Brave Heart Fellowship
Champions for Change
CA Native Youth Collective
Remembering Our Sisters
Building Communities of Hope
Creative Native
Democracy is Indigenous
Native youth are in the driver’s seat of the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY), guiding all the work we do. One of the most important ways we seek input and counsel from our youth stakeholders is through our Youth Advisory Board (YAB).
The Youth Advisory Board is made up of the current class of Champions for Change, along with alumni from previous classes and other outstanding Native youth leaders.
Members of the YAB:
- Participate in quarterly meetings to stay engaged with CNAY’s staff and receive programmatic updates;
- Attend supplemental subcommittee meetings to build leadership skills and guide CNAY’s work;
- Serve as community experts, invited to provide their perspectives at conferences, webinars, meetings and other speaking engagements;
- Lead by example, serving as positive role models for their peers; and
- Act as community liaisons to share information about resources and youth opportunities with their communities.
Meet the YAB:
YAB Secretary, 2023 Champion for Change
Gabriella Nakai (Choctaw/Navajo) is a junior honor student at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Gabbe is committed to food…
2024 Champion for Change
Ian Teller, at 23 years old, is an aspiring Diné actor, director, producer, writer and entertainment entrepreneur born and raised…
2020 Champion for Change, YAB Member at Large
Isabella Madrigal, an avid writer and storyteller, is a senior at the Orange County School of the Arts and enrolled…
YAB Chair, 2020 Champion for Change
Jazmine Wildcat has spent most of her formative years advocating for equality and equity for others, ensuring humankind and the…
2024 Champion for Change
Jeidah DeZurney (she/her), is a 24 year old member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, her bands are Chetco,…
2023 Champion for Change, YAB Member at Large
Joshua Jackson is a Red Lake Band Ojibwe member from south Minneapolis’ Little Earth Community. His upbringing has shaped his…
2023 Champion for Change, YAB Member at Large
Jovi Williams, 18 years old, lives in the beautiful community of Dishchii’bikoh, located on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in…
2022 Champion for Change, YAB Member at Large
Maria Walker obtained her Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Arizona State University (ASU). She has continued her education…
YAB Member at Large
Rory Wheeler, a citizen of the Seneca Nation uses his unique work, life, and professional experiences to protect tribal sovereignty,…
2024 Champion for Change
Sage Phillips is a proud Penobscot Nation citizen and graduate student at the University of Connecticut. Phillips is originally from…
YAB Vice Chair, 2023 Champion for Change
Samuel Hiratsuka (Aleut/Yu’pik/Winnemem Wintu/Navajo) is the proud son of Tommy and Vanessa Hiratsuka. Born and raised in Anchorage, Samuel maintains…
2024 Champion for Change
Tayler Tanginiq Higgins (Yup’ik, Dena’ina, Suqpiaq) is the proud daughter of Teresa S. Thiele and the late Michael J. Higgins.…
2022 Champion for Change, YAB Member at Large
Triston B. Black is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and community member of Tsaile, Arizona. His clan relations are of the…
2024 Champion for Change
Wambli, a senior at Dupree High School, lives in Eagle Butte, South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation.…