YVote is led by an intergenerational team of high school students, college students, and adult allies.
YVote programs bring together NYC teens across divides—political, racial, gender, religious, ideological, geographical—for a common purpose: building a community of changemakers to create a better democracy and society.
Interim Executive Director
Katie's (she/her) passion for youth civic participation stems from her years spent as a high school social studies teacher, especially teaching Government during the 2016 election. She earned her undergraduate degree in Social Studies Secondary Education at Butler University and her master’s degree in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. A pandemic-related postponement of her NYC move allowed her to work for her county’s local election board during the 2020 election, experiencing election processes and voting from a new perspective. Since moving to New York, Katie has worked in communications, development, and strategy for multiple non-profits including America’s Promise Alliance and Chalkbeat. In her free time, Katie enjoys visiting new-to-her movie theaters and spending time with her dog, Wally.
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Program Director
Chris-Ann Barnett (she/her) graduated cum laude from New York University with a B.A. in Politics and Sociology and is a founding member of YVote. She is passionate about the intersections of identity, advocacy, and political engagement and approaches political engagement from a people-first ideology. During her undergraduate career she completed research on the social interactions of Black students attending predominantly white institutions which became her thesis “Racial Socialization and Spatial Awareness in Black Students”. Her research and passions have informed how she approaches activism and organizing as she emphasizes the need for minority voices and representation across all industries.
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Director of Development & Communications
Matt Hernandez is a social impact strategist and political campaign veteran. He earned undergraduate degrees in law and political science and moved to New York City after spending years organizing in his home state of Arizona. As a social impact strategist, Matt conducted research at the intersection of young people, social movements, and culture and used his findings to develop insights-driven solutions to address various organizational objectives. As a former civically-engaged young person, Matt believes in the power of emboldening new generations to take an active role in shaping a democratic ecosystem that reflects the ideals, desires, and needs of an equitable society. Aside from keeping up to date with current events, Matt enjoys discovering new music and movies, spending time near bodies of water, and finding good deals at vintage shops across the city.
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Civic Engagement Manager
Faith Vieira is a dedicated advocate for social justice and equity with over seven years of experience with YVote. As a summa cum laude graduate from Long Island University, Faith holds a Master's degree in Public Administration, specializing in Health Administration. Her academic and professional background has fueled her passion for health equity, believing firmly in the power of youth to enact meaningful change. Faith's advocacy extends beyond traditional boundaries, as she champions health justice and civic engagement. She is deeply committed to creating impactful, inclusive initiatives that address systemic inequalities and empower marginalized communities. Faith's work is rooted in the belief that every individual has the potential to be a catalyst for positive transformation, and she strives to inspire others to take action and make a difference in their communities.
Facilitator
I became involved in the summer of 2023 because I was interested in politics and civic engagement and wanted to meet other like-minded young people. I’m passionate about immigration Justice, educational equality, environmental justice. My favorite YVote memory is our day of action in the ChangeMakers 2023 summer session where a representative from the NYIC spoke with us about immigration justice and rights. I’m excited to mentor and learn from others about issues related to civic engagement and politics. I’m also excited to meet new people and enhance my public speaking skills.
Facilitator
I became involved with YVote last fall, and have loved it ever since! I’m very passionate about environmental justice, and love to support sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices within our communities and government. My favorite YVote memory is our first Saturday of Action from the fall, when I got to meet my home group and participate and a fascinating activity from the People’s Money. As for the summer, I’m really excited to get to know everybody on the YVote team better and also improve my own civic literacy.
Facilitator
I got involved with YVote in the summer of 2022 because I wanted to get to know other civically involved students. I’m super passionate about election reform, reproductive justice, and environmental issues. My favorite YVote tradition is our yearly holiday party, when we get to interact with YVote alumni. I’m excited to get to know the new participants this summer :).
