YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD
Our youth advisory board is involved in many aspects of what we do. They create content, review all materials presented and participate in Teen Talk webinars. Their input and direction are vital to the success of our organization.
Lilly Adams
Hi, I’m Lilly! I am currently a junior in high school who loves tennis, ceramics, and history. I joined the teen board to work towards removing the stigma surrounding mental health and to be there to support others.
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Ariel Benzvi
I’m Ariel- currently a junior in high school, and am super passionate about mental health and helping others. In my free time, I play volleyball and hang out with friends! My biggest goal is to help others find motivation, self-love, and self-worth the way I have. I have started a mental health club at my own school, along with a website with blogs, and hope to continue reaching out and helping as many teens as I can!
Aden Bertisch
Hey I’m Aden Bertisch! I’m a freshman in college, and I’m super excited to help other teens and be a part of this program. I love to make TikTok, sing, crochet, and do anything! I also was a competitive hula hooper during middle school. I think mental health is super important, and I’m glad to be spreading this excellent message.
Annabelle Chow
Hi, I'm Annabelle and currently a senior in high school! I love astrology and listening to music. Mental health is such a prevalent topic, and so many people, including myself, are affected by it. I want to do my best to help and spread awareness.
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Kelly Darroch
My name is Kelly and I’m currently a junior in high school. I really love music, both making and listening to it! Mental health has been something myself and so many people close to me have struggled with, and I want to do all I can to help. I’m so glad to be a part of the teen advisory board!
Alissa Jones
My name is Alissa and I am a freshman at CSU Channel Islands. My major is Psychology and I was to be a school Psychologist. Having my own struggles and feeling really alone made me want to step up and speak out about my story and help anyone I can even if that means just bringing awareness to different mental health topics. I enjoy going for walks, listening to music, and going for drives at night. I hope that I can make a difference in someone's life and help everyone see that mental health is not something to be ashamed of.
Kara Long
I am a Sophomore at UC Davis, majoring in Psychology and work part time at a teen treatment center. I know the power of sharing your story and am happy to be a part of this project.
Nolan Long
I am a current senior in high school who understands the difficulties when afflicted with mental health issues. I enjoy exercising and other geeky activities. I am on the board because I want to help make the organization as suitable for teens as possible, with the goal of getting as many individuals who need help to find it.
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Jen Oya
Nerdy millennial and CSUN graduate. Mental health issues have been a lifelong struggle and I'm passionate about helping those who also experience those struggles.
Crystal Park
My name is Crystal Park. I am a junior in high school and have dealt with the struggles of maintaining mental health, school, and life. I love music, writing, and art. I joined this teen mental health board because I want to help other teens learn about their minds and that it's ok to feel not okay.
Varun Ramanan
Hello there! My name is Varun Ramanan and I am a junior in high school. Mental health has always been something I am passionate about because I feel that it is something that needs to be highlighted more in society today and that there are many ways to understand mental health and eliminate the stigmas surrounding it. Through the youth advisory board, I want to be part of a change that pushes for these goals and allows other teens to be in tune with themselves and their mental health. In my free time, I like to watch movies, listen to rock music, play guitar, and write stories!
Maya Russell
I’m Maya and I’m currently a senior in high school. I love to write and listen to music. I have two cats and two dogs and I’ve always been passionate about animals. I’m an advocate for mental health, whether it be for teens or otherwise. I aim to de-stigmatize talking about mental health and the struggles people may face. I joined the teen board in order to make my voice have a reach.
Sophie Shore
Hi! I’m Sophie, and i’m a current sophomore in High School! I’m very passionate about decreasing the stigma around mental health and creating safe spaces for everyone. In my free time, I do choir, technical theatre, and love to bake. I also really love cats and have 4 of my own!
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Amanda Silverman
My name is Amanda and I am a high school student who understands how difficult it can be to manage everything that comes with being a teen today. I have a cat and a dog and I love to do arts and crafts and bake. I joined the teen mental health committee because I understand the importance of mental health support and education especially for teens now more than ever.
Jaccoa Stills
My name is Jaccoa and I am currently a junior in high school. I am passionate about supporting mental health awareness and diluting the stigma surrounding it. I love listening to music, reading, and knitting. I joined the mental health committee because I understand the difficulties of being a teen and believe we should be supporting each other, and I would love to do everything I can to make other teens feel seen and heard.
Pauline Tran
My name is Pauline Tran and I am an incoming senior in high school. Mental health is so important to me as it affects so many young people today. One of my goals is to reach many teens and adolescents and help them understand their emotions as well as have a support system. I hope to major in psychology when I enter college and hear new stories! I look forward to my involvement in this mental health board so I can connect with and help more people :)
Jimmy Wakamoto
My name is Jimmy and I'm currently a freshman in college majoring in economics. In my free time I love playing basketball, going to the gym, hiking, and reading. I joined the mental health board as I believe mental health, especially in teens, is very overlooked in society today and would love to help educate others to raise awareness.
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Miranda Womack
I am currently in my junior year of high school. Alongside some of my friends, I started a mental health club at our school and have come to recognize the importance of this conversation. I play volleyball and want to pursue filmmaking, but my biggest goal is to help others and show support for whatever it is they may be going through.
Sadie Wong
I’m a junior in high school and I’ve always had a passion for stories. I’m involved in my school’s creative writing club along with our young activists club. My goals are to both listen to every person’s story, and make them heard as well. I think mental health is vital to every person and sharing stories of mental health is both powerful and healing, so I am grateful to be part of this organization.