STF Alumni: Currently Updating

Valencia ’12

Audrey Abergel

Valencia ’12
Univ. of British Columbia ’16
Intern ’16
J.D. Loyola Marymount ’20

STF showed me the power and enjoyment of working within a positive community. Through my position on the Executive Board for the Jewish Student Association at the University of British Colombia, I helped facilitate interfaith dialogues. I also traveled to Jerusalem to learn spirituality at Neve Yerushalayim. I am starting my second year of law school soon!! So far I’m not decided on what type of law. I have no doubt the upcoming semester will be hugely influential though. I had an amazing legal internship with Project for the Innocent. Absolutely one of the most rewarding experiences I could have asked for!

Valencia ’12

Laurent Abergel

Valencia ‘12
UC Los Angeles ‘15
J.D. Univ. of Pennsylvania ‘19

For the next three years I am going to be enrolled at University of Pennsylvania Law School (Penn Law). In the interim, I’m at home in Valencia, CA for the break. While at UCLA, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Global Studies, I kept up my focus of human rights and was co-president of the UCLA Amnesty International chapter.

Academy of the Canyons ’13

Jordan Abrams

Academy of the Canyons ’13
Intern ’15

I currently work as a freelance writer/freelance branding consultant!

Santa Monica ’09

Rosie Achorn-Rubenstein

Santa Monica ‘09
Vassar College ‘13

I do public benefits case management and advocacy at the Bronx Defenders in New York. I will be participating in the Bronx Defenders’ new project, beginning a public defense organization serving women with young children in Tulsa, OK, as a civil legal advocate. I plan to attend Law School afterwards.

New Roads ’18

Aidan Ahearn

New Roads ‘18
Univ. of Pennsylvania ‘22

Being in HRW-STF taught me about the importance of staying up to date with both local and global current events, understanding what injustice is and how to challenge it, and the importance of speaking up and not letting anyone silence my opinions. Thanks to HRW-STF, I have found a new passion for activism and speaking out on issues that matter to me, and I plan to take this as I study Political Science in college.

Carson ’21

Uchenna Akanno

Carson ‘21
Stanford University ‘25

I am studying Human Biology on the pre-med track at Stanford University. Recently, I have gotten into clinical research, and I am working on my first publication on Ocular Injuries in Combat Sports. Outside my time in school, I love to adventure the Bay Area visiting cities like San Francisco, Oakland, and more! In summer 2022 I was blessed with the opportunity to continue my human rights advocacy as I interned with STF, working on the campaign to transition Carson High School to 100% renewable energy. This internship allowed me to build on my technical skills and gain practical experience in the human rights field. The Carson High School Renewable Energy Project has also empowered me to continue advocating for my community and working nonstop to bring change. I look forward to keeping up with STF and this project in the future.

Intern ’14

Younus Albojermi

Intern ‘14
UC Berkeley ’18

After interning with STF, I worked as a PhD Research Assistant in Amman, Jordan. I interviewed doctors, Syrian refugees, NGO executives, and officials from the Jordanian Health Ministry, to gather data and better understand refugee healthcare. I’m currently working as a Security Intelligence and Investigations Specialist at Warner Bros. Discovery. I am essentially relying on my political science background and research skills to monitor local and global events and relay relevant threats to our regional security teams.

Santa Monica ’17

Amy Amatya

Santa Monica ’17
Princeton Univ. ’21

Before STF, I wasn’t very politically involved and didn’t know about issues beyond our borders. I’ve gravitated towards science, but the themes we focused on each year taught me to see that the issues I feel so removed from, like the right to education, have consequences that aren’t just political, but have effects on so many other areas, including science.

I now have a degree in Geosciences and minor in Ethnography and am working at Climate Central, a climate journalism non-profit, where I help news and weather outlets understand and communicate climate change. I realized I’d always had an incomplete understanding of climate advocacy by coming in thinking it was solely or even mainly about science. There’s a powerful checks and balances between small/local outlets and large/broader groups – we try to get local media to move away from overly-insular stories about the climate by widening the context (ex. New Jersey’s periodical cicadas are coming out of the ground earlier and earlier since their emergence is cued by warm-enough ground temperatures. This shows small New Jersey towns that have watched the cicadas for generations that the climate is changing, and that these changes show up in personal ways/experiences). On the flip side, local observations/stories remind us and other broad-based/generalist groups that it isn’t just about national trends and graphs and wide-net solutions, but that climate change matters because it can be so intimate and look completely different for different people/places (and so needs different solutions too)

Palisades Charter ’22

Nicole Andres

Palisades Charter ‘22
CSU Monterey Bay ’26

Thank you for the opportunity to work with STF. It made my high school experience better and helped show me what I want to do as a profession. I’m now attending CSU Monterey Bay, studying communications design which is where being a part of HRW STF’s publicity team came in.

Santa Monica ’13

Elsie Andreyev

Santa Monica ‘13
UC Berkeley ‘17

I graduated from UC Berkeley in December 2017 after majoring in Global Environmental Politics and minoring in Food Systems. Now I work at the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative. Ultimately, I’d like to do environmental research or law with organizations like Earthjustice and the National Research Defense
Council.

Da Vinci ‘20

Rachel Andriacchi

Da Vinci ‘20
Simmons Univ. ‘24

As a member of STF, I got to explore human rights in a way I never would have had the chance to otherwise. Sure, I knew the basics and understood what was necessary for me to know, but STF really helped me open my eyes to issues I’d never heard of before. I had an amazing time working with other students, both on the leadership team and of our general members, to educate our school and community about human rights violations all over the world. It was fascinating, personally, to learn about these topics, and I loved hearing what other people had to say after we explained to them these issues. The discussions I had with students and parents alike were nothing short of fruitful. My experience and knowledge gained as co-president of Da Vinci’s STF chapter is something I will hold near and dear to my heart for many years to come.

Currently, I am a Communications Lab Instructional Assistant at Simmons University as well as a studio intern at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library! I’m doing a bunch of different things, but mostly helping with the production of events that are put on at the studio.

Academy of the Canyons ’12

Edwin Aquino

Academy of the Canyons ‘12
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ‘16

I am a Biomedical Engineering undergraduate at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and the current Student Director of Innovation Sandbox, an entrepreneurship and engineering ideation lab on campus.

Carson ’23

Josh Arcenal

Carson ’23
UC Santa Cruz ’27

I’m now a junior at UCSC studying Technology & Information Management, and I lead a team of student IT assistants in the Humanities Division. With my time at STF and my role at my school, I care a lot about how technology affects people in different ways, which led me to earn UCSC’s Humanizing Technology Certificate. The program examines how tech intersects with ethics, race, power, and representation. I took a class on “Race and Technology” that had a unit based on the “Ecologies of Technology”, which focused on the environmental footprint of technology. Something I found really interesting was the real physical cost of “the cloud”, especially with the rise of AI-centered data centers and how that harm often falls hardest on communities that benefit from it the least. Looking back at the the climate work I did with STF in high school, it connected really well to what I was learning now. Additionally, I really enjoy leading the student IT team at the Humanities department where I mentor and train the student assistants. I’m handing off problems I used to solve myself and I see them get sharper and confident each time now! There are a lot of moving parts in trying to support 60+ staff and facility but I feel like I’ve come to enjoy being the person/department that people can count on.

Intern ’18

Lissette Argoud

Intern ‘18
UC Los Angeles ‘18
Univ. of San Diego Law ‘22

Throughout law school, I interned at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office in their Criminal Division (Domestic Violence and Sex Crimes Unit) and Civil Division. I also interned with the Attorney General in the Criminal Division. Since graduating, I am working at the Los Angeles Superior Court as Judicial Law Clerk.

Carson ’24

Aracely Arias

Carson ’24
CSU Long Beach ’27

I’m enjoying CSULB. This summer, I am an Intern at the Long Beach Health Department in the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Bureau. I’m currently working on Pedestrian and Road curriculum for elementary schools in Long Beach. I also work on creating tip cards/ social media posts for safety.

Academy of the Canyons ‘20

Maria Armienta Ojeda

Academy of the Canyons ‘20
California Lutheran Univ. ’23
Univ. of Cincinnati, Ph.D.

I am eager to share that after 3 short years, I graduated from California Lutheran University with a B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a B.A. in Psychology. I am now at the University of Cincinnati to pursue a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice. I hope that gaining this additional degree will help shed light to some of the human rights issues I that I developed a passion for while participating in STF. Thank you for all that you do, and the world silently appreciates the role you each take in advocating for the individuals that need it most.

New Roads ’13

Jeremy Arnold

New Roads ‘13
Tulane Univ. ‘17

After I graduated from New Roads in 2013, I attended Tulane University in New Orleans and worked two jobs throughout my four years there. After graduating from college I worked in a Chinese restaurant in the Bywater neighborhood. Then in June of this year I accepted a position as Faith Rooted Organizer for Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. I’m organizing faith communities in Anaheim to vote for the living wage initiative in November that will raise the minimum wage at Disneyland resort to $15/hr and an additional dollar per hour through 2022.

Intern ’17

Ariana Arzani

Intern ‘17
USC ‘18
London School of Economics ‘19
J.D. New York Univ. School of Law ’24

Before law school, I worked as a Paralegal at the ACLU National Office in Washington D.C. with the Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. We focused on federal religious liberty litigation, advocacy, and public education efforts. One of the most interesting case I worked on was representing a Buddhist priest who served as the spiritual advisor to a man on death row. The priest was 68-years-old and medically vulnerable in various ways, and didn’t feel safe going to the prison and spiritually advising his client before the execution. It was super faced-paced because it was a short timeline. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court ruled that the execution could proceed, and we lost the case.

Intern ’19

Marianna Babboni

Intern ’19
Occidental College ’19
MPP USC ’25

I recently graduated from USC’s Price School of Public Policy’s International Public Policy and Management (IPPAM) program and am leading the ShadeLA campaign, which is focused on bringing more trees and shade infrastructure to Los Angeles as a lasting legacy of the Olympics.

Wildwood ’14

Sarah Bales

Wildwood ‘14
Tufts Univ. ‘18

I now work for a company called Included Health, doing Internal Communications and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) work! I was previously in the Experiential & Events department at Hulu within Marketing, and then worked as the Executive Assistant to Hulu’s CEO. I’m helping with all administrative support, as well as working on projects. Its great – fast-paced and I’m learning a ton. I hope to incorporate more social justice work into my day to day as well!

Intern ‘20

Eden Ballard

Intern ‘20
UC Los Angeles ‘20

I am working as the Director of Development for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Francisco where I focus on major gifts, working exclusively with individual donors giving $25,000+. I also just graduated with an MBA from USF last month. I am aiming to pivot into the B Corp/Business for Good space and felt an MBA would help round out my knowledge and experience to make the leap a bit easier.

My internship with HRW was a highlight of my college experience. As a global studies major I often learned about Human Rights Watch in my classes so the opportunity to get involved with this organization felt so surreal and really helped me bridge the divide between my education and real world applications of the content covered in my classes. What stood out to me about this internship compared to other positions I have held is the fact that from day one the interns were empowered to act as representatives of STF to high school students around the county. That responsibility gave me an opportunity to gain confidence in my personal leadership and communication skills that can only be refined through experience. In retrospect, the team meetings also helped me feel more at ease in meetings more generally. It was invaluable to get some professional experience in a field I feel so passionate about. In many ways, I feel that this internship has allowed me to gain practical experience and skills that would have been impossible to learn in a classroom, even if I had spent years. I am so grateful I was able to be so hands on with this organization.

Crossroads ’11

Jamie Bando

Crossroads ‘11
Duke Univ. ‘15

STF made me responsible for something greater than myself. It made me an activist most importantly, and I fought for issues I felt were troubling. I recently spent 5 months hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and am now working for a solar financing firm in San Diego doing communications and public affairs as well as media and stakeholder relations. Next steps are advocating for the environment in the wake of all that has been burned.

New Roads ’15

Reuben Bank

New Roads ‘15
George Washington Univ. ‘19

I am still at GW, going into my senior year this fall with plans to hopefully take a gap year to work and then apply to law school. Since I last updated y’all I worked as a clerk at Bet Tzedek (a pro bono legal
organization that provides legal services for Angelinos who need lawyers for issues such as housing rights litigation, employment rights litigation, senior care and services, and holocaust reparations legal aid in downtown), and studied abroad at Tel Aviv University which was an amazing experience.

New Roads ’16

Michelle Bankhead

New Roads ‘16
Santa Monica College ‘18

I’m currently working as a background actress and at the Greek Theater part time. I’m also trying to transfer to California Baptist University this fall. My plan is to major in theater and business.

Da Vinci ’23

Isabella Banuelos

Da Vinci ‘22
UC Berkeley ‘26
UC Berkeley Clinical Laboratory Scientist post-bac program

I just graduated from Cal and am working towards becoming a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, which can be certified by a post-baccalaureate program that I am planning to begin in Fall 2027. As of now, my long term-goal would to be either a CLS Generalist or a CGMBS (Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientist) depending on what I like more once exposed to it. But more excitingly, I have been offered a Clinical Laboratory Assistant role at Veracyte in South SF! I am super excited about the opportunity and it’s perfectly aligned with my interests. In my interviews, I spoke so highly of my experience with HRWSTF, and how much the experiences handling different campaigns and finding new ways of outreach developed my collaboration and communication skills. Even if the Berkeley chapter wasn’t exactly what we hoped, I knew I always had a community at STF. I wouldn’t be where I am without STF and I will forever be grateful to the organization for all it’s given me. You can always count on me as an STF Alum!

Canyon ’23

Adam Barber

Canyon ’23
UC San Diego ’27

Participating in STF has profoundly opened my perspective of world activism through community activism. By this I mean I have learned about how actions for educating students at my school and working with administrators connects with world changes that use similar techniques. It has also shaped my ambitions for college and beyond, because I want to focus my college study and career on humanitarian issues, along with my interests in art and design and the environment.

Project Liaison ’12

Gabriel Barreras

Project Liaison 2010-2012
M.P.L. USC ‘14

Since my time with STF, I returned to school and earned my Masters in Urban Planning in 2014. Now, on a daily basis, I work with cities and smaller communities to evaluate and redevelop their built environments in a way that is healthy, sustainable, and equitable to all. Some of my recent projects include: facilitating affordable housing for farmworkers in the Coachella Valley, advising Brazilian officials on the redevelopment of favelas ahead of the 2016 Olympics, and redesigning several California communities to have healthier, safer and more beautiful spaces overall.

Intern ’19

Carina Baylon

Intern ’19

I’ve been living in South Korea for the past two years. I’ve been studying online and taking part in a language program at a university in Seoul. However, I decided to take a break from COC to continue pursuing my education in over here. Once I achieve the necessary Korean level, I’ll be attempting to transfer to a university out here. Human rights volunteering and organizing in Korea is quite tricky with visa laws and foreigner regulations, but I’m always looking for opportunities to incorporate human rights into my studies!

Santa Monica ’10

Mana Behbahani

Santa Monica HS ’10

Since graduating high school I have had the opportunity to enter the human rights field. I’m currently working in the Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch assisting Elizabeth Calvin, Senior Advocate, with her efforts towards juvenile justice reform in California. Prior to this position I worked for a humanitarian aid and development organization. As of now, I plan to continue working at HRW while I finish my undergraduate degree.

Carson HS ’14

Jemimah Beltran

Carson HS ’14
CSU Dominguez Hills ’19

I graduated from CSUDH with a BS in Clinical Lab Science in 2019. I’m currently working at Stanford Health Care as a Cell Therapy Technologist! We manufacture haematopoietic cells and manipulate it depending on the process. It could either be an enrichment, or depletion, of certain type of cells. I’ve worked on CAR-T and currently work on various clinical trials. I absolutely love what I do.

Intern ’14

Nina Benjamin

La Sierra Univ. ‘10
Intern ‘14
M.A. Boston Univ. ‘14
J.D. UC Irvine ‘20

Currently, I am working at the CA Attorney General’s Office, specifically for the Special Prosecutions Section where we prosecute white collar and human trafficking crimes.

Intern ’13

Alique Berberian

Intern ‘13
Occidental College ‘15
MPH Columbia Public Health ‘18
PhD UC Los Angeles

I’m working on a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences at UCLA and am really enjoying the research I’ve been doing with my advisor on health disparities related to climate change. My research focuses on the environmental justice implications and public health impacts associated with climate-related hazards, including extreme weather and flood events.

Sierra Canyon ’16

Josyln Bernstein

Sierra Canyon ‘16
Barnard College ‘20

I’m currently working as a project manager at a lighting design firm in Agoura. I studied architecture so that’s how I got into the lighting field. My long term goal is to work in sustainable architecture.

