Our Team
While there are now PATCH programs across the country, these are the humans at PATCH headquarters who help make it all happen and keep the PATCH magic alive.
The team behind the scenes brings energy, heart, and a whole lot of fun to the work every day.
Amy Olejniczak, MS, MPH
Founder & Executive Director
amy@patchprogram.org | LinkedIn
Amy (she/her) launched PATCH back in 2010 and has remained at the helm through every chapter of growth and replication. She is a key contact for organizational agreements, financials, and other formalities, and is always available to offer extra support, insight, and many years of lessons learned.
Chelsea Aeschbach, MPH, MCHES
Director of Impact & Strategic Storytelling
chelsea@patchprogram.org | LinkedIn
Chelsea (she/her) has been with PATCH for over a decade! She's our behind-the-scenes evaluation whiz. She digs into program data and documentation, making sense of what it all means, and turning it into stories that help us learn, improve, and share our work with the world.
Erica Koepsel, MA
Director of Youth Engagement
erica@patchprogram.org | LinkedIn
Erica (she/her) and PATCH go way back to 2015! While she always loves working alongside youth, the very best part of her job is coaching other adults in authentic youth engagement and all things PATCH! Erica is often the first person people turn to for any PATCH-related programming and implementation questions. If she doesn't know the answer, she can definitely connect you with someone who does!
James (Jay) Woods, BA, MSW-Candidate
Mental Health & Inclusion Specialist
Jay (he/him) joined PATCH in 2022. He brings expertise in peer support and mental health to ensure youth with lived experience in mental health and complex health care needs are meaningfully included — in our own PATCH work and in the broader adolescent health efforts we support.
Kendra Parks
Teen Consultant Program Coordinator
kendra@patchprogram.org | LinkedIn
Kendra (she/her) joined PATCH in 2024 as the Green Bay Teen Educator Program Coordinator. She now runs our statewide Wisconsin Teen Consultant Program and through her experience running multiple PATCH programs she's an expert in PATCH facilitation & resources.
Kiana Gasch, BA
Teen Educator Program Coordinator
kiana@patchprogram.org | LinkedIn
Kiana (she/her) joined the PATCH team in 2024 and has worn many hats! Today, she coordinates the PATCH Madison Teen Educator Program and acts as a point of contact for our statewide partnerships. With her all-around experience with PATCH she is ready to help you partner on all aspects of our work.