The Team

We're a team of public policy enthusiasts

YIP's team is formed from a distinct group of young individuals, each demonstrating a profound commitment to a brighter future, selected through a rigorous process with a discerning 6-8% acceptance rate. This team, composed of founding members or those carefully elected by the Board to fill vacancies, is instrumental in driving the organization's vision. Their decisions play a critical role in shaping the direction and impact of YIP, ensuring a dynamic and forward-thinking approach.

Age

YIP is fully comprised of students aged 13-25.

Values

Each team member is trained on our core values.

Mobility

Comprised of young explorers, we cultivate a developmental ecosystem.

The Team

Lerman Waiss

Former Agriculture Policy Analyst

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Adithi Balaji

2025 Summer Fellow

Adithi Balaji is currently a high school senior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. She is passionate about advocacy for health equity, with a specific focus on the intersection of public policy and rural communities. She has drafted state-level legislation and won national competitions for her advocacy.

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Madeline Chae

2025 Summer Fellow

Madeline Chae is a visual arts student at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts dedicated to advancing equity in both arts and education. Through her work with the ACLU of Southern California—on initiatives such as My School My Rights and Arts Justice festivals—she channels her advocacy for restorative justice into creative, community-centered projects.‍

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Theresa Bartelme

2025 Summer Fellow

Theresa Bartelme is a current student at Harvard College passionate about tech policy and media protection.

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Nehal Trivedi

2025 Summer Fellow

Nehal Trivedi is a student at Wyomissing Area High School and is the founder of The Silent Stories, an organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of marginalized populations through storytelling. She has a strong interest in social justice, immigration policy, and human rights, and is actively involved in research and advocacy projects that aim to address systemic inequalities and promote equitable policy solutions. Through these projects, Nehal combines research, advocacy, and community engagement to promote social justice and raise awareness of the issues affecting marginalized populations.

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Jawad Hassan

2025 Summer Fellow

Jawad Hassan is pursuing bachelors of Government and Public Policy. He is a researcher at Youth forum for Kashmir. With an interest in human security and climate policy, he is passionate to explore how effective policies can change the facet of a policy problem

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Kaitlyn Letien

2025 Summer Fellow

Kaitlyn Letien is a student leader passionate about addressing wealth inequality and promoting business literacy for underprivileged communities. As the founder of Dreams to Business, she has led international chapters, published educational books, and created workshops to help youth turn ideas into real businesses. Kaitlyn also supports her community through global service projects and hopes to continue combining leadership, education, and advocacy to make an impact.

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Saasthra Bojja

2025 Summer Fellow

Saasthra Bojja is interested in the environment, economics, and policy, especially in the way the three can work together for a more sustainable and equitable future. Feel free to reach out with any comments or questions!

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Sofia R. Rodriguez

2025 Summer Fellow

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Kayla Johnson

2025 Summer Fellow

Kayla is an undergraduate student studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia. She is passionate about the intersections of technology and policy surrounding technology.

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Varun Manickam

2025 Summer Fellow

Varun Manickam is a Sociology and Humanities Honors student at the University of Texas at Austin within the Liberal Arts Honors program. He is passionate about environmental issues and their intersection with finance and public policy.

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Nurah Abokar

Development Intern

Nurah is a high school student from Los Angeles, California. She is passionate about international relations, civic engagement, and policy reform, particularly around issues about gender equality and human rights.

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Amelia Thompson

2025 Summer Fellow

Amelia Yuan is a high school student at the Castilleja School in California. She is passionate about civic engagement, voter rights, and strengthening youth and minority political participation.

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Sanya Matta

2025 Summer Fellow

Sanya Matta is a student at Bellevue High School with a strong interest in computer science and environmental justice. She is passionate about addressing environmental justice issues through research and advocacy. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, playing the violin, and spending time with friends.

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Lincoln Trumps

2025 Summer Fellow

Lincoln Trumps is a student at Lafayette High School in Louisiana. He has maintained a lifelong interest in policy and history ever since his first exposure to history books at his local library as a young child. Since then Lincoln has developed his interest into his role as Secretary General of Louisiana's Model United Nations and President of Speech & Debate. Recently, he had the opportunity to speak at a national Youth-Oriented PAC's Winter Gala and he looks forward to future involvement intending to major and specialize in political philosophy.