Intern ’16

Sarah Bessell

Mount Saint Mary’s College ‘06
Intern ‘06
M.A. Georgetown Univ. ‘08
J.D. George Washington Univ. ‘15

After spending time at the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Human Rights First, and George Washington’s Human Rights Clinic, I traveled to Cambodia to work with the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in the office of the Co-Prosecutors. I then worked as a Legal Fellow at the Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center. Since being admitted to the NY Bar, I am counsel at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

Intern ’11

Patricia Bitar

Intern ‘11
UC San Diego ’13
MPP UC Irvine ’15
MSW Boise State Univ. ’21

I’m in school to be a psycho therapist. I am currently interning with foster youth and lead therapy groups. I work with young girls who have had a lot of trauma from living in the child welfare system

Hart ’13

Crystal Biteng

Hart HS ’13
UC Santa Barbara ’17

I currently work as a project manager of merchandise strategy for Coach!

Intern ’16

Ripsime Biyazyan

Intern ‘16
Occidental College ‘16
M.A. Columbia Univ. ‘18

My time at STF was pivotal for my professional aspirations, it sparked my interest in grant writing and development. I am currently working at Women’s World Banking as a Development Specialist and Impact & Engagement Manager. I’ve also continued to expand my LLC, St Hripsime Consulting by creating a website and an Instagram and giving a virtual grant writing class for skills development in Armenia. My grant writing/nonprofit journey’s start had an early cornerstone with HRW so happy to keep doing it 🙂

New Roads ’14

Maya Bouchet

New Roads ‘14
USC ‘18

I studied sustainable planning (urban planning) at USC. Since graduating, I’ve been working for a planning an engineering firm in downtown LA. I do mostly urban planning work for transportation projects. I knew I would either go into affordable housing or transportation, so it worked out well.

New Roads ’13

Atalya Boytner

New Roads ‘13
Bennington College ‘18

After graduating with a BA in history and costume design from Bennington College, I decided to take a break from academics and pursue a career as a riding instructor and horse trainer. Since beginning to work at Mill Creek Equestrian Center in Topanga Canyon, I have been able to teach beginners to competitive athletes. During the summers, I also teach for a non-profit called Horses in the Hood in which we bring inner-city kids (in programs such as Homeboys, Watts Art Towers, Union Rescue Mission, etc.) to the barn for a week of horsey fun and learning!

New Roads ’11

Abraham Bran

New Roads ‘11
Tufts Univ. ‘15
J.D. Southwestern Law School ‘21

I am a staff attorney at the Central American Resouce Center (CARECEN) working with migrants in immigration processes. I am also an adjunct professor at Southwestern Law School working with law students who want to craft careers in public service. And as far as working with law students, honestly it has to be the excitement when they share their goals and desires to help underserved communities. With everything going on in the world, I think it’s easy to spiral and lose hope but when I hear these law students speak about the change they want to see in the world and the impact they want to make, it makes me feel inspired as well.

New Roads ’11

Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo

New Roads School ’11

I have grown up as an activist in my community, and the Student Task Force gave me an opportunity to continue my passion. I will definitely stay involved with the status of many of these campaigns and see if I can bring awareness to the new community I’m in. I can’t thank the STF enough for everything they have done for me throughout these past few years. I miss all the actions we do!

Canyon ’16

Jennifer Brissenden

Canyon ‘16
Chico State ‘20

Since starting at Chico State, I made the honors college studying health service administration and graphic art. I am now a D1 athlete and am being looked at by the US National Rugby Team, having just placed 10th in the nation with my school team. I am also on the board of my campus’s Love Your Melon chapter, which is an apparel brand dedicated to giving a hat to every child battling cancer in America as well as supporting nonprofit organizations who lead the fight against pediatric cancer. This summer, I am interning at the Gender and Sexuality Equity Center working as an activist in the Women’s program. I am so excited to get back involved with promoting human rights. My time with STF opened my eyes to so many opportunities and broadened my horizons on world issues.

Intern ’16

Danielle Brody

Intern ‘16
Columbia Univ. ‘19

I graduated from college May 2019 and am now working as a paralegal at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York. I’m thinking of going to law school in the next year or two, so I’ve been preparing for the LSAT and looking over applications. The law firm has a bunch of different practice areas but I personally support the patent/intellectual property litigation team. I’ve also had the opportunity to do pro bono work, a lot of which are asylum cases.

Academy of the Canyons ’15

Emerson Bronskill

Academy of the Canyons ‘15
Univ. of Toronto ‘19
MA Arizona State Univ. ’23

I currently am enrolled in my Masters of International Health Management at Arizona State University, wherein I focus on public health law and health equity across the globe.

Intern ’12

Kristina Bruno

Intern ‘12
UC Los Angeles ‘12
M.Ed San Jose State Univ. ‘19

I have been working in education and youth advocacy since graduating UCLA. Most recently, I have been working as a college and guidance counselor at a high school in Salinas for the past year. My involvement in organizations that worked with youth throughout college got me really passionate about education and youth advocacy. Being a school counselor allows me to do the things I love and am good at for that purpose. I love programming meaningful activities and exposure opportunities, connecting
youth to resources, and providing them a safe space to be who they are without feeling judged, and to explore their passions and discover their capabilities.

New Roads ’16

Majd Bukhamsin

New Roads School ’16
CSU Northridge ’18
University of New Castle ’23

I’ve recently moved to Australia to finish my bachelors at the University of Newcastle studying international business. I’m planning to get a masters and a PhD before I look at my options career wise.

Intern ’12

Mason Butts

Intern ‘12
UC Los Angeles ‘13
M.Ed. UC Los Angeles ‘16

After teaching biology and chemistry at Hawkins High School in Los Angeles, I moved to Palo Alto and am now a Professional Development Leader at Next Gen Personal Finance.

Jonmathew Caballero

Animo Venice Charter ’25
Claremont McKenna College ’29

I’m currently finishing my first-year at Claremont McKenna College, double majoring in Government and Religious Studies, with an expected graduation date of May 2029. On campus, I serve as the Dormitory Affairs Chair on the ASCMC Board of Directors, where I oversee budgets and operations for our 14 residence halls, and I’m also the Head of Communications for the CMC Pre-Law Society. This summer, I’m interning in the Subrogation Department at Zenith Insurance and supporting STF’s ongoing efforts advocating for housing rights with LA Mayor Karen Bass.

Marlborough ’09

Amy Calfas

Marlborough ‘09
Intern ‘09-‘11
Tufts Univ. ‘13
M.S. Georgetown Univ. ‘19

I recently graduated with my master’s degree from Georgetown and published another article on women’s rights in India. I’ve also been working part-time as a research assistant for a professor who has focused her career around human rights and anti-human trafficking work at the State Department. I’ve been helping her develop a human rights course for policy practitioners, and when it’s published this fall would love to share an article that I’ve been helping her and Caroline Kennedy with focusing on international human rights cooperation. I’m planning to stay in DC or possibly New York focusing on human rights and women’s empowerment.

Canyon ’19

Paris Camacho

Canyan HS ’19
College of the Canyons ’21
National University ’24

I have started an online shop filled with designs my cousin and I have created and are donating all profits to BLM, Yemen, and most currently Lebanon charities.

Carson ’17

Daisy Camarena

Carson ‘17
CSU Monterey Bay ‘21

I joined STF my freshman year and I really enjoyed the opportunity to be part of a diverse club that taught me about issues that local news didn’t really discuss. I got to work with amazing people and
thanks to STF, I was able to know more about how to stand up for my rights as a minority woman. We worked hard as a club I now call my family. I wish you all the best, I love you all!

Carson ’13

Diana Camarena

Carson ‘13
CSU Long Beach ‘19

Right now I’m editing a short film, and some content for myself to build my resume. What I enjoy about the film editing world is the challenge of creating a story and fix a director’s problem, also figuring out all the different ways to project a story. Manipulating sound is actually similar to manipulating footage,
because they both have the ability to tell a story. If you close your eyes and hear water streaming, birds chirping, and trees dancing with the wind and suddenly a women’s heartless scream, a setting and story is presented. It’s really cool and I enjoy every single process of both of them. I have the power to change what I want people to see.

Carson ’12

Karla Camarena

Carson HS ’12
El Camino College ’16
Cal Poly Pomona ’19

I realized that not many people around me are informed about the horrible things out their in the world and, because of STF, I have the knowledge to tell them whats going on out their to kids like us and how we can make a change.

Carson ’19

Kimberly Camarena

Carson ‘19
UC San Diego ‘23

To start with, I had my top accomplishment to graduate from UC San Diego – SCRIPPS Institution of Oceanography, class of ’23 with a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology with a minor in Environmental Systems. Right after graduating, I got the opportunity to work with a travel agency known as BIOMA as a Marine Biologist where I currently work in Costa Rica as a Sea Turtle Biologist. My work focuses in connecting people and creating an unbreakable bond between science and humanities. Followed by working with sea turtle conservation projects all over Costa Rica. Top achievements within my career is being an influencer for many young generations and those interested in perusing STEM in the near future. My next step is my PHD which I am in the process of applying and seeking for the perfect program to get my project going.

STF is where my passion of making a change to the planet started for me back in high school.

Santa Monica ’11

Chris Capron

Santa Monica HS ’11
Swarthmore College ’15
PhD Univ. of Oregon

STF made me aware of social justice issues and made me realize how essential advocacy is to accomplish and effect changes.

Intern ’14

Jessica Carbonneau

Intern ‘14
UC Los Angeles ‘14

After studying Political Science and Global Studies at UCLA, I joined Facebook primarily focusing on Media Publishers and product development. Currently, I partner with News Agencies and Digital Publishers, developing products and programs to ensure their safety and trust of the Facebook suite of products. I love being able to play a role in amplifying journalism and news on our platform and ensuring users have accurate and up-to-date information about what is happening around the globe!

Oakwood ’11

Sofie Cardinal

Oakwood ‘11
Vassar College ‘15

I graduated from Vassar College last year and am currently I’m working as an advocate at the national domestic violence hotline in Austin Texas. I hope to to get an MSW in the coming years.

Intern ’07

Amy Carnes Marcewski

Intern ‘07
Consultant ‘08
Ph.D. UC Los Angeles ‘07

As Associate Director of Education at the USC Shoah Foundation I lead evaluation of the Institute’s programs and have overseen educational projects throughout Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, curated two exhibitions of testimony for display at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, and lectured about
genocide to high school and undergraduate students, and other educational professionals. I also designed an undergraduate course at USC entitled Rebuilding Rwanda: Memory, Testimony, and Living Together after Genocide and teach half the course in Rwanda.

Palisades Charter ’25

Ryan Carpenter

Palisades Charter ’25
Dartmouth ’29

STF has transformed my outlook about how to spend my time and the impact I can have in this world. I’ve been empowered to use my voice and to understand that I can create real and tangible change. I’m more confident talking to people in positions of power and more confident in my leadership, facilitation, and organization skills.

Intern ’12

Allison Casey

Intern ’13
UC Los Angeles ‘14
Ed. M. Harvard Univ. ‘18

Shortly after graduating UCLA, I volunteered with a local Cambodian NGO, helping produce reports about violence against women in the country. I focused on how technology could be used to educate women about their rights. Then I worked with UNICEF USA, empowering high school students to become global citizens. I just graduated from Harvard’s Masters in International Education Policy and am job hunting. I am forever grateful to STF because it was my first exposure to human rights. I have been inspired to pursue a career in human rights advocacy ever since!

Manuel Arts ’03

Gabriela Castillo Salazar

Manuel Arts HS ’03

I currently work for a continuing education company and I started my masters in leadership in fall 2022.

Golden Valley ’12

Glenda Castro

Golden Valley ‘12
UC Riverside ‘17

I graduated from UC Riverside, took a year off and now I’m actively looking for a job to start my career path. I majored in Environmental Engineering. I hoping to find a job as Environmental engineer in either a consulting firm or public utility. Thank you. I came back to LA and maybe down the road I will go back to
riverside. I not looking for any company in particular, just a good company where I can develop my abilities further.

Intern ’15

Sarah Catallo

Intern ‘15
USC ‘15
MBA Yale Univ. ’22

I recently left my position as a Public Relations and Advertising internship with O’Rorke, Inc. to start an MBA program at Yale University.

Intern ’16

Kristin Causey

Intern ‘16
Pepperdine Univ. ‘16

At the end of the year I will be a volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Tacna, Peru for 2 years. I will be a teacher at a high school helping students improve their english through a course on social justice. I will also be a pastoral assistant and help in facilitating and planning church events at one of the local Catholic churches.

Palisades Charter ’24

Clementine Causse

Palisades Charter High ‘24
Univ. of California, Berkeley ’28

It’s hard to put into words the life-changing impact the Human Rights Watch Student Task Force has had on me, not only as an individual but also as a leader, organizer, and activist. I joined STF shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, intrigued by their human rights advocacy on both a small and large scale. I was quickly drawn in by their work in drafting and presenting a climate proposal to the school board of trustees. That year, I learned about the devastating intersection between the climate crisis and human rights, and from that moment, I was hooked. I knew this work would be a part of my life forever. I was fortunate to have incredible STF mentors who believed in me before I believed in myself. I started on the Clean Energy Task Force as an underclassman, feeling like a fish out of water. By my senior year, I was leading meetings and training underclassmen to step into my role after I graduated. This was only possible because of STF and the skills, opportunities, and confidence they had in me. STF has shaped who I am today. It provided me with countless opportunities to grow. Through STF, I had the privilege of meeting inspiring Human Rights Watch researchers, activists, and leaders who are making an impact in their fields. The STF I joined was different from the one I left, but I am deeply grateful for the dedicated team of STF advisors who listened and supported us in every way. I can’t thank STF enough for not only igniting my passion for climate and human rights advocacy but also for giving me invaluable opportunities, leadership tools, and unique experiences. These experiences, along with the connections I’ve made in the field I hope to pursue, have been life-changing. I strongly believe that because of STF and the incredible people I have met along the way, I am now at Berkeley studying Society and Environment, Legal Studies, and Public Policy, with the hope of one day changing the world.

Alexi Chacon

Sierra Canyon ‘15
Univ. of Pennsylvania ’19
MSc Univ. of Oxford ’20

I received my MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation at the University of Oxford. My motivation to pursue the degree was in large part due to the fact that despite being very interested in politics and understanding the sociological frameworks behind different social injustices, I was not well versed on how to design policy to solve those issues nor did I have a toolkit to critically evaluate how certain policies are failing different marginalized groups. I wanted to walk away from the program with an ability to evaluate policy and take part in the policy formation process. The focus of my own research has been evaluating programs and policies delivered to aging out youth in the foster care system. I’ve worked with child welfare agencies in Philadelphia to better understand the challenges they face in implementing child welfare policy while also quantitatively evaluating the effects of risk prevention programs delivered to adolescent foster youth.

Intern ’14

Bo Chan

Intern ‘14
USC ‘15

I’ve been in Hong Kong for a little over 2 years now and have been at my job for the same amount of time. I work at a company called Native Union, a consumer electronics company. You may have seen us at the Apple store. I started at the company as a product manager mainly controlling the timeline and briefing of what products we should make. Now, I am leading the marketing team which consists of brand content, public relations and product marketing. I’m currently working on applying to grad school and will hopefully be moving back to Los Angeles in the fall.

Valencia ’16

Lesley Chaves

Valencia ‘16
UC Irvine ‘19

I attend the University of California Irvine where I’m pursuing a degree in Business Economics, and I’m currently on track to graduate in three years.

Sierra Canyon ’13

Sohil Chawla

Sierra Canyon HS ’13
USC ’17

I currently work as a sales manager in the apparel and fashion industry. I hope to create my own startup after gaining experience.

Academy of the Canyons ’16

Nathan Chiang

Academy of the Canyons ’16
UCI ‘20

At UCI, I study biomedical engineering with a minor in business management. I’m also in a Christian fellowship and a Biomedical Engineering Club. I am thoroughly enjoying my studies and my time overall due to the friends I’ve made, and the community feel of the university.

Intern ’21

Sea Choi

Intern ’21
UC San Diego ’21

I am currently a campaign staff for Campus Outreach San Diego and am planning to attend law school in the near future.

Wildwood ’05

Lee Cholodenko

Wildwood ‘05
Bard College ‘10

About a year ago I started a branding consulting business, and I help entrepreneurs create resonant and authentic brand communications that support their businesses and make a positive impact in the world. I’ve worked with 34 entrepreneurs and brands to clarify their visions, solidify their core strategies, and learn to express what their businesses are all about in clear and engaging ways. I’ve also teamed up with a graphic designer, copywriter and illustrator, so we can now help clients not just with strategy, but with creative execution, such as designing and developing websites, logos, visual identities. It’s been incredibly fun, exciting, challenging, stressful, rewarding, and everything in between. My goal is to help entrepreneurs who are seeking to bring their creative gifts to the world build sustainable businesses doing what they love. That’s what I’m doing for myself, and what I hope to support others with. So we work with people from across industries, from tech startups, to artists, thought leaders, authors/speakers, (and we even a top 10 auto manufacturing parts company). But the thread that ties them is that the businesses are run by people who are leading with their passions, and hoping to build successful careers doing what they love.