Facilitator
I got involved in the summer of 2023 because I was looking for productive things and clubs to do during the summer. It wasn’t until I was looking at my sister’s Virtual school bulletin board, and I kind of knew that it was the one right then and there, and the rest is democracy! Since then, I’ve had the pleasure to work on a democracy project with my peers addressing a topic that I am really passionate about, being a peer leader during the school year, as well as being involved in other programs such as the NYC Youth Agenda and our NGP Podcast. I care about Racial and Criminal Justice. My favorite YVote memory would have to be the Day of Action from Summer Changemakers 2023. I am most excited to meet new people and be a mentor and foster my own leadership skills! Shout out and congratulate all the amazing people at YVote (everyone).
Facilitator
I got involved with YVote in the summer of 2023 through Democracy Camp, and then have been engaged throughout this school year with Changemakers and the NYC Youth Agenda. I joined YVote because as a young person, I wanted a platform to be civically and politically engaged, and I wanted to learn how to create tangible change within my community. I am especially passionate about educational equity and mental health, issues I’ve been able to explore through my participation this past year. My favorite YVote memory was definitely the Holiday Party last winter! I’m super excited to connect with new and familiar YVoters alike this summer :).
Facilitator
Hiii! I got involved with YVote during the summer of my Junior Year, dragged by a friend, now an alumni, who wanted to encourage her friends to become active in their community. From the very first Summer Changemakers meeting I attended, I’ve loved working with YVote, and I’ve loved how passionate everyone was, about the topics that surround us nearly everywhere we turn. Some of the issues I’m passionate about are mental health and income inequality. My favorite YVote memory to date has been the Holiday Party that we had during one of our Days of Actions! I’m so excited to talk on and on with my peers, both old and new!
Facilitator
Hello, my name is Francisca and I joined YVote in the summer 2023. Since I joined I have learned a lot of things about civil engineering and how to become a successful advocate. Also, my public speaking has gotten better and I am also proud of myself because public speaking is something that I used to suffer from but now I'm getting better and better all thanks to YVote. I’m so excited to be a facilitator because that will help me get better at public speaking.
Facilitator
I got involved with YVote Summer 2021 because I was searching for a community where I could further educate myself on civic engagement and meet other students who are passionate about getting involved in youth advocacy. I am passionate about Education equity & healthcare ethic. My favorite YVote memory was Co-organizing the YVote Haunted House of Democracy in 2022. This summer I am the most excited about meeting a new group of youth and hearing the social issues that have brought them to take this step and join YVote. I am looking forward to fostering a diverse, welcoming community!
Facilitator
I have been involved with our programming since fall of 2020, starting with the Civic Fellowship and later joining YVote as a facilitator during summer of 2021. I knew I had always had an interest in politics, but YVote helped me hone in on specific passions such as criminal justice reform and education equity, and provided me with tools/strategies to deeply engage with civics and mobilize others. While I joined YVote for the programming, the people at YVote are truly what made me stay; through this organization, I formed many meaningful friendships and met some of the most impactful mentors in my life to date. I am very excited to meet all of our new changemakers this summer and hopefully help in making their YVote experience as amazing as mine has been!
Facilitator
I have been involved at YVOTE since my sophomore year of high school. I initially joined because I was discovering my passion for politics and advocacy and wanted to be a part of an organization that centered around that. I am very passionate about voter ID laws and human rights crises around the world, which is why I’m studying government and international law in school. My favorite YVOTE memory has to be our day of action. This allowed me to get hands-on experience with the things we are learning at YVOTE and opened my eyes to the work I want to do in the future. This summer, I am excited to meet new people and make YVOTE as fun as possible, just as past facilitators did for me.
Facilitator
I got involved with YVote as a summer Changemaker in 2021. I had always been interested in politics, but I joined YVote to gain an outlet to meet like-minded peers and take action around that passion. I started as a facilitator with Democracy Camp in 2022, and I am passionate about environmental justice and economic mobility. My favorite YVote memories are the policy breakfasts we put on with the NYC Youth Agenda, a policy advocacy coalition. I’m excited to meet this fresh new cohort and take in your opinions and experiences this summer, especially in such a pivotal political year.
