We're the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). This summer, we asked: "What does real youth advocacy look like?" Then we answered it! We created this project to share our lived experiences, the lessons we've learned, and our vision for necessary change.
from voice to power
CHECK IT OUT!
from voice to power
2025 YAB Summer Project
Who We Are
We want YOU to explore our work and join the conversation! Explore this digital hub and see how youth perspectives can transform systems.
go to hub
MEET THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD
Penelope Oliver
Saran Tugsjargal
Ella Kligman
Laura Lo
Chaitanya Verma
Jazmine Cardenas
Jolie Zhou
Journey
We want YOU to explore our work and join the conversation! Explore this digital hub and see how youth perspectives can transform systems.
go to hub
from voice to power
PRESENTATION: How do we get youth, representation in spaces of policy?
BLOG POST: Wellness at scale: Rethinking mental health care for youth
We created "From Voice to Power" - our youth-led digital platform showcasing perspectives on mental health and social justice. Explore our content through four icons, each offering unique insights. Browse all sections for a complete view of our initiative!
ANIMATED SHORT: Pulling Through – Trichotillomania Mental Health & Hair Pulling Disorder Awareness
INFOGRAPHIC: Foster Youth and Education Policy
Meet YAB Members
How do we get youth, representation in spaces of policy?
Open PDF
back to hub
Wellness at scale: Rethinking mental health care for youth
GUEST BLOG BY Ella Kligman, Youth Advisory Board Member
The youth mental health crisis has gained significant investment and attention over the past few years, but outcomes haven’t seemed to improve. This isn’t the case for other diseases like cancer and heart disease. So why are mental health outcomes not improving despite investment, attention, and research?
I believe it is due to an overreliance on traditional care models. Conventional mental health care models fall short because they fail to meet the unique needs of young people. These models tend to focus on how to get youth out of an immediate crisis but don’t help with prevention and early intervention to stop youth from developing more severe mental illnesses.
Re-thinking conventional care models to ensure they teach young people how to manage their mental health before it is in a crisis state. These models must be easily teachable so they can be applied at scale, to improve the mental health of millions of young people.
What is Wellness?
Adding a wellness approach to conventional care models could help to improve the mental health of millions of young people. Unlike traditional models, wellness practices have a more holistic view of one's health, keeping in mind...
Read Full Article
back to hub
pulling through - animated short
back to hub
Info
foster youth and education policy
back to hub
Laura Lo
Age: 17 Area: LA County/Diamond Bar
Fact About Me I speak 3 languages! Interests Mental Health, Gender Equity, Education
Jolie Zhou
Age: 16 Area: Santa Clara County/Palo Alto
Fact About Me In my free time, I like to write poetry and prose, learn the guitar, and dance! Interests Foster Youth, Policy, Data Analysis, Education, Child Welfare
Journey
Age: 15 Area: Ventura County
Fact About Me I love oranges, the color, the fruit, and the scent. Interests Mental Health, Policy Making, and Social Justice
2025 YAB Summer Project
We created "From Voice to Power" - a youth-led digital hub sharing our perspectives on mental health, advocacy, and social justice. We asked: "How can we move from just listening to youth voices to actually sharing decision-making power with young people?" Through stories, accessible policy information, and creative media, we went beyond merely speaking up about important issues. We demonstrated how meaningful change happens when young people have real power in mental health systems, advocacy work, and community support.
Who We Are
The YAB (Youth Advisory Board) is a diverse group of young leaders brought together by the CA Alliance Catalyst Center to bridge the gap between youth and decision-makers. We use our lived experiences to drive change through advocacy, policy work, and system transformation. Through meetings, projects, and stakeholder engagement, we ensure youth voices shape decisions affecting young people. A highlight of our work is our annual summer project addressing youth-identified issues.
Meet YAB Members
Ella Kligman
Age: 16 Area: Oakland
Fact About Me I love playing guitar Interests Mental Health Policy
Saran Tugsjargal
Age: 18 Area: Alameda County
Fact About Me Saran's a certified belayer, memorized over 500+ names, and loves connecting people to opportunities! Interests Policy, Mental Health, Education, Juvenile Justice, & Social Welfare
Chaitanya Verma
Age: 17 Area: Alameda County
Fact About Me My favorite book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. I also love the arts and hibiscus flowers. Interests Medicine, Psychiatry, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Education, Women's Health, Equity
Penelope
Age: 18 Area: Sacramento
Fact About Me One of my hobbies is Latin & Ballroom dance! Interests Equitable mental health resources, trauma informed programs for marginalized youth and children
Jazmine Cardenas
Age: 16 Area: Los Angeles County
Fact About Me I have a golden chihuahua named Cinnamon! Interests Policy, specifically regarding young people and mental health!
https://linktr.ee/chaitanya.verma
Through this film and storytelling, Chaitanya hopes to spark dialogue, build community, and bring representation to spaces where it’s often missing. Above all, she wants to humanize these experiences and remind others: you are not alone, recovery is possible, and you are beautiful (with or without hair), at every stage of your evolution. Come as you are. To learn more about the film, click here:
From Voice to Power: 2025 YAB Summer Projec
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Transcript
We're the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). This summer, we asked: "What does real youth advocacy look like?" Then we answered it! We created this project to share our lived experiences, the lessons we've learned, and our vision for necessary change.