Harvard-Westlake ’16

Angela Chon

Harvard Westlake ‘16
Cornell Univ. ‘20

I’m a government major with minors in business and European studies at Cornell. This summer I’m working in the talent development group at Credit Suisse in their NYC office and getting ready for my
school year abroad at Oxford!

Los Osos ’22

Rohan Chowdhury

Los Osos ‘22
Stanford Univ. ‘26

I thoroughly enjoyed my two years in STF. Working in group settings with other chapters helped keep us all up to date on the best strategies and tactics to advance the green schools campaign, but also inspired me to keep going. The STF community also reminds me of the value of our activism, especially when we face setbacks.

I’m about halfway through with my time at Stanford, double majoring in Political Science and Urban Studies, and currently working at the Strategic Growth Council in Sacramento. My team works on connecting California communities to federal funding for climate, equity, and infrastructure projects.

Valencia ’17

Claire Chuprek

Valencia ’17
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ’21

I am very flattered I got to be a part of Valencia’s Student Task Force Club because it taught me a lot about leadership, team-work, and of course human rights violations occurring all around the world. I formed a lot of friendships and have fond memories of the workshops and dinners I attended. It was overwhelming to meet people just as passionate as me about spreading knowledge of numerous human right violations. I am going to miss being a part of this club but hope to find an organization very similar when I attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall! Thank you for everything you have provided for my club members.

Santa Monica ’24

Samantha Clark

Santa Monica ’24
Boston Univ. ’28

I’m really enjoying BU! I decided to go there because their graphic design program is very good, but it was also a non-art school, which allows me to take a lot of other classes in different fields. Because of this, I’m currently pursuing a minor in Korean language studies. I really like Boston, it was definitely the right choice!

Crossroads ’12

Juliana Cohen

Crossroads ‘12
Willamette Univ. ‘16

I’m a freelance content writer and aspiring political strategist and journalist. I divide my time between Portland and Salem, where I will be graduating next May. I’m probably going to attend law school after that!

Harvard-Westlake ’17

Megan Cohen

Harvard Westlake ‘17
Johns Hopkins Univ. ‘22
Johns Hopkins Univ. SAIS ‘23

I graduated from Johns Hopkins International Studies in 2022, and then I did a 3+2 grad program so I also am a Johns Hopkins SAIS graduate in the Class of ’23. I graduated with a degree in Strategic Studies and International Economics with a focus on Emerging Markets. After graduation, I worked at a job in Venture Capital up in San Jose. I lived in Rome and did a counterterrorism program in Israel for my gap year and just finished my freshman year at Hopkins! I took classes from economics to Arabic and this summer I am working part-time and taking an online class. I have spent a lot of time in Italy and definitely wanted to learn the language, especially since I already speak French and Spanish. For Israel, the main draw was the counterterrorism program as they certainly are the most or second most advanced country in that regard. I basically went to school there for a few weeks, toured some of the bases and conflict areas, and did some counterterrorism drills too. It was so interesting!

Immaculate Heart ’02

Nycole Conley

Immaculate Heart ‘02
Univ. San Francisco ‘06

I am a social entrepreneuress, philanthropist and a business structuralist for non-profits. I have a handbag boutique that bridgest affordable fashion accessories with purpose and philanthropy called
JazzyJayne. I am also an independent brand partner with Nerium International.

Palisades Charter ’13

Paloma Connolly

Palisades Charter ‘13
UC Santa Cruz ‘17

Directly after graduating last March, I traveled to Japan and Colombia in order to figure out my next steps. During my time at UC Santa Cruz, I organized for workers’ rights and against the privatization of the Universtiy of California. I was arrested on campus with 21 other students and workers for protesting unfair labor practices in the UC system. After, I worked as a student intern for the union AFSCME 3299, which represents the service workers at the UC and majored in feminist studies with a minor in history of consciousness. I recently began my job at Westside School of Ballet in an administrative position.

Intern ’13

Breanna Cook

Intern ‘13
UC Los Angeles ‘13

For several years I worked as the Collegiate Program Director for Transforming Youth Recovery in Reno, NV, where I provided consultation and support to universities establishing programs for students recovering from addiction, and act as a national advocate for collegiate recovery programs. Recently, I joined Jet.com’s human resources team that allows me to do a lot of local travel.

Wildwood ’14

Talya Henderson-Cooper

Wildwood HS ’14
Lehigh University ’17

After graduating Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, I am now the Head of Business Execution (COO) at Citi!

Apple (Christine) Coronel

Van Nuys ’26
UC Riverside ’30

Participating in STF has made me grow as a person who is ready to tackle real world problems that not just revolve around our small community, but bigger communities or even the world itself. I have learned to collaborate with others to have different perspectives for different solutions, know how to publicly speak and let my ideas be more than just words, and have experienced getting out of my comfort zone to give others the chance to have a comfort zone. Overall, STF has given me the best end to my highschool years and I will take this with me moving forward into life as I continue to deal with society.

Intern ’11

Elena Cortez-Neavel

Intern ‘11
USC ‘12

I have some big news: I decided to leave medical school to continue pursuing my new dream (currently via my company, Abilitee Adaptive Wear). While in school, I was spending so much time on my business, that I eventually realized I had already started the career of my dreams. It was difficult sitting in class trying to learn how to one day be an effective physician, when I was already making an impact on patients lives outside of school. I moved back to Austin, Texas, where our team is located, and have been working (over) full-time as the Executive Director of the company for a few months now.

Intern ’18

Hannah Cremer

Intern ‘18
USC ‘20
MA Relay Graduate School of Education ’22

I am working at Huron on a variety of projects focusing on the implementation of system wide patient flow centers and acute care at home programs. I work in the virtual care space helping implement innovative care models to better serve patients.

Valencia ’20

Denise Cruz

Valencia ‘20
UC Berkeley ‘24

This past year, I’ve been focused on the transition to college and getting to know Berkeley as best as I can virtually. I was active across a variety of organizations, but I am most active as the Deputy Secretary General of UC Berkeley’s League of Filipino Students (LFS). Currently, I am spending my summer vacation in Montana with my best friend, helping out with their family’s motel and restaurant while still virtually organizing with LFS and interning with Berkeley’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). I’m really excited to move into my first apartment next semester and finally experience Berkeley in-person. I’m also hoping to receive legal status in the U.S. before the year ends, which I’m working on with the East Bay Community Law Center.

Culver City ’18

Céline Cuadra

Culver City HS ’18
Harvard University ’22

I studied History & Literature as well as Arts, Film, and Visual Studies at Harvard. I am currently a housing specialist.

Academy of the Canyons ‘19

Lilly Daniels

Academy of the Canyons ‘19

My time with STF has given me an outlet to explore today’s most pressing issues involving human rights, and to learn and teach as much as I can about the devastating abuses of natural law around the world. There has never been a more relevant time to learn about and raise awareness for human rights. My time in STF, in part, is what has taught me how to be a leader and an American – to care and advocate for basic human rights. I am very grateful to have been a part of this unique and amazing organization. It has taught me to be a critical thinker and an advocate, as well as given me experience in public speaking and public relations. Thank you!

Intern ’11

Jeannie DAgostino

Chapman University ‘10
Intern ‘11
M.A. American Univ. Beirut ‘13

My time as an intern opened my eyes to local issues which I had not given much consideration. Oftentimes, the issues we need to tackle first are in our own backyard. Following STF, I went on to attend the American University of Beirut as graduate Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Middle Eastern Studies. I currently work as the Director of International Admissions at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. I manage the University’s international recruitment strategy and enrollment planning. When I’m not traveling, I’m always looking for ways to serve my community and neighborhood. I’m headed into my 2nd year in the position, and it’s certainly been a wonderful growth experience. I do still travel to those countries, but I’ve added on quite a few others (Saudi, Vietnam, India, Austria, Scotland, Czech Republic, etc.), as the nature of my job has shifted a bit.

Intern, Assistant ’20-21

Brennie Dale

Intern, Assistant ‘20-21
UC Los Angeles ‘20

One of my dreams since I was a young child has been to work for an international NGO, specifically HRW. However, I had a hard time conceptualizing what this type of work would actually look like before my internship. Through my involvement, I have gained hands-on experience advocating for human rights and insight into the inner workings of a nonprofit organization, while working for a cause I care deeply about. This has been the most rewarding experience and there are not enough words to accurately convey how deeply grateful I feel to have had this opportunity. Interning for HRW has shaped my future plans and life aspirations more than any other experience I have had in college.

Carson ’13

Carlo David

Carson ‘13
UC Berekely ‘17

I work with Public Rights Project, a national civil rights and legal nonprofit, based in Oakland, CA. We work with state and local government law offices to bridge the gap between our laws and how they are being enforced and disproportionately impact our most vulnerable communities. I do external communications, social media marketing, event planning and project management and evaluations.

Sierra Canyon ’14

Alexandra Davis

Sierra Canyon ‘14
Smith College ‘18

I graduated Smith in May and accepted a position a sustainability position at an engineering firm in Maine. I had a fabulous time at Smith and would do it alI over again! I majored in Environmental Science and Policy with a focus on Climate Change. I got really involved in Campus Sustainability and designing solutions for climate change adaptation, then I spent some time in Copenhagen learning how the Danes are coping with flooding in their cities and then interned with a planning agency in MA where I developed a framework for assessing climate vulnerability regionally. I presented my work at a couple national conferences and my future employer happened to sit in on one. We got to talking and I decided to make the jump across the country! I bike to work everyday, frequent the farmers market and have an office right by the wharf…I’m loving Portland so far.

Academy of the Canyons ’13

Sarah Deherrera

Academy of the Canyons ‘13
California Poly Technic Pomona ‘17
MAT Univ. Southern California ’23

Currently a ESL teacher for VIPKID. Pursuing a MAT TESOL with USC. Teaching is just enjoyable for me. I taught ethnic women studies classes as a guest lecturer for my boss when she needed a break. I also was asked to teach in k-12 about Native Americans back in college while I was still with my old boss.

Intern ’14

Elizabeth Delgado

Intern ‘14
UC Davis ‘16
MPP and MPA CSU Sacramento ‘20

My experience with STF was truly transformative in sparking my interest in integrating research, outreach, discussion, and action to address state, federal, and international policy issues. I have completed my master’s program and am working to transition to become a policy analyst, research analyst, community outreach, or project manager for nonprofits, local or state government, or other organizations doing public policy work in CA.

Culver City ’18

Margaret Delgado

Culver City ‘18

This summer I have figure skating nationals which took place in Brighton, MI. I have been skating for about 12 years now and plan on skating for as long as I can. I started skating like any typical kid, I went to a skating birthday party and have been skating ever since. I placed 2nd overall for duet, 4th overall in group, and 7th overall in solos. Next I’ll be doing more training and school work.

Culver City ’18

Emma Dezarn

Culver City ‘18
UC Santa Barbara ‘22

STF was such an amazing experience for me. As a high schooler it is very difficult to feel like you can make a difference. You are old enough to have opinions and motivation to make change, but often times, because you are not yet an adult, people underestimate your abilities and write your efforts off. This is why STF is so special. STF gives high schoolers the opportunity to really make change. It made me feel like I was making a difference in my community and raising awareness about the issues I cared
about. Working with STF really sparked my interest in advocacy and has inspired me to continue advocating for myself and others as well as inspired me study political science in college. STF is a truly unique program that helped me grow into the strong advocate I am today, unafraid to go out and make change.

Intern ’19

Kleya Dhenin

Intern ‘19
Cal Lutheran Univ. ‘20

I’ve been quite busy myself over the past year! I moved to Montana with the Progressive Turnout Project. After starting as a District Operations Director, I was quickly promoted to the Deputy National Data Director for Turnout 2020, the volunteer engagement arm of PTP. In November, I relocated back to Washington DC and am now a Scheduler with Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14). I plan to be with her for the foreseeable future.

New Roads ’17

Melissa Diaz

New Roads ‘17
UC Los Angeles ‘21

I am currently working at CHIRLA (the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights). I have been working here in communications, helping advance and uplift the immigrant narrative and experience through digital and social media and advocating for pro-immigrant policies at the local, state, and federal level. All of the conversations during STF meetings shaped my passion for justice and learning more about global issues and advocating for human rights. As a result, I studied political science with minors in global studies and gender studies in order to further understand legal and governmental institutions, and the power structures in our society that affect justice and injustice.

After graduating from UCLA, I did an internship with the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division, which allowed me to utilize my past skills in writing, copyediting, and social media to promote the arts programming and events of the City. It was also great to learn about the government’s role in supporting the arts which was very insightful, especially having been a political science major. I very much enjoy sharing resources with the community, and it was great to take that interest and situate it within an arts setting. I also found it a rewarding experience as I was able to enhance my writing, media, and copyediting skills and devise ways to promote and engage the community with arts and cultural events as well as arts resources.

Venice ’08

Stephanie Diaz-Sandoval

Venice ‘08
UC Los Angeles ‘12

More than 3 years ago I co-founded and am the CEO of SNS Patent Drafting. It’s an intellectual property design service business. We focus on drafting the drawings for a patent, or designing a logo for a new company, among other things.

Intern ’16

Natalie Dolloff

Intern ‘16
UC Los Angeles ‘16

I’m currently teaching English in Prague and have almost hit my 2-year anniversary date of moving here! As of right now, I plan to leave in the fall to either teach in Asia for a few months or (finally) start a career back in the States!

Canyon ’15

Mizhael Dones

Canyon ‘15
Hawaii Pacific Univ. ‘19

I am going to Hawaii Pacific University this August and I plan on majoring in biochemistry with a minor in computer science. I’m very interested in becoming a pediatric surgeon and use my practice in the remote areas of the world where medical assistance is hard to obtain.

Palisades Charter ’12

Julian Duarte

Palisades Charter ‘12
Temple Univ. ‘17
Loyola Law School ‘20

Law school has been great, enjoying it way more than I thought I would. I’ve been doing some civil rights work and government work but immediately after graduation I’ll likely just take what I can get. I took a Practicum in inpact litigation and spent a semester at disability rights California which was really cool. Right now I’m with LA county counsel. I work in the probate division mostly doing conservatorship appeals and hearings for people under LPS conservatorship which is generally people who have a mental illness that makes them legally considered gravely disabled and are a danger to self or others.

Palisades Charter ’14

Karina Duarte

Palisades Charter ‘14
Kalamazoo College ‘18
STF Assistant ’21

Over the last few years I finished work with STF as a Program Assistant, had two wonderful work experiences at the Petersen Automotive Museum and at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles’ Library Store. After six months with the Library Store, I accepted a position as Administrative Assistant to the Senior Vice President of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The Foundation does excellent work supporting the programming of the LAPL system through thoughtful donor cultivation and forward minded fundraising. Within two months of starting that position, I have been promoted to a higher level of responsibility and now report to the Senior Vice President as well as the Director of Membership. I plan fundraisers, support the creation of strategic plans for giving Tuesday and the like, and help to ease the lines of communication between different departments (on behalf of membership) to increase our membership numbers while simultaneously bettering their membership benefits with more robust programming! I see myself with the foundation for a long time.

Academy of the Canyons ’16

Nolan Dunnahoo

Academy of the Canyons ‘16
CSU Fullerton ‘20

STF gave me an outlet to act on issues that matter to me, instead of just talking about it on social media. STF also provided me with a community of peers that I knew believed in similar issues, which allowed me to actively talk about them. I am now a student at CSU Fullerton and loving my time here. I just switched my major from musical theater to child and adolescent development with an emphasis in elementary school setting to be an elementary school teacher.

Palisades Charter ‘20

Salma Durra

Palisades Charter ‘20
Univ. of Southern California ‘24

I’ve been part of STF for the last four years of my life. I joined my freshman year with the intention of educating myself about human rights issues and discussing topics I was interested in. I ended up getting so much more than that: all the events I spoke at, campaigns I spearheaded at Pali, exhibits I organized, speakers I watched, and most importantly, people I’ve met, have shaped me into a stronger, more confident, brighter woman. STF changed my perspective on the world, expanding it to a degree I never knew possible, while allowing me to tap into my roots when campaigning for human rights.

I just graduated with a BS in biochemistry and economics, and I’m now pursuing a Master of Science in Gerontology and working as a a research associate in an Alzheimer’s research lab!

Intern ’21

Josiah Edwards

Intern ’21
El Camino College ’21

I currently work as project coordinator of convenings for Youth on Root, a new nonprofit focused on facilitating the leadership of frontline youth (primarily BIPOC & low income) by providing tools for learning from each other and opportunities to use their unique power to promote environmental justice.

Valencia ’18

Janelle Elay

Valencia ‘18
UC San Diego ‘22

Being apart of STF was one of the best things I did in highschool. I was educated on and passionate about human rights but felt helpless at sixteen or seventeen years old because I didn’t know where to begin or what to do to get involved and make a difference. STF gave me the opportunity and allowed me to make actual contributions not only in my school but throughout my community. Everyones voice is important, no matter how small it is. Through STF, my voice transcended that of a kid in highschool and became something that contributed to a larger cause. I will always be grateful for my time in STF and I know that I will apply these lessons throughout the rest of my life.