Facilitator
I originally got involved with YVote in January 2020, back when YVote meetings were called “Pizza and Politics Forums.” I was looking for an outlet to meet other people my age I could discuss politics with in a nonjudgemental way, rather than debating or arguing with others which felt all too prevalent in our political climate. From voter registration drives to participatory budgeting to the Youth Agenda, I’ve loved YVote because I’ve been able to connect with people from so many different backgrounds and made so many meaningful connections through this organization. I’ve worked on many issues during my time with YVote, and I’m most passionate about climate/sustainability.
Co-Founder and Executive Director, 2017-2024
Sanda is passionate about helping young people understand their individual and collective power, at and beyond the ballot box. In response to the complex times we're living in, the vulnerability of democracy being demonstrated, and the desire to support young people in being on the front lines of change, in 2017, she co-founded and directed cross-partisan youth civic engagement nonprofit YVote/ Next Generation Politics, aiming to equip leaders of tomorrow for their roles and responsibilities as citizens shaping a more just world and in July 2024, she became Executive Director of Project Pericles, a higher education non-profit committed to fostering the next generation of civic leaders through innovative curricula and faculty leadership that empower students with the skills to address society’s grand challenges. Sanda has held leadership roles in education and youth development for over 25 years, in the public sector at the New York City Department of Education, in education philanthropy at the Ford Foundation and the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and in nonprofits including Facing History and Ourselves, the Boston Private Industry Council, and The Teachers Network. Sanda is proud to serve on the founding Board of Directors of Generation Vote and The Hope Reichbach Memorial Fund and on the National Reader Advisory Board for Chalkbeat.
Co-Founder and Lead Facilitator, 2017-2021
Melody, a native New Yorker and proud graduate of NYC public schools, is deeply committed to justice and believes in young people's capacity to lead within their communities. Following the 2016 Presidential election, she collaborated with a team of educators and professionals to launch YVote, a program aimed at expanding civic participation opportunities for youth. Melody earned her B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Education Policy and Leadership from Villanova University. Her advocacy work began at Class Size Matters, where she worked with parent and teacher activists to address issues in education such as school overcrowding. She then joined the Ya-Ya Network (YAYA), bringing her passion for youth justice as a facilitator, organizer, and eventually Director of Youth Development. At YAYA, Melody gained valuable experience training and mentoring youth leaders engaged in community-focused campaigns. She continued her nonprofit work with organizations like College Access: Research and Action before relocating to Florida in 2021 to become a Social Studies high school teacher in Broward County Public Schools.
Board of Advisors
Alexandra Anormaliza served as teacher, principal, and central office leader over three decades with the New York City Department of Education. Now an educational consultant, she was most recently the Senior Advisor for Education in the New York City Mayor’s Office. As a central leader, she created the Affinity Schools Citywide Office, supporting 162 middle and high schools. She also led the development of yearly citywide instructional expectations and the design and delivery of citywide professional learning experiences for thousands of teachers and administrators. As the child of non-English speaking parents and an immigrant herself, Alex holds a deep-seated belief in education as a human right and a vehicle for advancing social justice and equity. She is a graduate of New York City public schools and the City University of New York and was a member of the first cohort of the New York City Leadership Academy.
Board of Advisors
Steven Becton is the Chief Equity Officer for Facing History and Ourselves. based in Memphis, TN. He writes and speaks for Facing History on urban education and equity issues in and beyond the classroom. He presents at national conferences, writes blogs, and conducts workshops and webinars for educators and for the larger community centered on having courageous conversations about race and education. He is a skilled facilitator and experienced presenter. Becton leads an Urban Civics Learning Lab in one of the poorest zip codes in Memphis, Tennessee, supporting a team of Facing History staff who are working deeply in these schools to create whole school culture and transformational educational experiences to equip educators, while also empowering students, to overcome systemic issues that have placed them at risk.
Board of Advisors
Justin C. Cohen is a writer, activist, public policy expert, and nonprofit executive. He is the author most recently of “Change Agents: Transforming Schools From the Ground Up.” In 2020, he ran for State Assembly in his home district of Crown Heights, NY. Previously, Justin served as Chief Strategy Officer at Cambiar Education, a not for profit design studio that offers growth and incubation support to entrepreneurs focused on social impact and co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of Wayfinder Foundation, which provides micro-grants to community activists working in historically marginalized communities. Justin’s work as a writer has appeared in The New York Times, Education Week, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and HuffPost. Previously, he served as president of Boston-based education nonprofit Mass Insight Education, and as a senior advisor to the chancellor at the DC Public Schools.