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Aleeza Siddique

2025 Summer Fellow

Aleeza is a student at Granite Bay High School, where she is involved in Model UN and Mock Trial, and is a captain of the Speech and Debate Team. Outside of school, she serves on her county’s youth commission and volunteers regularly with local nonprofits. She’s extremely passionate about tech policy: from AI to social media, she believes in the importance of youth voices being heard when it comes to conversations about the technology that’s shaped her generation, and recently spoke on a panel at ConnectSafely’s Safer Internet Day 2025. In the future, Aleeza hopes to major in political science and attend law school so that she can continue to make positive change in the world.

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Kenny Nava

2025 Summer Fellow

Kenny Nava is a student at Florida International University, pursuing a degree in Political Science and International Relations, with certificates and concentrations in the Middle East, Human Rights, and Political Transitions. He has engaged and studied in these fields since middle school, and it has cultivated a deep understanding of the intersections of governance, law, global justice, and peoples daily lives. His work reflects a commitment to the advancement of human rights and democracy globally. Aspiring to become a human rights lawyer, he aims to combine legal expertise with policy engagements to defend the rights and dignity of vulnerable people everywhere.

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Rehan Mahmood

2025 Summer Fellow

Rehan Mahmood is a student at Cary Academy with a keen interest in Nuclear Policy and Environmental Justice.

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Olivia Rodrigues

2025 Summer Fellow

Olivia Rodrigues is a student and local advocate. She is co-leader of the Social/Racial Justice team for her Youth Advisory Council, which comes up with policies and events to address the concerns of youth in connection with local government, and she is involved in an environmental justice youth committee. With a passion for social justice and anti-bigotry campaigns, especially in relation to voter rights, she hopes to continue to participate in organizations who align with these values.

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Jaylen Adams

2025 Summer Fellow

Jaylen Adams is a student at Columbia University pursuing a B.A. in Political Science and Creative Writing. As a Presidential Merit Scholar, she conducted research in Chile with Corporación Sopeña, a nonprofit serving low-income communities and asylum seekers. Passionate about service, she volunteers, including as a tutor for SOLA Afghanistan, a boarding school for Afghan girls. She has interned with the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism, the U.S. Senate, and National League of Cities. A Kluge Scholar, Jaylen is the founding managing editor of The Crown Magazine, Columbia’s first Black magazine.

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Swapnil Sujal

Policy Media OP-ED Staff Writer

Swapnil Sujal is a student at University of Delhi who aspires who study at the nexus of investigative journalism and state power. He serves as the op-ed staff writer at the policy media for the Institute for Youth in Policy

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Ritika Jayaprakash

2025 Summer Fellow

Ritika Jayaprakash is a student from Frisco, Texas with a strong interest in healthcare policy, journalism, and public health advocacy. Influenced by her family’s background in medicine and community health, she has pursued research and leadership opportunities that explore the intersections of healthcare access, economics, and social equity. Ritika has served as a health policy intern, chapter president for a biomedical outreach organization, and a TEDx speaker on youth mental health and chronic conditions. Her work spans policy analysis, scientific research, and public communication, reflecting her commitment to bridging the gap between complex policy issues and public understanding. She plans to continue engaging in initiatives that promote equitable healthcare systems while fostering informed civic dialogue.

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Jazmin Tamez

2025 Summer Fellow

Jazmin Tamez is a student at the South Texas Science Academy with a passion for advancing social justice through academia and advocacy. Her work reflects a strong commitment to exploring the intersections of law and human rights, seeking to address systemic inequities affecting minority and marginalized communities.

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Ameya Kandula

2025 Summer Fellow

Ameya attends UNC Chapel Hill, interested in the intersection between business and healthcare.

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Amelia Yuan

2025 Summer Fellow

Amelia Yuan is a high school student at the Castilleja School in California. She is passionate about civic engagement, voter rights, and strengthening youth and minority political participation.

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Melany Carmenaty-Martinez

2025 Summer Fellow

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Claire Chin

2025 Summer Fellow

Claire is a student at Monte Vista High School in the California Bay Area. She is passionate about civic engagement, history, and the intersection of public policy and economics.

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Adaobi Nwatu

Technology Policy Team Lead

Adaobi Nwatu is pursuing a B.Sc. in Data Sciences for Political Science and Journalism at American University. The core of their work is combining the integrity of journalism with the innovation of technology to explore how storytelling and empirical insight can inform ethical decision-making in fields like AI governance and digital media.

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