I graduated from UCSD (early!) in 2021 as a Political Science major and minors in Business and Human Rights. I directed a Civic Engagement office where I helped register students to vote, I served as the social justice chair in my Panhellenic organization, and I worked as a Research Fellow for the U.S. Immigration Policy Research Center.

In the last year I’ve completed my first year of law school at UCLA. This summer I’ve been externing as a judicial extern in the Central District of California for the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall. Next summer I will be an associate in the litigation department for a law firm called Willkie Farr & Gallagher. During the upcoming school year I will be a board member for the International Human Rights Law Association, a board member of the Latinx Law Students Association, and the Moot Court Honors Board. I will also be a staff member on UCLA Law Review. I’ve volunteered this past year with the CARECEN migrant response project, the UCLA Law Reentry Clinic, and the UCLA Law Students for De-Incarceration.

Wildwood ’13

Serena Elkaim

Wildwood ‘13
Sarah Lawrence College ‘17

Currently I am a communications intern with Senator Kamala Harris’ Los Angeles office. I’m also looking into graduate schools to study psychology, sociology or political science.

Canyon ’17

Shay Ellaboudy

Canyon ‘17
UC Santa Barbara ‘21

STF embedded a feeling of empowerment to create the change I wanted to see in the world. We weren’t just talking about human rights violations, but actively planning events and educating people to try and make a difference. STF gave me a great opportunity to connect with people who were at the forefront of the human rights movement, including my fellow STF leader, Duniya Syed, whose personal story and strength was inspiring. I am now at UCSB’s College of Creative Studies, majoring in Biology with a Neuroscience concentration. I am having loads of fun as a tour guide for the University as well as a researcher in the Weimbs Lab. I’m conducting research in poliovirus this summer in a fellowship!

Hart ’16

Esme Erdynast

Hart ‘16
Northern Arizona Univ. ‘20

STF gave me a place where I felt I was doing what SHOULD be taught in school. Yes, math is important up until a certain point, but making a difference in the world was what I felt I should be doing. I would far rather devote my time to that because I had an impact and was helping people. Now, I am a student at Northern Arizona University majoring in psychology with speech language pathology and a minor in English and I am hoping to pursue occupational therapy. I work with two companies in Flagstaff, Arizona as a caretaker of adults with special needs. I am also vice president with Planned Parenthod Generation Action Club on NAU campus. Recently I was in an immigration class where I went to the border for 5 days in November and since then I’ve been working with No More Deaths. Since, I have been to the border 7 times and put water and food on migrant trails.

Hart ’14

Marie-Claire Erdynast

Hart ‘14
Southern Oregon Univ. ‘18

I graduated in December of 2018 with a BFA in Theatre Arts with an Emphasis in Acting and a minor in Shakespeare Studies. I’m now the Assistant to the Artistic Director at San Francisco Playhouse.

New Roads ‘20

Iris Erwin

New Roads ‘20
Bryn Mawr College ‘24

I joined STF as a scared little freshman, and have ended it as a confident and passionate senior. I spent most of my years on the sidelines watching in awe as I saw older members speak so eloquently. I never thought I was good enough to do the same, so I made sure to listen and learn so that I could one day follow in their footsteps. Although I was quiet during meetings and workshops, I started to notice that I was becoming bolder when speaking to my classmates or friends about topics of injustice and human rights violations. I took the tools that STF was giving me and used it to educate those who had never even heard about these topics we were working on. This was a big step for me, and it showed me that my voice did have value and could actually help people. Now I have become very confident and make sure to speak up, and I will continue to build up my advocacy with the groundwork given to me by STF. This organization has given me my voice and I am so grateful to have been a part of it throughout my high school career.

Palisades Charter ’15

Crystal Eshraghi

Palisades Charter ‘15
UC Los Angeles ‘18
MD UC Irvine ‘;’23

I graduated UCLA Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa a year early with a degree in Pyschobiology and a study of religion. After a gap year to continue my research in the cardiovascular research laboratory at the David Geffen School of Medicine, as well as work as a leadership consultant, career mentor, and academic tutor for Crimson Education, I entered medical school to be a Neurologist. I will become a doctor in summer 2023!

Da Vinci ‘20

Geo Espinoza

Da Vinci ‘20
Chico State Univ. ‘24

Student Task Force has been an experience that I can compare to nothing else in my life. Before I got involved with STF, I used to never really pay attention to things beyond myself. Through STF I’ve learned the importance of looking beyond political parties as well as the artificial concept of borders. I’ve learned about the importance of each voice on this earth, I’ve learned that while they should not all voices are equal some are louder than others and some get silenced. I believe that if we are to speak and truly move forward we must do so together, we speak together or not at all. With four years of STF under my belt, I am planning to attend Chico State and become a journalist., I want to be the person to go out and expose the injustices in the world. With my love for journalism and passion for human rights, the fire and passion I got through STF will only continue to burn. These last four years have taught me strength, compassion, and have only continued to move me forward. A thank you from the bottom of my heart to the entire STF team and to everyone I met along the way a result of STF.

New Roads ‘14

AnnaRose Etra

New Roads ‘14
UC Santa Crus ‘18

I graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2018, currently working as Medical Logistics Manager at a mental health treatment facility. I studied psychology during my time in undergrad, then became really interested in the mental health field. I work at a mental health treatment facility, and early on in my time there I became passionate about the medication department. It’s been amazing learning so many aspects of the medical field! I assist our doctors with referrals, medication charts, lab orders, and the like. I love that our program emphasizes the importance of quality medical/physical care alongside other therapeutic modalities. My long-term passion is getting my master’s in library science and working in the library system (such a great public space/resource) — but for the distant future, I’m dedicated to the healthcare/medical field.

Da Vinci ’21

Logan Evans

Da Vinci ‘21
Duke Univ. ’25

I have been really enjoying my time at Duke University and have become involved in environmental education on campus through joining an undergraduate environmental club called Environmental Alliance and organizing events, as well as participating in a student-run podcast about climate education and activism for young people called Operation Climate. Both organizations have allowed me to get involved with environmental happenings on campus and connect with other campus and outside organizations. STF was one of my favorite experiences of high school so thank you all for the work you do in cultivating such an amazing organization!

Intern ’12

Lizbeth Feiner

Intern ’12

My husband and I moved back to SF from Chicago in 2020. We also welcomed our sweet baby boy Ford, who is now 4 months old. I now work as a Market Manager with Codigo 1530 Tequlia. I started in the wine industry with Gallo right out of college and my career kind of snowballed from there. I always loved food and restaurants, so thought I would give the wine industry a try. As a Market Manager I am responsible for sales, marketing, budgeting, distributor management, and customer/consumer education for Northern California. I am actually in the process of starting prerequisites so I can go back to school to become a registered dietitian. I always thought I would do something where I helped others.

Intern ’08

Mark Fernandez

Intern ‘08
UC Los Angeles ‘08
M.S. New York Univ. ‘13

Although I gained valuable work experience and knowledge of human rights as an STF intern, the most satisfying aspect for me was working with highly-motivated young people. It was a very rewarding experience, which factored to my decision to gain international experience while working with students. Now I’m a Strategic Planning Analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), overseeing business performance and managing initiatives for the Global Markets Division for the Americas.

Crossroads ’17

Isabel Fields

Crossroads ‘17
Smith College ‘21

I am a Women and Gender Studies major and economics minor at Smith College. I’ll be in D.C. for most of the summer interning at the UN Foundation! I’ll be working with the Universal Access Project working with women’s rights, including creating business cases for the agriculture and apparel industry in Ethiopia, Kenya, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India detailing why businesses should invest in family planning with a focus on the return on investment.

Crossroads ’13

Jordan Fier

Crossroads ‘13
USC ‘17

I’ve been working at Oracle in San Francisco doing sales. I got this offer when I was in college. My favorite part is probably learning what it is like to work at a big company like Oracle and being part of a training class program with other recent graduates.

Animo Venice HS ’22

Alex Flores

Animo Venice HS ’22
Univ. of California, Berkeley ’26

Participating in STF was one of the highlights of my senior year. I was firstly able to work with one of my former teachers and focus on global issues that affect everyone on this planet, I was also able to work with one of the best groups of freshmen ever being the rest of my team from the Animo Venice Chapter of STF. My underclassmen were always ready to participate and work with one another to achieve our goals and endeavors. I got to watch them grow as advocates and activists, as well as take on more of a mentorship role within the organization in order to help them succeed with the continuation of the club in the following years to come. Overall, STF is fighting for the rights of all people, and that is something to admire. I will always be grateful for all that I was able to do for this organization, and I know that the students will bring the change that we need.

Crossroads ’08

Sydney Foos

Crossroads School ’08
Bard College ’12

I am the Vice President of Development for Black Bar Mitzvah.

Santa Monica ’14

Travis Fujita

Santa Monica HS ’14
Georgetown Univ. ’18

I am trying to educate myself with so many things going on in the world. I’ve been working at Bain and Company doing management consulting work for about 2 years. Basically, we advise big multinational corporations on business strategy. I mean to utilize the skills I learn for a good cause both during (NGO consulting) and after (not quite sure yet) my current job!

Carson ’17

Daniela Gamero

Carson ‘17
UC Riverside ‘21

STF changed my perception on how I view the world. Being in STF has opened my eyes to important issues that aren’t talked about in the news. STF planted a seed in my heart that pushes me to stand up for what’s right and never stop looking for justice. I love what STF stands for and couldn’t have made a better choice than to be a part of something amazing. I will never stop speaking for those who have been silenced and I will never look the other way because STF showed me that, with dedication and hope, anything can be changed. Now, I am studying at UC Riverside and participating in a Christian church group. I love the environment here and being able to be more independent.

Carson ’16

Gabriela Gamero

Carson ‘16
UC Berekely ‘20

My time in STF meant that I can change and improved someone’s life by educating and spreading different information that is important. I get to learn more in the process of being informed and teaching others. My leadership skill have improved by taking initiative in an area where many are afraid to speak and hear. I like being part of the STF leadership because I got the chance to help others beyond my community and make a difference.

Valencia ’16

Joey Ganley

Valencia ‘16
UC Los Angeles ‘20

Still at UCLA, majoring in computer science. This summer I am interning at Northrop Grumman doing systems engineering work. Systems engineering can involve a bunch of different disciplines, but what I’m doing right now is mostly modeling and simulation of aircraft. It’s pretty interesting stuff. Unfortunately, most of my college career has not been focused on human rights issues, but I do try to stay informed on the current events. STF has meant a lot to me. It was the first club I joined as a high school student during my sophomore year. STF truly allowed me to see the world in a broader way, for good and bad. I have always considered myself to be a quiet person. However being a leader in STF has helped me learn to speak effectively and persuasively. I have spoken at STF workshops, school assemblies, HRW dinners and individually to my peers. And despite my time with STF coming to an end, the things I have learned as a member of STF will stay with me forever.

Carson ’11

Cristina Garcia

Carson HS ’11
Hudson County Community College ’13
UC Los Angeles ’15
Loyola Marymount Univ. ’17

I joined STF when I joined the Human Rights Club at Carson High School. I was very interested in the issues impacting our world today and felt like I needed to become more informed other than just reading or seeing the one-sided face of the news and media. I wanted to also feel like I could take action into my own hands and help with what many fail to see as a real issue of our todays and tomorrows. Because I was interested in social justice, this organization ultimately influenced my choose of field of study which will be Political Science. I learned that having the right information and having a tangible plan can help go along way in addressing problems that are reachable. I felt privileged to be able to help fundraise and send materials for a better education for children in Africa. Also focusing on problems children in America still face helped me see the world not as whole, but as parts that work together that make up that whole picture. I see the influences and the results of these problems and it has made me more aware of the realities and brutalities that we need to speak out more about. I have yet more to learn and become educated about in order to educate others.

Intern ’12

Lea Garcia

Intern ’12
UC Merced ’12

I am living out in San Francisco working in the tech industry.

Canyon ’16

Narkis Garcia

Canyon HS ’16
Illinois Institute of Technology ’19

I studied business administration at Illinois Tech!

Palisades Charter ’16

Joshua Garcia

Palisades Charter ‘16
CSU Northridge ‘20

I am working as an Associate Producer, responsible for assisting in producing many episodes of HGTV’s popular reality television show, House Hunters. Some of my responsibilities include signing-in footage and ensuring it is appropriately labeled with any clearance issues noted for the Post department to ingest. I also research and obtain location permits, prepare deliverables packages for the network, and prep, compile, and deliver time-sensitive production documents to the network and Field Producers, including realtor information, location/music/art clearances, talent releases, and transcription requests for shows filmed in many locations across the US. I also write and revise marketing captions for production stills for the production company and HGTV, ensuring content and keywords are aligned with strict brand guidelines. While at CSUN, I worked on a production of TEDx (on campus TED talk. TEDx is a student organized event where we invite the campus community and the outside community to come speak about their experience or their ideas. I studied TV production with a minor in business management.

Valencia ’12

Lindsey Garcia

Valencia ‘12
Cornell Univ. ‘16
DVM UC Davis ‘21

I am finishing up my first year in vet school at UC Davis, planning to go into small animal medicine and have enjoyed everything about it. I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian and it has been wonderful working on clinical cases.

New Roads ’11

Rachel Garcia

New Roads ‘11
Tulane Univ. ‘15
MSW USC ‘19

I am currently in grad school at USC studying mental health in clinical social work. I wanted to impact the world in the ways that I had always hoped to and I think USC is a great school to help me get there. I am finishing my first year and know I want to work with teens, adults, and older adults.

Palisades Charter ’10

Pilar Garcia-Brown

Palisades Charter ‘10
Brown Univ. ‘14

I am now an Associate Editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. I edit books, a mix of fiction and some nonfiction/memoir. I’ve been working at HMH for about five years now. And, I work on a few social justice-oriented books!

Palisades Charter ’23

Peter Garff

Palisades Charter ’23

STF has meant so much to me. It has been the source of some of the most meaningful things I have ever done. The 100% solar plan has allowed me to explore a newfound passion while also helping promote human rights for people around the globe. Starting as a participator in the campaign I decided to use my talents of outreach to grow a petition promoting a transition to 100% renewable energy. Later, STF gave me the ability to be a leader in the campaign which I seized with great honor. The support of the STF team and the donors created a community which I will always appreciate greatly. Thank you STF.

Oakwood 15

Natalie Geismar

Oakwood ‘15
Washington Univ. in St. Louis ‘19

I graduated from WashU and am working at the Brookings Institute. I am a Project Assistant for the Girls’ Education Team in the Center for Universal Education. I will be starting at Yale Law School next month!

Palisades Charter ’21

Isabel Gill

Palisades Charter HS ’21
Wesleyan Univ ’26

I took a gap year off school after graduating high school in 2021 and spent my year traveling in Latin America. I am currently double majoring in Science and Technology Studies and Latin American Studies at Wesleyan University!

Sierra Canyon ’18

Natasha Gill

Sierra Canyon HS ’18
Duke Univ. ’22

I’m going to Duke, and will likely be majoring in Econ while following a pre-med track. I’m mostly just trying to balance all my interests! I didn’t want to major in a natural science when the undercurrent of my college academic life would be focused entirely on the sciences due to pre-med. I’m very interested in economics, so I really wanted to try it out along with pre-med!

Carson ’21

Jesse Glidden

Carson ‘21
Santa Ana CC ‘24

I recently graduated from Santa Ana Community College with an Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy. I’ve been apart of the Fall 2023 officers for the Student Occupational Therapy Assistant Club on Campus as one of the Co-Event Coordinators. Helping organize volunteer and networking events, as well as make posters and certificates. I participated in organizing and participating in a virtual 5k to raise money for the AOTPAC to advocate positive recognition and legislation for the field of Occupational Therapy. I’ve gained over 64 volunteer hours working in mental and physical health. Currently doing an 8 week internship rotation in a Geriatric Skilled Nursing Facility. I hope finish that rotation Mid-June and pass the NBCOT Exam in August after saving money and studying during the summer and go on to get my Bachelor’s in Occupational Studies at the same college and get a job in an Outpatient Pediatric Clinic. I look towards the future with the focus on better health. For us all.

Wildwood ’15

Maddy Gold

Wildwood ’15
Whitman College ’19

I taught English in Andalusia, Spain as a teacher’s assistant. Teaching English was amazing, and I got to work on my Spanish. I worked with immigration rights coalitions through last year of college. I studied abroad in Spain for a semester during college, and I spent just over 6 months in Spain when teaching. Job hunting in community organizing work, working with nonprofits. Taking a course on mass incarceration right now. Wildwood is creating a committee to help make the school more anti-racist and I’m going to be part of it. Volunteering with Black Education Matters California.