from voice to power
CHECK IT OUT!
from voice to power
2025 YAB Summer Project
Who We Are
We want YOU to explore our work and join the conversation! Explore this digital hub and see how youth perspectives can transform systems.
go to hub
MEET THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD
Penelope Oliver
Saran Tugsjargal
Ella Kligman
Laura Lo
Chaitanya Verma
Jazmine Cardenas
Jolie Zhou
Journey
We want YOU to explore our work and join the conversation! Explore this digital hub and see how youth perspectives can transform systems.
go to hub
from voice to power
PRESENTATION: How do we get youth, representation in spaces of policy?
BLOG POST: Wellness at scale: Rethinking mental health care for youth
We created "From Voice to Power" - our youth-led digital platform showcasing perspectives on mental health and social justice. Explore our content through four icons, each offering unique insights. Browse all sections for a complete view of our initiative!
ANIMATED SHORT: Pulling Through – Trichotillomania Mental Health & Hair Pulling Disorder Awareness
INFOGRAPHIC: Foster Youth and Education Policy
Meet YAB Members
How do we get youth, representation in spaces of policy?
Open PDF
back to hub
Wellness at scale: Rethinking mental health care for youth
GUEST BLOG BY Ella Kligman, Youth Advisory Board Member The youth mental health crisis has gained significant investment and attention over the past few years, but outcomes haven’t seemed to improve. This isn’t the case for other diseases like cancer and heart disease. So why are mental health outcomes not improving despite investment, attention, and research? I believe it is due to an overreliance on traditional care models. Conventional mental health care models fall short because they fail to meet the unique needs of young people. These models tend to focus on how to get youth out of an immediate crisis but don’t help with prevention and early intervention to stop youth from developing more severe mental illnesses.
Re-thinking conventional care models to ensure they teach young people how to manage their mental health before it is in a crisis state. These models must be easily teachable so they can be applied at scale, to improve the mental health of millions of young people. What is Wellness? Adding a wellness approach to conventional care models could help to improve the mental health of millions of young people. Unlike traditional models, wellness practices have a more holistic view of one's health, keeping in mind...
Read Full Article
back to hub
pulling through - animated short
back to hub
Info
foster youth and education policy
back to hub
Laura Lo
Age: 17 Area: LA County/Diamond Bar
Fact About Me I speak 3 languages! Interests Mental Health, Gender Equity, Education
Jolie Zhou
Age: 16 Area: Santa Clara County/Palo Alto
Fact About Me In my free time, I like to write poetry and prose, learn the guitar, and dance! Interests Foster Youth, Policy, Data Analysis, Education, Child Welfare
Journey
Age: 15 Area: Ventura County
Fact About Me I love oranges, the color, the fruit, and the scent. Interests Mental Health, Policy Making, and Social Justice
2025 YAB Summer Project
We created "From Voice to Power" - a youth-led digital hub sharing our perspectives on mental health, advocacy, and social justice. We asked: "How can we move from just listening to youth voices to actually sharing decision-making power with young people?" Through stories, accessible policy information, and creative media, we went beyond merely speaking up about important issues. We demonstrated how meaningful change happens when young people have real power in mental health systems, advocacy work, and community support.
Who We Are
The YAB (Youth Advisory Board) is a diverse group of young leaders brought together by the CA Alliance Catalyst Center to bridge the gap between youth and decision-makers. We use our lived experiences to drive change through advocacy, policy work, and system transformation. Through meetings, projects, and stakeholder engagement, we ensure youth voices shape decisions affecting young people. A highlight of our work is our annual summer project addressing youth-identified issues.
Meet YAB Members
Ella Kligman
Age: 16 Area: Oakland
Fact About Me I love playing guitar Interests Mental Health Policy
Saran Tugsjargal
Age: 18 Area: Alameda County
Fact About Me Saran's a certified belayer, memorized over 500+ names, and loves connecting people to opportunities! Interests Policy, Mental Health, Education, Juvenile Justice, & Social Welfare
Chaitanya Verma
Age: 17 Area: Alameda County
Fact About Me My favorite book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. I also love the arts and hibiscus flowers. Interests Medicine, Psychiatry, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Education, Women's Health, Equity
Penelope
Age: 18 Area: Sacramento
Fact About Me One of my hobbies is Latin & Ballroom dance! Interests Equitable mental health resources, trauma informed programs for marginalized youth and children
Jazmine Cardenas
Age: 16 Area: Los Angeles County
Fact About Me I have a golden chihuahua named Cinnamon! Interests Policy, specifically regarding young people and mental health!
https://linktr.ee/chaitanya.verma
Through this film and storytelling, Chaitanya hopes to spark dialogue, build community, and bring representation to spaces where it’s often missing. Above all, she wants to humanize these experiences and remind others: you are not alone, recovery is possible, and you are beautiful (with or without hair), at every stage of your evolution. Come as you are. To learn more about the film, click here: