Youth Ambassadors
Our Youth Ambassador Program is a training program about teaching youth to be leaders in their states. We talk about what is happening in states about alternatives to guardianship. We teach youth about advocacy and leadership. Youth can learn about their rights and how to make decisions for themselves. Youth can share what they learn with other young people and their families.
So far, we have trained 15 Youth Ambassadors from Vermont, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Please meet our Youth Ambassadors!
Meet the Ambassadors
Angad Sahgal
Georgia
Angad is a freshman at Georgia State University's IDEAL program. His uplifting and positive attitude is contagious and his biggest strength. He sets goals and works diligently to achieve them. One of his proudest accomplishments to date is earning a Black Belt in karate and attending college. He is an artist and sells his art and wearable art independently and on Synergies Work - a non-profit working to promote businesses of people with disabilities. He plans to start his own business and be a strong advocate for people with disabilities.
Darien Todd
Georgia
Derek Heard
Georgia
Elisha McKenzie
Georgia
Hasan Ko
Vermont
Hasan is a leader of our work on including people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds. Hasan says, “No matter where we come from, we have the right to be ourselves in our own way.” Hasan mentors peers in his local self-advocacy group. He represents Green Mountain Self Advocates on national projects.
Jordan Anderson
Wisconsin
Jordan is 19 years old and a 2021 high school graduate. Jordan is a strong advocate for supported decision-making and co-leads the Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice project for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities. He has a dual role as a co-lead and a Youth Ambassador for the project and is helping to spread the word on supported decision-making and alternatives to guardianship. Jordan is currently enrolled in Project Search.
Joe Grillo
Georgia
Leslie Thornton
Georgia
Lehana Guyette
Vermont
Isabella Carrera-Skorstad
Vermont
Josh Winters
Vermont
William Becker
Wisconsin
Will is an 18-year-old from Oregon, WI. He is currently in the transition program at Oregon High School. Will has been living the principles of supported decision-making since he started participating in his IEP meetings in 3rd grade. Will likes basketball, bowling, and spending time with his family.
Jennie Rojas
Wisconsin
Jennie is a 24-year-old self-advocate from the Milwaukee area and Youth Ambassador for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities’ Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice project helping to spread the word on supported decision-making and alternatives to guardianship. Jennie loves her job at Panera Bread where she has a position in food prep, which means she prepares foods and measures out portions.
Alesia Saffold
Wisconsin
Alesia is a self-advocate from Milwaukee and a Partners in Policymaking graduate. She is a Youth Ambassador for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities’ Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice project helping to spread the word on supported decision-making and alternatives to guardianship.
Ashley Mathy
Wisconsin
Ashley is a mentor and Youth Ambassador for the Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice project for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities. She is a 25-year-old disability advocate who was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (autism spectrum). She is a Wisconsin Policymaking Partner, Employment 1st Ambassador, and President of People First’s Rhinelander Chapter. Most recently, she was appointed to the Board of Directors for BPDD. Ashley has spoken around the state of Wisconsin advocating for individuals with special needs.