Board of Advisors
Frederick J. Frelow, Ed.D., is chief executive officer of Frelow & Associates in Nyack, New York. Previously, he served as interim president for the Southern Education Foundation. From 2008 to 2017, Dr. Frelow worked at the Ford Foundation in its education and scholarship program in the United States. Before that, he was director of early-college initiatives at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, where he managed development of fourteen early-college high schools. Previously, he was associate director in the working communities division of the Rockefeller Foundation, where he oversaw development and implementation of the foundation’s school reform program.
Board of Advisors
Avi Green is Executive Director of the Scholars Strategy Network. He helps researchers use relationship-building and communications skills to increase the impact of research and evidence on public policy. He has helped researchers develop reciprocal relationships with government officials and policymakers on both sides of the aisle in many states. As an editor and communications strategist, he has also helped scholars bring attention to their research in dozens of venues ranging from The New York Times to Fox News. Before coming to the Scholars Strategy Network in 2013, Avi served as Executive Director of MassVOTE, an nonpartisan organization devoted to reducing racial disparities in voting and civic participation in Massachusetts.
Board of Advisors
Patrick Joseph is the Grants & Policy Manager for NYC Census 2020 — a first-of-its-kind initiative established by Mayor de Blasio to ensure a complete and accurate count in the 2020 Census. Before joining the NYC Census 2020 office, Patrick advised Borough President Brewer on education issues affecting Manhattan schools as the Senior Education Policy Analyst for the Manhattan Borough President’s Office. His policy experience and interests include the intersection of civics and education; school desegregation; school funding; culturally relevant education; and the school-to-prison pipeline. Prior to his career in policy, Patrick served as a public school teacher in New York City. Patrick holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Politics and Advocacy from New York University, a master’s degree in Special Education for grades 7-12 from CUNY’s Hunter College, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Boston College.
Board of Advisors
Shannon Trilli Kempner is Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Diversity & Inclusion for Catalent, coordinating and organizing Catalent’s existing initiatives in sustainability and maximizing social impact and its employee-driven community programs. Previously, Shannon served as Director of Corporate Responsibility Strategy & Partnerships for S&P Global, guiding the corporation’s philanthropic and partnership portfolio to support female entrepreneurs around the globe, with a particular eye at breaking down barriers to women’s access to resources and capital by leveraging data, analytics, and technology. Before joining S&P Global, Shannon served as Director of Global Health for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), where she designed, scaled and lead UMCOR’s Signature Health and Sustainability Program to provide funding and technical support to community based health organizations.
Board of Advisors
Fiona Lin brings over 15 years of leadership experience in the education sector, primarily launching new programs and functions at high-growth, non-profit organizations. She joined Achievement Network in 2012 to scale its human capital functions, establishing a six-person team and tripling the organization’s headcount in under three years, before then launching its Org Effectiveness team, reporting on ANet’s impact in accelerating school and student success and building a team of data scientists. Prior to ANet, Fiona spent a decade working at TNTP (The New Teacher Project), first as a founding partner in its teacher certification business line, where she managed teams partnering with urban districts, higher ed institutions, and state departments of education to train and certify over 2,000 new teachers, including a third of all new teachers in post-Katrina New Orleans schools.
Board of Advisors
Lance Ozier has over 20 years experience in the fields of youth development and education. A certified teacher, he began teaching first grade in Atlanta public schools before working in middle and high schools in the Bronx and Brooklyn, New York. He also spent 15 years on the staff of Project Morry, a nationally recognized not-for-profit summer camp and youth development organization. Dr. Ozier’s publications have been included in the Journal of Experiential Education, Journal of Youth Development, Democracy and Education, English Journal, and he has authored over a dozen articles and columns in Camping Magazine. Dr. Ozier earned his MA in sociology and education policy, as well as his EdM and EdD in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Since 2017, he has taught courses in the CUNY Youth Studies Program, and he has been on the faculty of CCNY since 2009. He’s also been an instructor at Teachers College and Bank Street College of Education.
