too much of a liability..." Truer words were never spoken! After she filed the false charges against Sisolak, (and she faces the music), she will see how deep she is in the cesspool.
I guess if she stole anymore it would push her into higher tax bracket.