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. View our Youth Ambassador curriculum!
So far, we have trained 15 Youth Ambassadors from Vermont, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Please meet our Youth Ambassadors!
Meet the Ambassadors
- All
- Georgia
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
- Indiana
- Michigan
- South Carolina
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
Darien is 25 and from Ellenwood GA. He graduated from Kennesaw State University where he majored in public speaking. Darien now works at the Center for Leadership in Disability, at Georgia State University, as the Community Advocate Specialist where he educates and trains others on advocacy. He is also an alumnus of the Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program, the AUCD Leadership Academy and My Voice, My Participation, My Board program where he is currently a trainer. Watch Darien's interview about supported decision-making on Real Talk with Rita Young.
Derek Heard
Georgia
Derek is 21-years old, lives in Albany, Georgia and attends Lee County High School. He is a self-advocate and artist who enjoys food, graphic design, painting, drawing, and playing video games. Derek believes that a picture can say a lot. He has used his love of art to help spread the message of equality around the rights of people with disabilities. He is a passionate disability voting advocate. Derek is a board member of Uniting for Change, a network of self-advocates, and REV Up Georgia. He aspires to become a professional character design artist.
Elisha McKenzie
Georgia
Elisha lives in Suwanee, Georgia and will be graduating from high school in 2022. Her motto is: “I was born ready.” Elisha wants to make sure people think about what is possible when thinking about supported decision-making vs guardianship. She serves on her Church’s Guest Services Team and enjoys helping people, learning about technology, and playing sports. She is learning the acoustic guitar and wants to become a Zumba instructor. As a youth ambassador, she wants everyone to know: “You can make your own decisions with support.”
Hasan Ko
Vermont
Hasan Ko is a peer leader of Green Mountain Self-Advocate’s work on including people with disabilities from diverse cultural backgrounds. He came to the United States from Myanmar in 2008. Hasan says, “No matter where we come from, we have the right to be ourselves in our own way.” Hasan is the president of Champlain Voices, his local self-advocacy group and serves on the board of his provider agency. He teaches self-advocacy workshops to students with disabilities. Hasan has a strong work ethic and mentors youth preparing for their first job. His message to mentees is, “I am telling you this because I want to share about a life of never giving up.” Hasan represents GMSA on several national projects and is the co-lead on Vermont’s Supported Decision-Making Team. He is the 2022 recipient of the April Dunn Start Your Journey Award by the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities.
Taylor Terry
Vermont
Taylor Terry completed a Think College certificate program at the University of Vermont. “I learned the ropes of living independently on my own and how to create my own business, Taylor’s Cupcakes for a Cure.” She added cookies to her menu since going to CookieCon in Orlando, Florida. Taylor is an active board member of Green Mountain Self-Advocates. She fights for her rights as a person with a disability. She is eager to learn new ways to be a part of the self-advocacy community in Vermont. Taylor serves on committees that review plain language information to make sure it is accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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
Joe is 19 and attends high school in White County, GA. Being born and raised in the mountains of northeast GA, he enjoys the great outdoors and is a big fan of the Grateful Dead. Joe decided to become a Youth Ambassador to show others with significant disabilities how he uses supported decision-making to direct and control his life.
Leslie Thornton
Georgia
Leslie is a 27-year-old from St. Mary’s, GA who is passionate about people with disabilities having real lives, with real jobs, real relationships and making real decisions. She works to advocate for the human and civil rights of all people and equality for people with disabilities, especially in employment. She has spent the last four years working as a Social Media Content Developer. Leslie believes, “equity should be a standard for all lives. No human being has more worth than another.”
Lehana Guyette
Vermont
Lehana Guyette works as an advocate for Green Mountain Self-Advocates. She is also an active local organizer with the Vermont Workers Center. She speaks at rallies calling for health care for everyone as part of the Health Care Is a Human Right Campaign. Lehana represents people with disabilities on the Governor’s Health Equity Advisory Commission working to reduce health disparities in Vermont. Lehana is making a video to explain the steps she took to become her own payee. You have the right to receive your own Social Security check and learn how to handle your money yourself. Lehana is a member of Capitol Advocates Together, a local self-advocacy group in Montpelier, Vermont.
Isabella Carrera-Skorstad
Vermont
Isabella Carrera-Skorstad is 18 years old and goes to high school in Essex, Vermont. She has a passion for gardening and enjoys working at Gardener’s Supply. Bella is a strong advocate for her friends at school, especially students who have a hard time communicating. They’ve been together for years and she knows what they want. If Bella notices her peers not being included, she is the first to speak up on their behalf. Bella is also a fearless snowboarder riding the slopes of 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
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 CYVYC project for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (WBPDD). 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 WBPDD. Ashley has spoken around the state of Wisconsin advocating for individuals with special needs. She co-hosts the Self-Determination channel on YouTube.
Kendra Hummer
Indiana
Kendra is 22 years old and is a triplet. She was born with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy. Her life has been full of obstacles and challenges, but with her faith and family’s support, there is nothing she can’t achieve. Since middle school, she was told that she would never amount to anything and wouldn't be able to graduate with her brothers. Kendra would not take “no” for an answer. She graduated with a high school diploma and is now in college studying human services to become a community advocate for individuals with disabilities. She knows how exhausting it is trying to prove yourself every single day that you are more than your disability, so she wants to be able to share her experiences with individuals and let them know that they are not alone. Kendra’s passion project is “Roll with Life” with a mission to empower individuals with disabilities and to share awareness: “Having cerebral palsy, I just have to do it my way and I love to prove people wrong. That’s just how I roll with life.”