Santa Monica ’15

Claire Goldberg

Santa Monica ‘15
Georgetown Univ. ‘19

Throughout my time at Georgetown, I had several opportunities to study how to affect policy change in the states that have a positive impact on human rights. I’m working as the Communications and Digital Associate for the DC Democratic Party. I manage their social media, website and e-newsletters, and writing press releases, articles, letters, etc! I love politics and being around so many people who are so passionate about the same things was amazing!

Intern ’16

Yvonne Gonzalez

Intern ‘16
UC Irvine ‘19

Since graduating UCI, I decided to take a gap year and do some volunteering. I’m looking at returning to the San Fernando Police Explorer program or helping at local animal or homeless shelters. I’m particularly interested in the Downtown Women’s Center since I majored in gender and sexuality studies in college. Eventually I plan to apply for graduate school. I’d like to get a PhD in cultural studies.

Santa Monica ’14

Julia Gordon

Santa Monica ‘14
Wesleyan Univ. ‘18

I graduated from Wesleyan University in May 2018 with a BA in Biology and the Science in Society Program, and I am now working as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Mount Sinai Hospital Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center in New York, NY. My research examines the role and impact of external medical devices and personalized drug therapies on the physician-patient relationship and the lived experiences of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases. I am so thankful to HRW for fostering my commitment to social justice and humanism in everything I do–especially in the fields of science and medicine where the lived experiences and suffering (particularly of marginalized groups) are often silenced by overly simplistic numerical ways of defining health and happiness.

Santa Monica ’14

Linda Gordon

Santa Monica ‘14
Barnard College ‘18

I work at a legal nonprofit that provides grants, advocacy and training for impact litigation related to social, racial, economic and environmental justice in the United States and abroad. Much of my path to legal advocacy and education has been shaped by early experiences in the Student Task Force, and I am very excited to stay engaged and give back as the first alumni on the STF Advisory Committee!

Santa Monica ’11

Steve Gordon

Santa Monica ‘11
UC Los Angeles ‘17

Not only did STF build my ability to lead and communicate, but it inspired me to integrate my commitment to fight abuses with my belief that the arts have the potential to positively impact society. I hope to continue developing my skills as a musician with a broader historical, psychological, cultural and social context to continue the work I started in STF.

Santa Monica ’18

Amoolya Grandhi

Santa Monica HS ’18
UC Berkeley ’22
MS UC Santa Barbra

I’m still studying chemistry at UC Berkeley and am set to graduate in Spring 2022. I’m part of a research group there working on nanochemistry and intend to do work related to energy as a long-term goal. I’m also part of the animal rights community at UC Berkeley and an organizer at my university’s animal rights club, BOAA. I’m doing research in nanoscience right now, specifically with quantum dots that have been used in making highly efficient solar cells, LED’s, and lasers. While I’m researching the theory rather than the applications of quantum dots right now, I hope to go into something that advances our use of greener energy, or makes our energy use more efficient when I’m older. I’m planning on doing my PhD in chemistry or materials science. I have really liked Berkeley. I’ve gotten involved in animal activism here, made a lot of friends, and have worked on some very interesting research projects. My club, Berkeley Organization for Animal Advocacy is currently working on a campaign to get UC Berkeley to stop serving meat at their dining halls. Recently, the city of Berkeley has also set a plan to end all purchases of animal products (as in all city funded buildings) citing both animal agriculture’s contribution to worsening climate change and inhumane treatment of animals. Though, this legislation was more due to the animal rights organization DxE, which my club sometimes works with rather than my club itself. I’m currently doing research on topological insulators–a class of materials that have highly efficient conducting surface and edge states. I hope to do work on developing green technology or renewable energy as I would like to make a positive impact on the world and I also think climate change is probably the most serious problem concerning the world right now. I’m very interested in quantum materials so I think these two interests would very nicely intersect in solar cell work which is what I hope to study during my PhD. My top choices for my PhD right now are MIT, UCSB, and Cornell. I’m not sure what I will do after my PhD but right now I’m leaning towards going into industry rather than teaching.

Da Vinci ’19

Jahmarri Green

Da Vinci Schools ’19

I currently work for Campus Victory Project, a non-profit dedicated to equip college students with leadership skills. I am currently planning on going back to California to work in the non-profit sector.

Palisades Charter ’10

Brooke Greenberg

Palisades Charter ‘10
UC Berkeley ‘14

Since my involvement with STF, I have received a B.A in Architecture with a Minor in Sustainable Design from UC Berkeley. After graduation, I moved back to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Graphic Design. STF provided me with my first professional design experience as a Graphic Design Intern during my senior year of high school, and that opportunity has opened many doors. I also created the 10th anniversary STF video titled, “Where Do Human Rights Begin?”

Canyon ’20

Marcus Grijalva

Canyon HS ’20
College of the Canyons ’25

It was an honor to work with such an amazing organization this year, and I will certainly miss being a leader and planning chapter meetings for Canyon High School. One of the biggest highlights for me was attending the workshops. There was such a great feeling of community and leadership there, and it gave us the objectives our school should focus on. It was incredible to see other students with such commitment and passion to this program, and it inspired me to truly stand up for what I believe in, more than anyone or anything has taught me. I will never forget the amazing opportunities I had while in the program.

Santa Monica ’17

Rara Gumbel

Santa Monica ‘17
Kenyon College ‘21

I’m working as a legal assistant at Vanaman German, a special education firm that helps kids with disabilities in disputes with school districts. My job is really great! I was working previously at a litigation law firm, and this one is a much better fit for my aspiration of helping others with my work. During my time at Kenyon, I completed a study abroad program in Rome, where I studied art, Italian, and anthropology for a semester. I graduated from Kenyon as a drama major for playwriting.

Sierra Canyon ’17

Kavya Gupta

Sierra Canyon ‘17
Bryn Mawr College ‘21

I took classes at West Coast University-Los Angeles, as well as Bryn Mawr, to receive a nursing degree (class of 2022). I was also in my school’s feminist club! A few summers ago, I worked with kids with autism before rejoining our human rights group on campus. I worked with ABA2DAY as a registered behavior therapist where we do ABA therapy, type of behavioral therapy, which is aimed at helping people who have autism become more independent.

Immaculate Heart ’01

Sarah Gustafson

Immaculate Heart ‘01
Yale Univ. ‘05

I first joined EarthCorps as a volunteer, doing on-the-ground environmental restoration work with them around Puget Sound. Eventually I became Board Treasurer. As Board Treasurer at EarthCorps, I helped the organization sustain itself through the pandemic… especially when our services revenue got cut off due to stay-at-home orders! I partnered with our Finance staff to digest financial data, frame urgent decisions, and secure PPP grants. Our organization survived the pandemic with a strong balance sheet and was even able to raise pay for its AmeriCorps staff going forward. I learned a lot from STF that allowed me to thrive in my role at AmeriCorps. Be brave to ask questions about principles. Dig into what really matters when it comes to budgets and people. If you have authority in a situation, be prepared to make tough decisions and be ready to explain why. I got interested in joining local government boards while doing grassroots organizing for affordable housing. On the planning board, I collaborate with city staff and council to develop new regulations for land use, transit, and neighborhood investment. Here, I researched how zoning changes might harm immigrant-owned businesses. I then built consensus to establish support for those businesses in my city’s comprehensive plan. STF taught me that, in order to make change, you have to get your voice loud and proud in front of government. Don’t accept the answers you’re given at face value. Ask questions. Bug people in power (and get your friends and neighbors to bug them too!).

New Roads ’16

Jonathan Hackner

New Roads ‘16
Otis College of Art and Design ‘20

My primary interests are Architecture, Comparative Literature, Graphic Design, and Science. I studied at Santa Monica College and Otis College of Art and Design, building my writing and design portfolio. I feel fortunate to have joined and learned so much about human rights advocacy through Student Task Force. I was a member of the Scholars and President’s Ambassadors programs and I was part of The Corsair newspaper at Santa Monica College. The scholars program is an honors program based on performance and grades. It’s really great because you get a lot priority for classes and help from professors. The President’s Ambassadors responds to President Katheryn E. Jeffries and the alumni association as official representatives for the school. Here, I worked with board members, faculty, past / future / current students to promote the resources available on campus.

Harvard Westlake ’19

Sofie Haber

Harvard-Westlake School ’19
Georgetown Univ. ’23

I am a rising senior at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service graduating in 2023. I’m majoring in Regional and Comparative Studies with a concentration in Energy Geopolitics in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Outside of school, I am currently interning at The Middle East Institute (MEI), and I am a Research Assistant at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security (GIWPS) where I focus on the intersection of climate change, conflict and gender inequality. I would love to connect with any STF alumni working in climate policy or at foreign policy think tanks, and I would be happy to talk to STF chapters about the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on women and other marginalized groups if anyone is interested.

Intern ’16

Sharon Han

Intern ‘16
USC ‘17

My time with STF was invaluable, because it reminded me that human rights violations occur everywhere, including the United States. I had been so focused on international human rights crises that I forgot to pay attention to events happening here. STF was my first internship, and it set the tone for the rest of my professional experiences in college and post-graduation. I’m currently working on communications and advocacy work for nonprofit clients with the Raben Group! Previously, I worked as a Campaign Organizer for Luz Rivas who ran in the 39th Assembly District in California. I assisted with projects the Campaign Manager needed extra help on, filled out questionnaires and applications for political endorsements, worked on recruiting and training, and followed up with volunteers. I intend to pursue law school in the next few years but haven’t settled on an exact timeline.

Intern ’16

Susie Han

Intern ‘16
USC ‘16

I am now working with the UN Refugee Agency at the US-Mexico border. My first few years after graduating I worked with College Possible, an AmeriCorp Vista program. I worked with high school juniors from low income and inner city areas to empower them to confidently enter the college application process. Most recently, I have been working for a national public charter system called KIPP as a College Advisor in San Francisco. I am moving to Belize in July for the next two years! I’ll be working with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps following the steps of my fellow STF intern, Kristin Causey.

Crossroads ’15

Samantha Hardy

Crossroads ‘15
George Washington Univ. ‘19

I graduated from GW after studying international development. I have interned at the Atlantic Council, a think tank focusing on transatlantic security, the Peace Corps, and at the State Department in the Office to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking. I have also interned for Adam Schiff, Ted Lieu and Jimmy Panetta on Capitol Hill. I really enjoyed working at the Atlantic Council for a few reasons: I really believe in the mission and thesis of the Council, and in a time when things are so in flux and uncertain, the work the Council does –the connections it fosters, the research it does, the reports it puts out– is incredibly valuable to individuals, governments and corporations around the world. It’s also a fascinating place to work at because of the people who make up the Council– it’s full of former Pentagon, State, White House, and Intelligence officials. Everyone is passionate and informed which makes for a good and meaningful work environment.

Intern ’14

Coralie Hentsch

Intern ‘14
Univ. of Geneva ‘12
MIJ at Cardiff Univ. ‘13

I’m living in Munich in Germany now! I work for an educational Virtual Reality creation platform, CoSpaces Edu, as the Marketing Manager. Here, we help schools shift to online learning platforms. The company has a software letting kids from any age and any skill level create anything they want in 3D.

Intern ’17

Bri-ann Hernandez

Intern ‘17
UC Los Angeles ‘15
MPH UC Los Angeles ‘21

As a public health advocate, I sought to tackle gender health disparities and inequalities through promoting the design and implementation of equitable and sustainable policies and interventions. I have coordinated and managed an intersectoral international network comprising over 100 members who strive to shed light on policies and practices that have a positive impact on health equity and human rights in the Americas, with a focus on gender equality and at-risk populations I lead local, national and international projects, both as a researcher and as a coordinator. My current position is Associate Consultant with the Assembly Human Services Committee

New Roads ’15

Shalia Hernandez

New Roads ‘15
Occidental College ‘19

During my time abroad in Alicante, Spain, I traveled throughout the Mediterranean parts of Spain and Morocco and completed an interdisciplinary internship at the Archeological Museum at Alicante. Now I plan to move to Davis, CA to work in veterinary medicine and services.

Immaculate Heart ’01

Marisa Hernandez-Stern

Immaculate Heart ‘01
Brown Univ. ‘05
UC Los Angeles School of Law ‘10

I currently work as the Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Worker Rights & Fair Labor Bureau. Previously, I worked as a staff attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County overseeing employment litigation. Since STF I have remained in engaged in human rights issues by serving as a legal observer to pre-trial proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Wildwood ’13

Keanu Heydari

Wildwood ‘13
UC Los Angeles ‘17

I‘ve finished my fifth year at the University of Michigan’s PhD program in history. I published an article in an edited volume: the article is called “L’exil politique, les carrières migratoires et l’Union des étudiants iraniens en France: Une étude de cas,” and the book is called L’exil iranien, la diversité d’un phénomène, edited by Prof. Nader Vahabi. Being a member of the STF at Wildwood Secondary School in West Los Angeles in no small measure changed the way I viewed the world. Tyranny has a witness, and STF taught me that we give these witnesses a voice; education is the cornerstone of this endeavor.

New Roads ‘17

Jake Hofheimer

New Roads ‘17

Recently I decided to take time off from school and work full time at an outdoor travel retailer, Adventure 16. In August 2019, I will be backpacking an 80-mile section of the John Muir Trail in the Eastern Sierras. When I go back to school, I plan to major in recreation administration with an emphasis in outdoor adventure. It would certify me to work as a backpacking guide, or work in the parks department, or a number of other jobs in the outdoors

Sierra Canyon ’20

Nia Holden

Sierra Canyon HS ’20
Columbia Univ. ’24

My experience with STF was unexpected, but abundantly valuable. I joined not knowing a single thing about human rights or what it meant to advocate for them and ended with it being was of my greatest passions. Over the years, I felt myself grow into a better person and I have STF to thank for that. Before STF, I had never seen such a large network of people who cared so deeply about the justice for those unable to defend themselves. STF is an amazing organization that I truly believe the world needs more of!

Palisades Charter ‘24

Alma Huamani

Palisades Charter ‘24
Santa Monica College ’28

My biggest fear was public speaking and the first event that I attended at STF was speaking to students in an auditorium, it was about 90 students. Before joining STF I would never have voluntarily done such a thing, but my peers and teacher at STF encouraged me me feel confident enough to speak in front of all of those people about a topic I was so passionate about, environmental injustice. The communities that we talked about that were disporprotionley being affected by pollution was MY community and I felt responsible for speaking and bringing awareness to the injustice that is happening to my family and neighbors. I thank STF for letting me and pushing me towards speaking out. THANK YOU STF!!!

Santa Monica ’16

Marina Huang

Santa Monica ‘16
UC Santa Cruz ‘20

I am currently at UC Santa Cruz doing Astrophysics. I am part of a team that is trying to make the campus more diverse. I am also part of queer spaces on campus.

Santa Monica ’16

Sofie Hubbard Warshafsky

Santa Monica ‘16
The New School ‘20

I’ve been working at the ACLU of SoCal, and it has been really wonderful. My time at STF helped me to better understand global issues around the world, and the duty, we as humans have, to help one another and not stand by and watch, but take action. Being involved with STF led me to develop a curiosity far greater than just reading news articles, but actually making change and being an active global citizen. At the ACLU of SoCal, I work for the Jails Project and it was an incredible experience. ACLU of SoCal is the court ordered Monitor for all LA County jails, ensuring adequate living conditions.

Golden Valley ’20

Jacquelene Hundelt

Golden Valley HS ’20
UC Santa Cruz ’24

Honestly Student Task Force at Golden Valley is my favorite club and really the only club that I joined and got interested in. Ever since I joined I was hooked, it made me happy every time our club was able to create a presentation or an exhibition to share to classes because I know that at least a few people will look at the world differently from what we did. STF expanded my horizon to realize that there are other things going on in the world and led me to stay continuous updated with the things that are going on in the world and have a voice about them. Thank you HRW-STF!!

Da Vinci ’19

Vivian Huynh

Da Vinci Schools ’19
CSPU Pomona ’23

I’m enrolled full time at Cal Poly Pomona and I also am taking summer classes at El Camino College. With everything going on, I’ve hardly gone out of my house and still fighting for human rights by signing petitions, spreading news, and protesting. I’m wishing for a better future. I’m majoring in Animal Science with a Pre-Vet emphasis. I’ve always enjoyed working with animals and throughout childhood, I had a variety of different animals that I cared for so my passion to work with them grew from there. I want to be a small animal veterinarian and work primarily with cats and dogs, but “small animal” also accompanies rabbits, hamsters, and other small animals.

Intern ’10-’11

Deepti Immaraju Reim

Intern ‘10-‘11
UC Los Angeles ‘11
SSCP CSU Northridge ‘16

My year with STF motivated me to pursue a human rights-related career. I was able to secure a new role with Tacoma, Washington’s Public Schools’ CTE and Innovative Learning Team to support career technical education teachers in the district in providing high-quality learning experiences for all students that will connect them to the future that they want (right to education!). I love integrating human rights into my projects by engaging students on topics such as juvenile justice, civil liberties and the status of women in Afghanistan. I enjoy equipping my students to become compassionate change-makers in their communities. I also founded the Da Vinci Schools STF chapter.

