Training The Trainers At YETI
Training The Trainers At YETI
Written by Sarah Shinkman, Program Director
Posted: May 20, 2026. This article was originally shared in our Spring 2026 Newsletter.
Ten years ago, while I was working for the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA), I was approached about serving on the planning committee for a new conference in Oregon called the Youth Effectively Transitioning to Independence (YETI). Having spent most of my career prior to HFA and NEHA working with teens, I was eager for the opportunity to support this population of the bleeding disorders community. I’ve served on the YETI Committee since its inception.
YETI was created by Madonna McGuire Smith, Executive Director of Pacific Northwest Bleeding Disorders, to fill a gap in programming for teens within the bleeding disorders community. It is a train-the-trainer program that brings together partners who support teens in the bleeding disorders community, including regional organizations like NEHA and Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTCs) from New England and across the country. Teenage leaders from around the U.S. are also invited to participate, creating a collaborative space for learning, connection, and growth.
Most conference activities are led by GutMonkey and include highly interactive sessions that help attendees learn how to run effective teen programming back in their communities. Attendees also take part in the activities themselves to better understand the teen experience, allowing them to bring those insights back home.
YETI has served as the inspiration behind sessions like the fashion show activity we do at Family Camp and other NEHA events, cooking at our BLeaders Teen Retreat, and board breaking at several retreats. Several NEHA volunteers, staff, New England based HTC providers, and teens have attended over the past decade.
YETI not only teaches attendees about programming, it also provides insight into event management, risk management, volunteer support, and more. Learning from other chapter staff around the country about how they put on their teen programs is another highlight of the conference.
Because YETI brings together chapter staff, HTC staff, and teens, we’re able to talk in real time about how to apply what we’re learning back home. This hands-on, collaborative approach is one of my favorite parts of the conference—it gives us space to have the planning conversations that are often difficult to have once we return, and it helps keep us accountable. Having this dedicated time is essential and has been a major contributor to the program’s success.
Joanne Wagner, Social Worker at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center attended YETI in the past and reflected on her experience: “[YETI] was one of the most rewarding, beneficial, educating, energizing, challenging sessions I have been to. This program is a great investment in the growth of teens/young adults and our community. It brought chapters and HTC’s working closely with teens to address the needs to help our youth grow into educated, prepared, motivated adults. By working together we decrease confusion, duplication of resources and have a better chance of positive outcomes for our community.”
YETI has been hugely influential in my experience leading programs for the bleeding disorders community. It has transformed my thinking around what’s possible for programming.
Photo: YETI attendees in Oregon in early 2026.