Katie Mason
Indiana
Katie is a 21-year-old from Noblesville, IN. She is a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University studying psychology and criminal justice. She works to advocate for herself and others by speaking up for injustices and making sure everyone has equal opportunities. She is even a chairperson on her college’s disability awareness committee to ensure real change happens. Once she graduates, Katie wants to become a victim advocate because this profession will be a great place to continue working on her advocacy skills.
Braydyn Lents
Indiana
Braydyn is a student at Indiana University-Bloomington majoring in journalism. He hopes to one day become a radio host or sportswriter or the first African American man with autism and bipolar disorder to be a sports commentator.
Corissa Pitman
Michigan
Corissa is a kind and happy student from Lansing, Michigan. Corrisa is 14 years old and in the 8th grade. Corissa’s favorite things are science and reading. They also very much enjoy advocating individually and for others. Corissa has presented information on women’s education and enjoys public speaking. As one of the youngest supported decision-making Ambassadors in training, Corissa is looking forward to increasing individual advocacy skills as well as helping others to achieve their dreams for their adult lives. When asked why they applied to be an Ambassador, Corissa stated, “This is a great new opportunity for me to learn and give back to my community”.
Jenna Lee
Michigan
Jenna is 16 years old and lives in Hudsonville MI. She attends Hudsonville High School and will be a junior this fall. She has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Jenna volunteers at the Critter Barn in Zeeland, MI, caring for animals. She also helps with activities at the Laurels Nursing Home and helps at her church with food distribution. In her free time, Jenna enjoys watching YouTube as well as acting, singing, and public speaking. She loves helping all people, including those with disabilities, and is always ready to offer encouragement and a smile. Jenna is excited to be part of the Youth Choice project helping to spread the word on supported decision-making and alternatives to guardianship.
Jeanie Rowe
Michigan
Jeanie Rowe is a 20-year-old student in the Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District in Cass County, Michigan. Jeanie has always had a desire to help others reach their full potential and wants them to know that they are not alone. She is currently training as a Peer Mentor at Woodlands Behavioral Health, where she will provide support to peers who also receive services there. “I am a strong advocate for all people with disabilities in all aspects of their lives”. Helping people understand their right to make their own choices was very appealing to Jeanie, and this is what drew her to become a Youth Ambassador for the Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice.
Kaiden Tolbert
Michigan
Kaiden is a proud 2022 graduate of Redford Union High School in Michigan. He will be attending a local community college in the fall to study education and human services. As a young adult with an Asperger’s diagnosis, Kaiden found advocating for himself as well as others allowed him to participate in activities that may not have been available to him otherwise. Several years with The Boys Theater of Detroit gave Kaiden the confidence of public speaking and tackling his stage fright. He has been honored to work with the Detroit Chapter of the NAACP and the Living and Learning Enrichment Center of Northville, shadowing a Camp Counselor. Kaiden also worked in the Center's Mod Market where they employ and train individuals with special needs. In his free time, Kaiden enjoys bike riding, going to the movies, going out to eat, and spending time with family and friends.
Holden Roberts
South Carolina
Holden is a 21-year-old Equip leader living in South Carolina. Holden moved from Oklahoma to South Carolina at the age of 13. He was homeschooled and volunteered at the local animal shelter in his youth. He has since joined Able SC as an Equip Leader to help his peers learn about transitioning to adulthood and disability advocacy. He is now the owner of the Equip Hangouts, has written for and presented at the annual Equip Summer Series, and is a two-time peer staff at the Youth Leadership Forum. Holden has written a 50k word story, plays chess, and has given speeches at hospitals and colleges about equal rights for people with disabilities and the problems with sub-minimum wage laws. He can also (perhaps most importantly) make a mean bowl of chili cheese fries.
Wednesday Jones
South Carolina
Wednesday is 25 years old and lives in Columbia, South Carolina. They work at Able South Carolina, a Center for Independent Living. Wednesday is an Employment and Financial Literacy Specialist, supporting other people with disabilities to reach their employment and financial goals. She also does peer-mentoring, assisting people in learning independent living skills and giving presentations. They are passionate about health care access for disabled people and addressing issues that affect disabled people with other marginalized identities. Wednesday is excited to be learning more about Supported Decision-Making as a Youth Co-Lead and a Youth Ambassador. She is also excited to continue advocating for alternatives to guardianship.
Brady Smith
South Carolina
Brady is 20 years old and lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina. This fall, she will be a student at Winthrop College and take part in their Think program. She is looking forward to college, especially living on campus. Brady has been a part of the Youth Leadership Forum in South Carolina for 2 years. She is also involved with Equip, a peer-to-peer young adult leadership group focused on empowerment, support, and camaraderie for youth with disabilities. Brady is proud of what she has accomplished in her life, both personally and as a disability advocate, and is honored to be a Youth Ambassador for CYVYC. She knows this will be a big steppingstone in her advocacy journey and is looking forward to educating others so they can be strong advocates like her.
Sydney Dunlap
South Carolina
Sydney is 18 years old and lives in Irmo, South Carolina. She loves talking to people, dancing, singing, spending time with family and friends, reading, and listening to music. Sydney plans on starting her own business one day. Sydney's advocacy experience began when she joined her high school's Equip club, a peer-to-peer young adult leadership club focused on empowerment, support, and camaraderie for students with disabilities. Sydney is a proud disability advocate and says, "I love being me!"