Carson ’16

Ashley Islas

Carson ‘16
UC Santa Cruz ‘20

I am majoring in Legal Studies at UC Santa Cruz and considering Psychology. I love my major, learning about laws and court decisions that instituted them is amazing. After graduation I plan to go to law school. After that I want to stay close to home and practice in LA. I am actually not so sure about which school exactly but I know a few schools have great criminal and immigration law programs.

La Salle ’05

Gioia Jacobson

La Salle HS ’05
Pacifica Graduate Institute ’11

STF taught me a lot about service. I so badly wanted to be making a difference in the world, and STF gave me an opportunity to see what that might look like. I think it also built a great foundation for informed charitable giving of both time and money in my adult life. I am currently a licensed marriage and family therapist, and adjunct faculty member and research associate in the Counseling Psychology program at her former graduate school.

New Roads ’20

Georgia Jaffe

New Roads HS’20
Emerson College ’28

During my time of being apart of STF I learned so much, especially how to advocate for myself and spread awareness in a way will understand. I was part of STF for four years and I absolutely loved it. I eventually became part of the leadership team and I loved planning our workshops and seeing everyone in our meetings every Wednesday. I loved every minute of being part of STF and am so lucky to have also attended the Human Watch Gala where I met amazing people and heard inspiring stories. I majored in the business of creative enterprises at Emerson College and minored in Marketing, where I graduated in May of 2024.

Da Vinci ’19

Danielle Jauregui

Da Vinci Schools ’19
El Camino College ’23

Going into high school, I didn’t have the slightest idea what I wanted to do with my life. When I joined STF I had no intention to become president or even continue as a member, but the more I came back and participated and saw the impact and the community that came with it, I knew I could never leave. Sadly, that day has come where I must pass the baton to the next generation of leaders. I know they will be amazing. I hope that they get out of it as much as I did or more. Never have I had experiences so fulfilling as the ones that I’ve had here. I go to sleep every night at ease knowing that people like Kristin and Pam are helping kids make this world a better place. A huge thank you to all my past interns: Brianna, Marianna, and Brennie. I hope to be in their position one day and continue to guide our youth. I am immensely filled with gratitude towards this program and those who take part. We are the world. We are change.

Palisades Charter ’18

Peter Jebsen

Palisades Charter ‘18
Cornell Univ. ‘23

I graduated from Cornell University in 2023, and loved it! Everyone was really bright, motivated, and my classes and major (Public Policy Analysis) were highly engaging. My thesis was on maternal and infant health outcomes in interracial couples, which combines public health and demography, my two areas of focus within my broader major. I even had the opportunity to travel with a group of fellow students to Copenhagen to study the Danish social welfare system, which informed my thesis and my broader understanding of government welfare programs. My time as a member and leader in STF was very influential for me, as it both developed my understanding of local and global human rights issues and grew me as a person. It exposed me to a variety of leadership opportunities I never would have envisioned for myself as just a freshman in high school, from speaking in front of several hundred of my peers about the Syrian Refugee Crisis to presenting at a local university about a proposition to advance human rights for youth criminals in the justice system. Through the program, I met some truly inspiring human rights activists and educators whose words and actions still influence me today. Most importantly, however, I gained a respect for the value of a human rights education that I plan to carry with me through life. No other activity in high school taught or offered me as much as the Human Rights Watch Student Task Force, and for that I am truly grateful.

Intern ’09

Amanda Jessen

Intern ‘09
UC Los Angeles ‘09
M.A. Georgetown Univ. ‘15

As a second year Conflict Resolution master’s student at Georgetown University, I am a Boren Fellow living and studying in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey researching how Syrian female refugees make decisions about actively countering or aligning themselves with currents of violent extremism.

Canyon ’15

Summer Jimenez

Canyon ‘15
Clarkson Univ. ‘17

I will be a junior in fall 2016 at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY, double majoring in Physics and Mechanical Engineering. I plan to graduate with my BS and go into the Peace Corps for a few years. STF is one of the reasons I plan on joining the Peace Corps, as well as my desire to build/provide infrastructure for those who survive without basic living necessities (i.e. food, water, shelter, etc.).
STF opened my eyes to international concerns that I had no idea existed. It showed me that just because everything seems fine in my life, others are still suffering elsewhere.

Academy of the Canyons ’16

Kelsey Jirikils

Academy of the Canyons ‘16
UC Los Angeles ‘18

I am very excited to share that I am currently doing Teach for America, working as an 8th grade science teacher in an underserved community in Memphis, Tennessee. Student Task Force instilled in me a passion for advocacy and education. I’m excited to continue furthering those goals through Teach for America.

Intern ’12

Suzanne Johnson Bergstedt

Intern ‘12
UC Los Angeles ‘13

I’m now the South Asian Network Director within Bridges International (which is a branch of Cru). My internship with HRW STF gave me a love for the world and a passion for pursuing justice in different forms. As the South Asian Network Director of Bridges International, I help equip others to understand South Asian culture in hopes of better serving South Asian international students, scholars, and faculty serving here in the United States. As a Christian organization, Bridges desires to give everyone a chance to learn about Jesus, but we also hope to model love and justice in the way we serve and advocate for others.

Wildwood ’08

Katia Johnstone

Wildwood ‘08
UC Berkeley ‘12
Univ. of Southern Maine ‘21

I am a full time History and English teacher at the Ecology Learning Center – a public charter school in Unity, ME that focuses on outdoor and place based education. The school I work at is focused on immersing students in the cultural and ecological landscapes of Maine. We are the only public school in the state to take our students on overnight outdoor adventures and we are grateful to partner with many other local organizations to make that possible. We focus our classes on project based, place based learning to help students connect their local experiences to global themes. STF was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had because it greatly facilitated my growth as both a leader and an activist.

Canyon ’13

Shane Jones

Canyon ‘13
Arizona State Univ. ‘17

I graduated from ASU in 2017 with a degree in Secondary Education (Biology). I am now a teacher for ASU Prepatory Academy. I teach Robotics, Engineering and AP BIO. Teaching is awesome! It’s been a really valuable experience. It amazing to see how much the students grow from the beginning to the end.

New Roads ’23

Zaraya Jordan

New Roads ‘23
Carleton College ‘27

This year I’ve been taking super interesting classes, getting involved where I can, and playing lots of soccer. During my fall semester my team, the varsity women’s soccer team, won the MIAC championship and went to the NCAA tournament which was super exciting! Outside of that I’ve been taking classes in the political science, Africana studies, history, and religion departments and learning about topics like ethnic conflict, U.S. and Latin American relations, gender and power in the catholic church, black contemporary theory, and ecology in Africa. Outside of class and soccer I volunteer at my schools food recovery network, which donates leftover dining hall food to local shelters in town, have been involved with our college’s chapter of SJP (students for justice in palestine) , and am on the board of our Black Babes of Color affinity group on campus. I have gotten so much out of my freshman year and can’t wait to keep getting more involved. Next steps for me look like studying abroad and joining/starting even more clubs and volunteer groups. Next year, during my winter term, I’ll be going abroad to study the humanities in South Africa and Chile! Human Rights Watch has definitely inspired a lot of the work I’m doing today at Carleton and I’m so grateful to have gotten such a strong foundation from the Student Task Force.

Carson ’14

Christina Juarez

Carson ‘14
San Diego State Univ. ‘18
MBA Point Loma Nazarene Univ. ‘19

I just graduated with my MBA and am now looking into medical device/ biotechnology sales or account management careers. I’ve also looked into various healthcare management positions at a few different hopitals.

Wildwood ’12

Rebecca Kahane

Wildwood ‘12
USC ‘16

I always enjoyed giving back to my community, and in tenth grade I realized I could do so on a greated scale by joining STF. I learned that each and every voice is important. I empathize with the struggles of other people and want to be able to help. I want to be able to offer my skills and talents with those in need. While I am no longer directly involved with human rights issues, in 2016, I graduated from USC and am now working as a fashion stylist and a stylist assistant.

Valencia ’18

Mithara Kaluarachichi

Valencia ‘18
Univ. of Notre Dame ‘22

I’m currently in Liverpool, U.K. where I am working directly with minority women who have experienced honor based violence (FGM, honor killings) to better understand how gender-based violence and racial disparities play a role in long-term trauma-rooted mental health issues.

Hart ’12

Gayne Kalustian

Hart ‘12
Dartmouth Univ. ‘16
J.D. UC Berkeley ‘19

Upon graduating from UC Berkeley School of Law in May 2020, I clerked for Judge Deborah Boardman. I’m getting an LL.M. in Taxation from NYU through its part-time, distance learning program. Previously, I was a clerk at the ACLU’s disability rights program working on policy advocacy issues and class action litigation. I also worked with individuals at Berkeley’s East Bay Community Law Center. I plan to eventually move to the Mountain West or Alaska because my fiance is from more rural areas (Minnesota, and Southern Oregon) and I LOVED living in the snow and in a small town.

Academy of the Canyons ’16

Priyanka Karthikeyan

Academy of the Canyons ‘16
UC Berkeley ‘20

I’m double majoring in public health and Molecular and Environmental biology! I’ll probably go into the medical/health industry for impoverished nations and low-income areas of the nation!

Santa Monica ’17

Emily Katz

Santa Monica ‘17
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ‘21

Currently, I am at Cal Poly SLO as an Agricultural Systems Management major which is a hybrid between engineer and business with a concentration in wine and viticulture and minoring in business. I just got an internship with J. Lohr for harvest where I will be working on their wastewater machine and in their cellar
and lab. Until then, I’m doing research with a professor, cost analyzing the use of two drones in fields by looking at water stress in vineyards.

Harvard-Westlake ’17

Danielle Kaye

Harvard Westlake ‘17
UC Berkeley ‘21

I graduated from UC Berkeley last month and moved to New York, where I worked for Reuters as a summer intern and completed a year-long fellowship with Avodah’s Jewish Service Corps. My senior thesis was about threats to Senegal’s artisanal fishing communities — I studied in Senegal in 2019, so it was great to reconnect with people there through my research. At the Human Rights Center, I was on a team tasked with open source investigations for Amnesty International and other partners; we worked on a handful of projects this year, including looking into French weapons used against protesters in Lebanon and violence surrounding the US elections. I then worked as a Kroc Fellow at NPR, where I spent a year reporting and producing for a handful of NPR teams.

Palisades Charter ’16

Shadi Keyvani

Palisades Charter ‘16
UC Los Angeles ‘19

I am currently attending Saint Louis University School of Medicine after graduating from UCLA early! STF allowed me to learn more about social/human rights issues that are not generally discussed in class. It was really important to me to be involved in such an organization in order to actually have a chance to take an active part in catalyzing change when it comes to these issues. I think that educating myself on these topics allowed me to grow as an individual. I know that human rights will always be a part of my life due to my experiences with STF. Thank you for all the support and help!

Sierra Canyon ’22

Sravani Khanal

Sierra Canyon HS ’22
UC Berkeley ’26

Participating in STF has been so valuable to me; I’ve learned more about major human rights issues in the world and what I can do about it. I’ve also developed leadership skills and persistence that I will take with me in further advocacy efforts and beyond. I’m very thankful I was able to be apart of STF and am excited to further learn how to better fight for human rights in college.

Canyon ’11

Dalia Khatib

Canyon HS ’11
CSU Northridge ’15
JD UC Davis

STF was important because it opened up my eyes as well as the eyes of fellow students. It was very important to me personally because I have read books and such where it shows how children do not have proper rights as well as news reports. I hope that I can apply this passion in college and for the rest of my life.

Santa Monica ’14

Rachel Kiekhofer

Santa Monica ‘14
UC Berkeley ‘18

To me, HRW STF was a means of connecting with an internationally recognized network of human rights advocates, researchers, and journalists. In high school, it’s easy to feel powerless and apathetic in the face of global conflict. STF’s affiliation with HRW was a constant reminder that my efforts as a member were a meaningful contribution to the global effort to make the world a better place. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in statistics at UC Berkeley I worked as a data analyst at the UCSF department of Neurology on a project evaluating the effect of various dementia caregiving protocols on improvements in caregivers’ quality of life.

I recently started school again at Foothill College for a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. I’m also an assistant to a pastry chef part-time and I’ll be looking for full-time I’m looking for full time data analyst roles in the near future.

Harvard-Westlake ’18

Carolyn Kim

Harvard Westlake ‘18
Williams College ‘22

STF was an outlet to make my feelings into action, to make thoughts and prayers into concrete policy. I leaned a lot about not only salient human rights issues but about what it is to be a leader, and I couldn’t thank the organization enough for that.

Intern ’11

James Kim

Intern ’11

I’m now with Rockstar Coders – mostly now on IT staffing and project management, where I’m the director of recruiting – we mostly focus corporate and NGO clients who need to hire programmers, many of them oftentimes from Latin America as well as full-time recruiting for US-based programmers.

Culver City ’21

Cooper Komatsu

Culver City ‘20
Univ. of Chicago ‘24

I just graduated from UChicago with a BAA in Environmental Urban Studies, minors in Linguistics and Geographic Information Science, and an MA in Social Science focusing in Geography!

I am currently working at the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority—they’re a public agency that works to build affordable housing, urban green space, and commercial corridors throughout the city

And I thank HRWSTF for helping me develop that mindset of an urgency to help people and solve big problems—in my case, affordable housing, climate/disaster resilience, and community-building

New Roads ’20

Elizabeth Korbatov

New Roads School ’20
Pitzer College ’24

I joined STF as a passionate, messy fourteen year old freshman. I’d recently developed an interest in human rights and in international humanitarian issues, so STF seemed like the perfect place to start. STF didn’t just become a place where I learned about human rights violations. The student task force taught me how to be an effective activist while remaining passionate and unafraid. STF taught me to be persistent, even when people didn’t hear us the first, second, or third time. We persevere through our campaigns, and through that perseverance, we usually achieved whatever goals we were seeking to achieve that semester. In turn, that taught me the importance of setting long term goals, and it’s something that helps me today. I completed a year long research project this year, and without STF teaching me how to reach long term goals, I don’t know if I would have been able to complete it. Beyond activism and goal-setting, STF helped me find and define my purpose as a young person. I started high school with a pretty vague idea of what I wanted to do . I’d thought about writing, law, and music, but I had no particular goal in mind at the time. As the years evolved, I discovered that I had a passion not only for science, but more importantly, one for people. Previous to joining STF, I never thought of myself as someone who enjoyed working or collaborating with others. I often joked that I disliked people, but STF proved me wrong. I went from being cynical to idealistic, and I developed patience, perspective, and sensitivity along the way. Learning that I enjoyed working with people is one of the many things that helped me realize that I want to go into medicine. Specifically, I want to work with underserved communities, which combines my love of people, my passion for human rights, and my interest in the sciences. Without Human Rights Watch, I don’t think I would know myself as well as I do, and I’m not sure I’d be as dedicated to helping others in the future. STF turns teenagers into young adult activists with a purpose and a voice. I’m proof of that, and so are many of my peers.

Oakwood ’15

Michelle Korol

Oakwood ‘15
UC Los Angeles ‘19

Before STF, I was just a person who was interested in human rights and the ways in which human rights manifest themselves, (or don’t,) around the world. STF taught me that awareness and advocacy are important in equal parts. Learning about human rights violations is much more rewarding when
this knowledge can be supported by action, and STF gave me a space to direct my energy in a way that can really make a difference.

Spring Lake Park ’26

Alex Kuenzli

Spring Lake Park ’26
Johns Hopkins Univ. ’30

STF has been a supportive and positive community that has helped me to build my communication and leadership skills. Participating in STF means making a difference in my community in ways that matter. It means self-improvement and friendship as well.

Palisades Charter ’07

Kelly Landaverde

Palisades Charter ‘07
CSU Northridge ‘11

I am currently trying to find my first paid journalism job. It’s been really hard; I freelance and collaborate with an online radio station. I’m drawn to inspiring stories and sports, so I’m looking at several positions that will allow me to be a voice for the stories I come across.

Wildwood ‘13

Isabel Lasker

Wildwood ‘13
Columbia Univ. ‘27

In the last year I completed my graduate training to become a psychotherapist in California. I am now building my private practice while working directly with my community as a therapist in an intensive outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles. My work as a therapist is undoubtedly informed by the years I spent in STF and I am so grateful to everything I learned.

Corona Del Mar ’26

Joonwoo Lee

Corona Del Mar ’26
UC Irvine ’30

Looking back, I think STF helped me find one of my biggest passions: environmental justice. Before joining, I cared about the environment, but I did not fully understand how deeply environmental problems are connected to human rights. Through STF, I started to see that pollution, waste, energy access, climate change, and community conditions are not just environmental issues. That’s why I started looking into more local areas! I learned that 20% of children live in food-insecure households. Those issues are also human issues. They affect people’s health, opportunities, voices, and dignity.

