About me
Drake Shrader is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and development. He has a long track record of designing, developing and implementing performing arts based programs that foster collaboration, build community, and develop leadership skills for youth. His story is not just about creating programs; it's about shaping futures and empowering the next generation to become leaders of impact and purpose.
Drake's journey began with contributions to the South Bend Civic Theatre from 2015-2016, where he worked on various youth productions and was part of a team tasked with designing and leading the organization's summer theatre programming. In 2016, he co-founded United Youth Theatre (UYT) with colleague Clare Costello. UYT is a year-round youth performing arts organization with a mission of instilling confidence, fostering creativity, and building trust and respect for EVERY kid through the arts. Drake served as Artistic Director of the organization from 2016-2021 and now serves as Board Vice President and a director of multiple UYT productions each year. Drake's directorial work at UYT extends beyond the stage, where he delivers not just theatrical performances but life-changing experiences for youth across Michiana. Shrader is guided by the mantra, "I’m not here to send you to Broadway, I’m here to help you grow as a leader and develop skills that you can use for the rest of your life.”
From 2020-2023 Shrader dedicated 3 impactful years of work to the South Bend Community School Corporation, with the district's Department of Student Services. In his role with the corporation Drake spearheaded multiple initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion including; designing youth summer arts program curriculums, supporting the district's My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative, and helping with the planning and execution of the annual Thought Leadership Conference.
His commitment to making a difference in the lives of youth extends to the national stage, as he currently serves as the Development Manager of National Expansion for Youth Guidance, a national nonprofit. In this capacity, Drake engages in national fundraising efforts, with a focus on securing grants and corporate philanthropy to support school-based counseling programs aimed at ensuring academic success and lifelong achievements for young individuals.
Driven by a relentless commitment to growing his work in the arts and making a profound impact on the lives of young people, Drake recently founded Champions For Youth. This startup organization is dedicated to championing youth to reach their full potential by creating spaces for collaboration, community, and cultivating leadership skills through the arts.
Drake received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!) and his Masters in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!). Drake thanks you for attending this session today and looks forward to sharing the transformative power of the arts with you.
