Introducing the 2025 NWF Education & Engagement Youth Advisory Council

The National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Education & Engagement (E&E) team is thrilled to introduce the 2025 Youth Advisory Council (YAC). This dynamic group of 14 young leaders, ages 18-28, brings a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, climate action, and youth leadership.

A Critical Role in Youth Leadership

The Youth Advisory Council will play a vital role in guiding the Education & Engagement team’s youth leadership programs, working alongside NWF staff to provide recommendations, evaluate engagement strategies, and shape long-term visions for youth engagement. Their contributions amplify young voices in the environmental movement, fostering inclusivity, equity, and action-oriented change.

Beyond their advisory role, YAC members are provided professional development opportunities, including webinars and meet-and-greets with a range of sustainability professionals and a Green Careers Workshop. These experiences connect them with other young leaders from across the conservation, sustainability, and environmental education sectors, helping them to navigate an ever-evolving green careers space.

Meet the 2025 Youth Advisory Council

Spanning the country from New Mexico to Wisconsin to Maine, this year’s YAC members were selected for their innovative approaches, advocacy experience, and commitment to youth leadership in the environmental and climate movements. Their expertise spans climate justice, artistic activism, Indigenous environmentalism, sustainable agriculture, and environmental education, among numerous other areas of work and interest.

The Council reflects a wide spectrum of academic, professional, and personal experiences.  Some members bring valuable skills developed through NWF and affiliated programs including Earth Tomorrow, the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force (CRETF), Certified Wildlife Habitat® and Confluence of Young Conservation Leaders (CYCL). Others draw from their studies at respected academic institutions across the country, including the University of South Florida, Ozarks Technical College, University of Texas, Carnegie Mellon University, Berry College, Louisiana State University, and the University of Michigan.

This wealth of lived and learned experience is further reflected in the professional roles held by many Council members, with titles such as Tribal Conservation Program Fellow at the Biodiversity Funders Group, Climate Adaptation Resident for the Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA), and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Good Sky Guidance. This diversity of backgrounds and expertise strengthens the Council’s ability to tackle pressing environmental challenges from multiple angles, ensuring that the future of E&E youth leadership programming remains grounded in youth perspectives and lived experiences.

We proudly welcome the following representatives to this year’s Council:

• Alicia Fontenot – Houston, TX
• Aleena Siddiqui – Grosse Pointe, MI
• Ashley Chumakunetsa – Mount Berry, GA
• Bazile Minogiizhigaabo Panek – Ashland, WI
• Estelle Long – Bradenton, FL
• Jackson Byrd – Springfield, MO
• Kaitlyn Thomas – Jennings, LA
• KC Young – Altadena, CA
• Ray Mills – Bryant Pond, ME
• Kianna Pete – Farmington, NM
• Maggie Handelman – Brooklyn, NY
• Mandy Tran – Katy, TX
• Olivia Yim – New York, NY
• Sami Maldonado – Crystal, MN

We are honored to support and learn from these extraordinary young leaders. Stay tuned for updates on their work and contributions as they continue to drive youth-led change for a more just and sustainable future for people and wildlife!