Because of this experience, I learned that I want to study Environmental Policy in college, along with Environmental Engineering. I am still thinking between going to community college or a four-year university, but I am sure that I want to continue learning about environmental justice, policy, and how communities can be protected through better decisions. STF helped me realize that I do not only want to build solutions. I also want to understand people’s stories, listen to communities, and advocate for changes that actually help them.

I also want to be honest and say that I have some regrets. I feel like I did too little for STF. I do not think I made a substantial change in my community or even in my club. When I faced obstacles from administrators, I think I gave up too early. I should have not. But that regret also taught me something important. I learned that bureaucracy does not move just because I care about an issue. It moves when I keep knocking on the door, when I organize people, when I make the problem visible, and when I am able to clearly visualize why the issue matters.

That lesson will stay with me. Now, I understand that advocacy is not just about having a good heart or a strong opinion. It is about patience, strategy, communication, and persistence. I learned that if I want to make a change, I have to be willing to keep going even when the first answer is no.

Through STF, I also became more aware of small things that can affect human rights from different angles. I used to be more careless about hidden suffering because I did not always see it directly. But now, I am more willing to pay attention, ask questions, hear people’s stories, and even share my own stories, even when they feel a little vulnerable. I think that was one of the most meaningful changes in me.

I also really appreciated the fact that STF created a space where people with different views could still have respectful and meaningful conversations. There were some opinions I did not entirely agree with, but I loved that people were still able to listen to each other. That helped me understand that advocacy is not about everyone thinking the same way. It is about being willing to talk, listen, challenge ideas respectfully, and grow.

Lastly, I want to say that STF helped me become more confident in expressing my voice. Through facilitating Zoom meetings, leading discussions, and listening to different people, I became a more trained public speaker. Now I feel more capable of clearly expressing what I believe in and advocating for the things I care about. That is something I will carry with me into college and beyond.

Even though I wish I had done more, I am grateful for what I learned. STF helped me find my passion for environmental justice, taught me the importance of persistence, and helped me become someone who is more willing to listen, speak, and advocate.

Plus, I am planning to work on a project where I interview CEOs or leaders from waste companies and organizations to better understand what problems Orange County is facing. I want to ask them what innovations they need, what challenges they are dealing with, and how they are helping Orange County become more sustainable, and no one gets to stay hungry due to a poor waste management system. I hope this project can help me bring more people into conversations about Orange County and the future of sustainability here. So stay tuned! It is going to be a big one.

Santa Monica HS ’20

Thacher Lee

Santa Monica HS ’20
Smith College ’24

I graduated in Chemistry from Smith College in 2024. Being a part of STF was a very educational experience. STF taught me about human rights issues around the world and also gave me the opportunity to work with a group of very devoted club members. Participating in STF also allowed me to develop a more open-minded perspective of looking at the world, while teaching me the skills necessary to impact those around me.

Intern ’19

Daniela Lemmen

Intern ’19

I worked for a private school in Hamburg. There, I taught social education in English. Following graduating my teacher training program, I started teaching at a vocational school in Lueneberg. After my school became a trustful member of the European Union, I got busy working on the Erasmus+ programme. I have recently begun teaching students on an academic level in high school, and taken care to introduce them to the work of HRW.

Wildwood ’11

Kayle Lesham

Wildwood ‘11
Tufts Univ. ‘15

I think that what I learned most from my involvement in STF is the importance of learning how to connect with the people around me. Whether I was speaking to STF members from other chapters or hearing the stories of incarcerated youth, being a part of STF taught me to look beyond surface level differences to come together around a children’s rights issue of real importance. I think that as I continue my work in human rights I will take these experiences with me and continue to make meaningful connections with individuals in order to create real change and progress.

Palisades Charter ’03

Christine Kalinowski Levin

Palisades Charter ‘03
UC Santa Cruz ‘07
M.S. Touro Univ. California

I’m a physician assistant doing family medicine and OB/Gyn for high risk and low income mainly Spanish speaking populations. I live in Manhattan beach work in Long Beach & Huntington Park. I have been a PA for 3.5 years. I enjoy my work, but the last couple months I’ve been on maternity leave soaking in my new baby boy.

Santa Monica ’11

Esme Levy

Santa Monica ‘11
Columbia Univ. ‘15
UCLA Law ’22

After graduating in 2015, I worked as a senior paralegal at a boutique immigration and entertainment law firm in New York for two years. While the work was challenging and enjoyable and reaffirmed my interest in pursuing law as a career, it reminded me that my passion for law was in public interest and social justice. I am once again a full-time student at UCLA School of Law where I’m pursuing specializations in Critical Race Studies, Environmental Law, and Public Interest Law & Policy.

Wildwood ’13

Isabella Levy

Wildwood ‘13
Univ. of Chicago ‘17
Columbia Univ. Pre-Med ‘19

I just graduated from Univeristy of Chicago and I’m heading to Columbia university’s post baccalaureate pre medical program in New York in the fall. In undergrdate, I was a psychology major, human rights minor. I’m worked in two psychology labs at the school: Child NeuroSuite studies fairness and morality development and the effects of natural and urban environments on generosity on preschool aged kids; and the Thirty Million Words project, that seeks to eliminate the achievement gap between kids that grew up in poor and rich households, by empowering parents to interact/talk more with their babies.

New Roads ’15

Esther Lim

New Roads School ’15

I’m a user experience designer working on our internal products at Indeed. It’s been really great and I’m enjoying my time here.

New Roads ’15

Jiwon Lim

New Roads School ’15
Chapman University ’19

I started out as a biology major seeking to do the pre-med track at Chapman University. I switched by major to contemporary art after deciding to take a painting class in freshman year and realizing that it was the only class I enjoyed that year!

Intern ’17

Katie Linder

Intern ‘17
UC Los Angeles ’18
John Hopkins Univ. ’26

I am coming up on 4 years at the EPA, and my next big step is that I will be starting a part-time graduate school program in the fall! I will be getting my MS in Environmental Science and Policy at Johns Hopkins University, and I am very excited to see where this degree takes me.

Archer ’20

Abigale Lischak

Archer ‘20
UC Berkeley ‘24

I just graduated from Berkeley in May. I wrote a senior thesis my final year on Environmental Disclosures for Finance and I am now working in Los Angeles at Houlihan Lokey in Portfolio Valuation! I am working in financial advisory for investment firms, valuing their portfolios.

Intern ’14

Noelle Little

Intern ‘14
UC Los Angeles ‘14

Currently, I am a Program Officer for the Project GO & Language Training Centers at Institute of International Education, where I Manage seven U.S. Department of Defense grants to U.S. higher education institutions to implement domestic and overseas language and cultural immersion programs. I also manage three U.S. Department of Defense grants to U.S. higher education institutions to implement Language Training Centers (LTC) programs which offer language and cultural courses for DoD employees. DC has been good but I’ve hit my four year mark and I’m ready to come home to the West Coast pretty soon.

Hart ’14

Sarah Liu

Hart ‘14
Univ. of British Columbia ‘18

At the University of British Columbia in Canada, I’m in the faculty of science, majoring in biology. UBC has many amazing clubs that involve advocacy and volunteer work, both in locally and internationally. I am joining the Global Vision club and hoping to be able to challenge myself with new kinds of volunteer work!

Palisades Charter ’14

Abdiel Lopez

Palisades Charter ‘14
Grinnell College ‘18

I am currently working as the Director of Capital Activation at Justice Funders and I’m a board member of Center for Cultural Innovation & Climate Mobilization Project based in Mexico City. I previously worked at Roanhorse Consulting, where I was the Capital Strategies Manager because of how well I knew their work and the mission of the organization. Basically, my role entailed working with different partners (e.g. philanthropic foundations, financial institutions, and grassroots organizations) to create fresh solutions to pernicious problems Indigenous communities in the US face. Specifically, I supported the development and implementation of new vehicles and initiatives to deploy non-extractive and patient capital to Indigenous women entrepreneurs. We built new infrastructure and ecosystems to help Indigenous communities become self-determining and have access to wealth-building opportunities.

Palisades Charter HS ’22

Yahir Lopez

Palisades Charter HS ’22
Loyola Marymount University ’26

I had an amazing time with the Human Rights Watch STF and the individuals who made it possible. I learned a lot about climate change, up to design using Canva. I am certain the members and leaders of next school year will do an amazing job representing Pali and changing the future. Working with the HRW-STF sharpened my communication and design skills. As a Publicity Visual Graphics representative, I had to express my ideas on certain topics very clearly in order to ensure our plan was successfully accomplished. As other members had different opinions as to how to approach our campaign, I learned how to accept, reject or give new suggestions without making one feel less worthy. Also, I used Photoshop and Canva regularly to create engaging designs that would be used to promote climate change prevention. Thanks to HRW-STF, I found my passion for design and product/service promotion, and I will be studying Marketing in college.

Santa Monica ’18

Alex Luther

Santa Monica HS ’18
UC Santa Cruz ’22

I am working for Noblis right now; they are a nonprofit that works on projects with and for the federal government. It has been a lot of fun and I have learned a lot. Santa Cruz has been really nice too; I feel like I heave learned and done a lot in only a few years.

Intern ’16

Daniel Lynn

Intern ‘16
CSU Northridge ‘14
Georgetown Univ. ‘18

After completing my first year in Georgetown’s Master of Arab Studies program, I will be studying this summer at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan.

Academy of the Canyons ’15

Jessica Lynn

Academy of the Canyons ‘15
UC Berkeley ‘19
UC Berkeley School of Law ‘26

While at Berkeley, I spent most of my time working as a news editor for UC Berkeley’s student newspaper, The Daily Californian. I oversaw and wrote stories, including news about UC employees violating university sexual misconduct policies, how Trump’s immigration policies impact college students, as well as the Oakland Ghost Ship Fire and the city’s negligence that allowed it to happen. Now I am pursuing my JD at Berkeley Law! I am incredibly grateful for STF and how it taught me to keep my eyes on current events and always question what people in power are doing!

Palisades Charter ’20

Mia Mac Farland

Palisades Charter ‘20
UC Santa Cruz ‘23
Univ. of San Diego ‘27

New Roads ’14

Chris Madkins

New Roads ‘14
Lewis & Clark Univ. ‘19

Entering my senior year at Lewis & Clark, I’m in the process of applying to the Peace Corps. I ultimately decided be a history major as I’ve always been passionate about history. With current times, there’s going to be a demand for historians. I already have one completed journal document the events from February to July. For my service with the Peace Corps, I wanted to serve in one of the three East African countries I visited during my gap year. I got my wish with a job position as a Maternal and Child Health educator serving in Rwanda. Getting the chance to get out of my country to help children staying healthy is very cathartic. I’m getting impatient just thinking about it! During my gap year, I traveled to
Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. In Rwanda we served at a children’s orphanage and in Tanzania, I attended and supported an AIDS clinic, and assisted a local doctor with some house call check ups. In Uganda, served at a Rhino sanctuary. For the most part, it was work, good work. At the end of the trip we went to Zanzibar islands for a week of touristy stuff.

Corona Del Mar ’24

Aiden Maestas

Corona Del Mar ’24
UC Santa Barbara ’28

STF was really beneficial for me. I learned a lot about environmental justice by doing my own research and utilizing the resources on HRW’s page. I learned to reach out to people I never thought I would reach out to, and I learned how to build solid connections with people of power. Joining HRW STF was an amazing decision I made! And now I am an aspiring environmental lawyer pursuing a BA in Environmental Studies at UCSB with a concentration in law and policy. Currently, I am wrapping up an internship with the City of Goleta’s Public Works Department, where I have had opportunities to expand my mapping skills, navigate through legal permitting frameworks, and even help create a trail system for the City’s public parks. I am also the vice president of the Environmental Law Club and helped advocate against the illegal reinstallation of the El Refugio Pipeline in Santa Barbara. Our advocacy efforts were mostly successful with local governments, but recently got overturned by the federal government, which will likely be litigated in federal court. Beyond my professional career, I enjoy going on hikes, tide pooling, and playing cello for the UCSB Middle East Ensemble.

Palisades ’17

Leslie Magaña Arias

Palisades Charter HS ’17
CSU Los Angeles ’22

I joined Human Rights Watch Student Task Force (STF HRW) my freshman year of high school, through which I was exposed to social justice. I found my voice and I found that I am so much stronger than I believe I am.

For school, I have decided to declare in political science and focus on human rights, with a minor in journalism. I am currently a journalist seeking to bring awareness to issues I’m passionate about.

Harvard-Westlake ’16

Mike Mapes

Harvard-Westlake School ’16
UC Los Angeles ’20

I graduated from UCLA with a degree in Business economics last month and I started as an Investment Banking Analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City! I’m very happy to be working at GS. I help to serve deal teams that advise companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and other transactions.

Carson ’13

Andrea Marcial

Carson ‘13
California Baptist Univ. ‘18

I am currently a second year graduate Athletic Training student at California Baptist University. I also work as an athletic trainer in the collegiate setting. I recently found out that I got accepted into a sports medicine internship in Ghana!

Carson ’14

Miguel Martinez

Carson HS ’14
UC Davis ’18

I majored in Chemistry with a minor in Environmental Policy. I currently work as a lab analyst for the City of Vicaville Water Quality Laboratory.

Carson ‘13

Selena Martinez

Carson ‘13

Working in healthcare is my passion! Since 2015, I schedule living donor kidney transplants for UCLA Health. I’ve always been passionate about helping people and I am currently working on transferring to a university to complete a Bachelor’s in Nursing.

Canyon ’14

Racheal McCrary

Canyon ‘14
Univ. of La Verne ‘18

I graduated ULV in June and am currently in a managerial position at Pet Service Solutions while I take some post-baccalaureate classes in preparation for medical school. I was working at The Habit as a cashier, and the owners of Pet Service Solutions were getting lunch while I was working. They offered me a job on the spot because of my excellent customer service. I love animals and grew up with many pets so it seemed like a job that suited me better than the food industry. My favorite thing about my job is seeing animals start off shy when they first arrive, but eventually open up and end up being really excited to come to doggie daycare or boarding. It makes my heart melt. At this point, my plan is to attend medical school and become a human doctor. However, I will always make sure animals have a role in my life.

Palisades Charter ’25

Zyla McDowell

Palisades Charter ’25
Santa Monica College ’27

STF has taught me so much about many of the hardships in the world. Because of this, it’s important to me to continue to fight for other people that can’t fight or advocate for themselves. Being in STF made me more informed about so many issues going on in the world, and even introduced to me to some I had never heard about previously. Having this group is such a strong contribution to schools worldwide since it’s teaches both its members and just school communities overall some of the things they can do to improve our world. Being a part of STF has not only informed me about global issues and what we can do to improve them but has also taught me so many valuable skills that I plan to use in not just college, but even long after.

Palisades Charter HS ’20

Hallie McRae

Palisades Charter HS ’20
Univ. of California, Berkeley ’24

I graduated from UC Berkeley in May of 2024 with a B.A. in Political Science and minors in Human Rights and Public Policy! I am so grateful that I was able to be heavily involved in multiple social justice groups on and off campus, including Cal ACLU, One Fair Wage, and local groups in Berkeley focused on targeting food and housing insecurity. Since studying abroad in Madrid in Fall of 2023, I have had the opportunity to travel more. I am currently working as a preschool teacher back in LA while volunteering on a congressional campaign in CA-27. I am also on the Steering Committee of Human Rights Educators, USA, where I have received amazing mentorship and opportunities to plan human rights day events, as well as teach digital learning sessions on teaching through a human rights lens. After the election, I hope to continue my work in the human rights field, and eventually go to law school focused on international human rights and/or criminal justice. I am forever thankful for all that STF taught me, the connections I made, and the community it helped me build.

Golden Valley ’13

Matthew Medina

Golden Valley HS ’13

Being part of Human Rights Watch taught me many important lessons and helped me find my voice in speaking up for myself and others. Since graduating high school, I’ve had a couple jobs where I have saved up. I’m working as a sales rep for Cutco kitchenware and going back to school for culinary in the Fall, for which I am very excited, I’m going to College of the Canyons or Mission down in Sylmar.

New Roads ’15

Emma Meigneux

New Roads School ’15

I’m an intern at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York studying sustainable cooking, farming, and the relationship between them.

Crossroads ’17

Sean Meisler

Crossroads ‘07
Tulane Univ. ‘11
M.A. George Washington Univ. ‘15

I’m working as a fraud data scientist at BMO Financial Group, living in Charlotte. I studied economics in undergrad and in grad school so my background is somewhat different than most of my coworkers.

Academy of the Canyons ’18

Sophia Mendoza

Academy of the Canyons ’18
George Washington Univ. ’21 ’27

I am so incredibly grateful for Student Task Force, as I was able to grow as an advocate, learn about many issues in the U.S. and across the world, and learn how to collaborate with others. Currently I am attending Tufts University and majoring in Electrical Engineering. I will be graduating in May 2025.