Board of Advisors
Laura Patterson is an Associate Partner at Promise Venture Studio. Before joining Promise, Laura worked on the Education Research and Insights and Community teams at Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) by day, and as the Program Director to Revive the Dream Institute, a fellowship for professionals looking to make an impact in the education space, by night. Prior to joining TpT, she served at the NYC Department of Education as a Special Projects Manager for the district's Office of Innovation and Education Technology and the Analyst for the Office of Strategic Planning. She began her career at Scholastic, where she performed a variety of functions including managing the company’s book donation program. In addition to broad experience with education organizations as staff, Laura has co-organized Startup Weekend EDU and consulted with or volunteered for several local ed-based nonprofits including 100Kin10, 4.0 Schools, and the Opportunity Network. Laura received her BA in Sociology at Tufts University and her MPA in Nonprofit Management from New York University.
Board of Advisors
Michael Preston is the Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, a research and innovation lab that works to advance children’s learning and development in the digital age. His work has focused on using technology to improve teaching and learning, supporting student agency and interest, and creating models for systemic change. Previously, he co-founded CSforALL, the hub for the national Computer Science for All movement, and led digital learning initiatives at the New York City Department of Education and at Columbia University. He earned a PhD in Cognitive Science in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Board of Advisors
Mika Rao is a social change and public affairs strategist. Mika got her start as a change management consultant with Accenture and since then has built her career working in service of people and communities. Her efforts have included leading marketing and communications efforts at The LifeLink Foundation, Memorial Hermann Health System, Teach For America and the education nonprofit, Transcend. Mika is currently the managing director at williamsworks, a social impact firm committed to solving today’s problems working in partnerships through philanthropy, policy, and social entrepreneurship. She draws energy from collaborating with individuals and groups committed to creating a voice for communities often left out of the conversation.
Board of Advisors
Jeanne Rotunda has had extensive experience as a school designer, leader, and coach. Over the nineteen years as principal of West Side Collaborative, MS250, she restructured and innovated a progressive school for Title 1 middle school students. Before her work at WSC, she designed, established and led the Wadleigh Alternative Arts School, a 7-12 public school in Harlem. Jeanne has focused on building collaborative school communities through developing teacher team structures and empowering teachers in multiple leadership roles. Working with a colleague, she implemented a middle school lab-site for citywide inter-visitations and was a facilitator for the NYC DOE Office of New Schools. Her schools have been widely recognized for implementing innovative programs, promoting student involvement in learning and building organizational structures.
Board of Advisors
Chrystina Russell is the executive director of Southern New Hampshire University's Global Education Movement, providing US accredited Bachelor's degrees and pathways to employment across 9 sites in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Lebanon, and Rwanda. Previously, she was the chief academic officer of Kepler, a nonprofit university program based in Rwanda. In that role, she launched the organization's no-cost-to-students US-accredited degree program in two campuses -- one in Kigali and the other in Kiziba refugee camp. Previously, she was a founding principal of Global Tech Prep, a high-performing, innovative public school in Harlem, New York. Chrystina started her career as a bilingual special education teacher in the Bronx.
Board of Advisors
Charles has more than 25 years of experience helping leaders of complex multi-site organizations achieve transformational results that have a social impact. Charles is author of The Education Imperative (for Leaders Working in and with Central Office): A Tool for Transforming your District Community into a Thriving Ecosystem and The Education Imperative (for Parents, Educators, and Community Members): Ensuring Your Child Thrives in School and Life. He is in the early stages of launching the K-12 System Transformation Accelerator, a technical assistance organization that strengthens the capacity of leaders and stakeholders to transform the systems supporting students in K-12 public schools. Charles has served as Vice President for Strategy, Finance & Operations with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; Deputy Superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools, the largest school district in the state of Washington; Program Officer for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Chief Strategy Officer for the Denver Public Schools; and Assistant Superintendent for Accountability for the Duval County Public Schools.