Joy (she/her)

Joy is a high school junior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who is deeply committed to elevating student voice, advancing mental health advocacy and ensuring young people are meaningfully included in decision-making spaces.

At school, Joy serves as junior class president and as a member of her district’s Superintendent Advisory Council, where she works directly with school and district leaders to bring student perspectives into conversations about school climate, academic access and opportunity gaps in under-resourced schools. She is especially passionate about expanding leadership opportunities in under-resourced communities, helping students see themselves as leaders rather than just participants and turning student ideas into meaningful action.

Beyond her district, Joy’s advocacy extends through statewide and national youth organizations, where she collaborates with other young leaders to push for stronger mental health policies and more equitable education systems. She has spoken at conferences, worked with lawmakers and contributed to youth-led campaigns centered on honesty, empathy and tangible change. As a student fellow with the Bill of Rights Institute, Joy engages in conversations about democracy, civil discourse and civic leadership alongside students from across the country.

Interested in law and public service, Joy hopes to continue advocating for policies that amplify the voices of underserved communities, drawing on her own lived experiences. Outside of advocacy, she enjoys playing tennis and volleyball, mentoring younger students and spending time at her local library.

“Being surrounded by such an incredible group of Youth Advisory Board members — each passionate about making women’s voices heard in leadership spaces — encourages me to show up as the change the world needs.”