I work with the Center for Engineering Education and Outreach at Tufts, where during the school year I teach an engineering workshop to 5th-8th graders that are part of an autism program

Intern ’15

Alexa Mencia

Intern ‘15
USC ‘15
MSJ Northwestern Univ. ‘17

I’m currently an editor for Axios’ new local journalism initiative (Axios Local). I received my Masters in Investigative Reporting and Social Justice from Northwestern University. I am now working as a News Associate for the Associated Press. I’m based in Chicago working out of the U.S. Central Region bureau.

Academy of the Canyons ’18

Sophia Mendoza

Academy of the Canyons ’18
The George Washington Univ ’21
JD The George Washington Univ.

I graduated in 2021 from GW majoring in international affairs and decided to stay in DC a bit longer and got a job as a paralegal/legal assistant at Wiley. I have been mostly doing civil litigation but I get to do some great pro bono work as well, which makes my human rights passion super happy! I get to work on a lot of criminal justice reform cases and immigration cases. After three years as a paralegal at Wiley Rein, I left my job there last week to take some time off before starting at GW law this fall to get my JD.

Golden Valley ’17

Maria Merino

Golden Valley ‘17
College of the Canyons ‘21

I am currently attending College of the Canyons and will be transferring to CSUN for the fall. I recently applied for a job in security with the Los Angeles Sheriff Department, and have been balancing the student life of school, work, and sleep!

Intern ’02

Sol Milius

Intern ‘02
Columbia Univ.

I had the opportunity to travel to Nigeria where I spent a summer working with local NGOs and civil society organizations in the Niger Delta to investigate the human rights impacts of oil extraction on local communities. Now, I am the Director of Standards, Governance and Accountability at Equitable Origin, a social enterprise with a mission to promote responsible oil and gas production. I am fortunate that human rights continue to be a big part of my work and I have HRW to thank for opening my eyes to the importance of advancing human rights globally.

Palisades Charter ’07

Althea Miller

Palisades Charter ‘07
Univ. of Wisconsin ‘12
M.S. Univ. of Wisconsin ‘17

While studying for my master’s in Multicultural Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison, I am employed as a GED instructor at Omega School. I have enjoyed using art to promote healing and the advancement of social justice issues.

Academy of the Canyons ’16

Noelle Min

Academy of the Canyons ‘16
UC Los Angeles ‘19

After graduating AOC, I traveled to El Salvador for a week long medical mission trip and then to Korea for 2 months for a research internship. Since, I graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. I am a third year medical student now!

Intern ’15

Alicia Minana Lovelace

Intern ‘15
Yale Univ. ‘17

After working as an STF intern, I finished the summer studying Korean in Seoul. At Yale, I graduated in with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Latin American studies. I’m currently a producer’s assistant on a tv show and I finished my Master’s in Fine Arts in TV Writing and Producing last summer.

New Roads ’18

Fleurette Modica

New Roads ‘18
Georgetown ‘22

I have really thrived by having a place where I was able to engage in important discussions about real issues with my peers. That place was STF. I realized I had to join when I saw that STF attracted so many of my brightest perrs. By having judgment-free conversations with these students and teachers, I broadened my understanding and appreciation for so many topics. STF meetings helped me express myself better and push myself to put thoughts into words. I have learned to defend my positions while also being open to re-examining them. Every Wednesday lunch I spent with STF felt productive. I know I will always value the friends I made in STF. Thank you for welcoming me into this community.

Intern ’17

Lizbeth Molina

Intern ‘17
CSU Northridge ‘16
M.S. Pepperdine Univ. ‘17

I work with United Farm Worker Foundation (UFWF), an organization part of the farmworker movement of Cesar Chavez that has fought for the rights of farmworkers, immigrant workers and the Latino community over the past 50 years. In the midst of the pandemic I transitioned from Outreach Assistant at the UFW Foundation to Administrative Assistant and then to a Legal Assistant. I specifically work under our Community Colleges Program that allowed me to assist community college staff, students and their families with possible immigration remedies (i.e. DACA renewals, naturalization, family petitions etc). I was recently accepted to Teach For America, but have deferred my start.

New Roads ’15

Callan Moore

New Roads ‘15
Sarah Lawrence College ‘19

STF is the most effective way in which I could take action to help make the world a better place. When I was working with STF, I felt that I could make a real difference and a positive impact, when dealing with serious world issues. What makes this possible is the outstanding staff whose dedication is to the goals of human rights watch and to the STF students. I probably helped most of all with educating others on the problems regarding human rights violations. The focus on team building made my experience fun and enlightening. I have nothing but good things to say about STF and I am grateful to have been included. Most recently, I was studying abroad in Japan last semester in Osaka at Kansai Gaidai University. I am now staying in Tokyo with a friend of mine and completing an internship at an art gallery
called 3331 Arts Chiyoda. I will return to Sarah Lawrence for my senior year.

New Roads ’13

Spencer Moore

New Roads ‘13
Macalester College ‘17

I recently finished doing a year of service with City Year, an Americorps nonprofit organization. I served in a 4th grade classroom at a Title I school in South Los Angeles as a tutor, mentor, and socio-emotional coach. While at City Year, I was responsible for improving the Math/ELA scores of 11 students that I would work with in small groups during the school day, as well as in City Year’s after school program. I selected 5 of those students to meet with weekly and do activities that made them reflect on their own behavior. In general, any time a student had an issue, they would bring it to me rather than the teacher, and I would help them to think through their problems. City Year recruits a lot of recent college grads so that they have young people who can relate to students and act as a “near peer”, someone who isn’t quite a friend, but rather a relatable and trustworthy mentor. Once I finished City Year, I was open to trying other lines of work, and so I got a job as an Office Manager at GP Generate, an ad agency. A friend of mine from high school, who I was staying in touch with, was leaving this position and offered it to me.

New Roads School ’15

Saraya Morris

New Roads School ’15
UC Berkeley ’19

After graduating, I worked multiple jobs in the legal field before more recently branching into finances. I am currently a property management assistant for Cravin Properties.

Intern ’15

Vanessa Nahigian

Intern ‘15
USC ‘17
Loyola Law School ‘20

After graduating from USC undergrad with a degree in International Relations and Global Business with a concentration in migration studies, I have gone on to Loyola Law School, which has been a fantastic experience. In addition to our bar courses, I’ve been able to take an elective in international law and I hope to take part in our school’s International Human Rights Clinic next year. This summer I’ll be clerking in the US Federal District Court for the Central District of CA. I am still working towards one day practicing international immigration law.

Santa Monica ’11

Lindsey Nakatani

Santa Monica HS ’11

After a few years as National Sales Coordinator for Wolfgang Puck Catering, I’m now the executive assistant to the CEO and President at Wolfgang Puck Catering. I will continue to see where my current jobs takes me.

Valencia ’18

Isabelle Nasrallah

Valencia HS ’18
USC ’19

I took two accounting classes that are included in the Business curriculum and realized I loved it, so I switched my major to Accounting in the Leventhal School of Accounting. I was able to get an audit accounting internship for the summer of 2021 at BDO so that really solidified my decision as well. I love that I can start my career off in accounting and go from there. USC is great! There are so many opportunities for networking and learning more. I am a part of the Latino Business Student Association and the Marshall Women’s Leadership Board.

I recently got promoted to an assurance senior role. I also have passed all 4 CPA exams and completed all requirements for the CPA license, I am now waiting for my application to be processed!

Intern ’14

Tracy Navichoque

Intern ’14
Northwestern Univ. ’14

I am the Program Manager at the Stanford Global Digital Policy Incubator in Palo Alto. I am doing a variety of tasks as Program Manager. I spent a little under 2 months at my new job before completely transitioning to working from home. At the moment I am assisting in developing a research project on tracking content moderation policies and developments in AI. We write analysis through a human rights lens. I use many of the skills I learned at the LA World Affairs Council more than PD itself. We are mainly looking at policies that governments and social media platforms put forth to regulate what is shared online. Recently, the Brazilian senate passed a “fake news” bill that would allow the government to keep massively shared messages on platforms like WhatsApp or other messaging services. This infringes on the human right to privacy. We are also looking at how some of the contact tracing apps may be abused and that information may be kept even after the pandemic is over. I have a lot yet still to learn but I feel motivated. I definitely am using skills I learned at STF and at previous jobs.

Sierra Canyon ’14

Austen Needleman

Sierra Canyon ‘14
Harvard Univ. ‘18

I continue to work on supporting climate and sustainability education at K-12 schools across the state of California, and increasingly in other states as well. My work involves writing and updating curriculum related to sustainability, such as a recent new unit on understanding and influencing air quality policy. I also work to support teachers to incorporate climate change in their classrooms and clubs by providing resources, professional development, and conducting outreach to new educators. Overall, my role involves empowering students to be sustainability leaders now and in the future! Outside of my job, I recently started volunteering with my local chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. I’m still getting my bearings a bit, but I’m looking forward to working with them more in the future. My experience with STF forced me to continually think about how I can do service that targets various forms of inequality, particularly those related to education. I also had practical experience in organizing events and campus advocacy that has served me well in college.

New Roads ’23

Anya Nelson

New Roads ‘23
Stanford Univ. ‘27

I’m at Stanford University. I’m currently undeclared but planning to major in political science on a pre-law track with a minor in human rights.

Canyon ’14

Kelly Newman

Canyon ‘14
Arizona State Univ. ‘17

I am almost finished with school at Arizona State University and I am currently majoring in Health Sciences with a minor in Biological Sciences. I work in a lab at the Mayo Clinic studying brain tumors and have recently switched gears and goals from medical school to Nursing school after working in the field as an EMT for two years. I’d love to explore a new city but I would also really like to get into ASU’s accelerated nursing program, which is highly competitive. I guess we’ll see!

Canyon ’11

Shanley Newman

Canyon ‘11
CSU Monterey Bay ‘15
Psy.D. Alliant International Univ. ‘20

My experience with STF expanded my cultural horizons. It opened new doors for me in the sense that it exposed me to a friendly, diverse group of kind, and caring people and gave me an early taste while in high school of the world around me. Student Task Force points out the little things in which some people of our culture take advantage of. The program made a profound effect on my world and made me a more open-minded person, ready for what life may throw at me. Now I am working on my doctorate in clinical psychology, still on the road to helping the world and I’m grateful for my experiences with STF from high school!

Santa Monica ‘24

Liv Nicholls

Santa Monica ‘24
UC Santa Barbara ‘28

STF has been a great way for me to keep my and others’ human rights in check. I originally got involved during the climate campaign and stayed since then. STF has empowered me to be a leader in my community and become a better public speaker.

Academy of the Canyons ’12

Rebecca Nissenbaum

Academy of the Canyons ‘12
CSU Sacramento ‘16
M.S. UC Davis ‘19

I have always wanted to work with kids and I am passionate about children and their education, so I am working on my masters to become a behavior therapist for special needs children. Every since I
was little, I have been helping students with special needs, which I find so rewarding and fun.

Carson ’11

Grace Ocular

Carson HS ’11
CSU Long Beach ’16
MA CSU Long Beach
PhD Loyola Univ. Chicago

I am currently in my MA program at CSULB College of Education. I am working full time for the summer (remotely) as a graduate assistant to the Dean of Student Success on campus conducting research on campus about internships as a high impact practices. I am also working at Child Language Interactions and Memory Lab (CLIaM) for another research project on parent and child interactions in the aquarium as informal learning sciences. Both positions are my student assistant position at CSULB. I will be going into my second year of MA program in the fall so I am doing a lot of research work in the meantime. I always knew I was into school and wanted to work within education whether as an instructor, mentor, and researcher. My research is focused on language interactions between parent and child and how these linguistic interactions shaped the child’s growing interests in STEM. The topic is called informal learning within bilingual families. I am interested in exploring how through conversations in spaces like museums parents and child explore talking about science, especially for linguistically diverse families who are not often captured in research. Someday, i hope to be a university professor and researcher. I want to mentor college students.

Intern ’15

Heather Odell

Intern ‘15
Pepperdine Univ. ‘16
J.D. Boston College Law ‘22
M.A. Tufts Univ. ‘22

I graduated in 2022 from my dual degree program: a JD from Boston College Law and a Master of Arts in Law & Diplomacy from Tufts University (it’s their master’s program focused on international affairs). I am working as an Equal Justice Works Fellow at Catholic Legal Services of Miami, where I am providing immigration and public benefits representation. My interests over the past few years (and going back to my time with STF!) have been focused on migration movements, refugees and asylum seekers, and vulnerabilities to exploitation in these contexts.

Intern ’07

Donesh Olyaie

Intern ‘07
USC ‘07
Yale Univ. ‘10

I worked in politics and campaigns for four years before leaving for advertising. I’ve been doing that for three years now. I am the director of brand strategy at David and Goliath, an ad agency in El Segundo, CA.

Intern ’18

Gillian Ondaatje

Intern ‘18
College of Charleston ‘19

I got my Masters in Management from Duke University’s business school – a one year program covering pretty much all the core MBA classes but compressed into a year, rather than two. I decided to go after two years of work in New York with little understanding of the fundamentals of how businesses are run, beyond what I was picking up day to day. The idea (and it worked!) was to develop a stronger understanding of the ins and outs, pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, etc. of business management. I am currently working in ad sales and account management, working across TikTok’s e-commerce accounts. I completed my senior capstone at the College of Charleston in 2019, studying International Migration and writing about Jewish-Polish settlement and assimilation in the United States, during and after WWII. I also was part of the Model African Union group who traveled to Washington, D.C. to create resolutions to African political issues including Pan-Africanism and Democracy. I was representing Sudan, which was an interesting link to HRW given the Darfur conflict and President Al-Bashir. The College of Charleston received an outstanding award from the conference! I then accepted a one year project management fellowship with Havas Health & You. This program includes various guest lecturers, funded external learning opportunities, “study abroad” in which fellows can shadow different departments and better understand what he or she would like to do, and other various opportunities catered to an eager college grad!

Intern ’16

Ijeoma Oti

Intern ‘16
USC ‘18
J.D. Notre Dame Law ‘22

I graduated from Notre Dame Law in 2022, then began working for White & Case in the project finance and development group in their New York Office. I have been very fortunate to go to DC, Japan and Oxford since STF. I’m still big on international law, human rights, global development. I have a finance background so I be I’ll practice something that falls under the umbrella of international law – Many lawyers have told me that most people decide in law school. I have always liked photography and cinematography but when I was introduced to HRW a drive for activism and awareness drove me to share stories and spread knowledge.

Santa Monica ’03

Marcello Padilla

Santa Monica ‘03
Santa Monica College ‘05

I moved back to LA from New York two years ago and when I’m not acting I am among other things helping run the kids programs at the Santa Monica YMCA. This summer I was a director up at Camp Big Bear for the Santa Monica YMCA running campfires, the rag program, leading the Castle Rock hike, and I even taught two yoga classes! I still work the day camps, Afterschool, and I teach gym and swim and toddler swim safety to parents and their babies 3 months to 3- years-old.

Culver City ’18

Merrick Padilla

Culver City ‘18
San Fransisco State Univ. ‘22

Thank you so much for coming to Culver and changing the minds of so many young individuals like myself and spreading awareness throughout our campus. Having STF at my school truly allowed me to discover the activist passion inside me and projected me into my future endeavors as a voice for human right injustices. I will be studying photojournalism with a personal focus in human rights and social justice at San Fransisco State University. I hope to receive my bachelors and then move documentary filmmaking at USC where I plan to create films showcasing activism and bringing attention to underdiscussed human right violations.

Valencia ’20

Jean Paik

Valencia ’20
Univ. of Pennsylvania ’24

Although I was only part of STF my senior year, it has been one of my best high school experiences. There is so much I wish I could do, especially as the semester was cut short, but I’m so proud of what our school chapter and the larger district chapters were able to accomplish. It was inspiring to see other students fight for human rights in creative, thoughtful, and engaging ways on campus— big and small. It was also very reassuring to have the guidance of the STF staff lead our ideas to real events. The STF community is incredibly driven, vibrant, and knowledgeable about the world around them. I’m proud to now be a STF alum and excited to stay closely involved with Human Rights Watch in the future.

Harvard-Westlake ’16

Grace Pan

Harvard Westlake ‘16
Harvard Univ. ‘20
Columbia Univ. ‘21
Stanford Univ. School of Business ‘26

I completed my undergraduate from Harvard in 2020, going on to obtain my master’s degree from Columbia University in 2021, pursuing a MPA in Economic Policy Management. Now, I am currently studying at the Stanford University School of Business! After graduation from Harvard, I volunteered for the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, advocating for international students and DACA recipients during these uncertain political times. I also worked on an initiative for a professor at Columbia University to help make transparent the manufacturing process for glass vials, in preparation for the large-scale production of a Covid-19 vaccine. Earlier, I interned with the Foreign Ministry in Tallinn, Estonia before traveling to Shanghai, China to study how the rise of consumption culture has changed ideas of civic citizenship for urban university-attending Chinese students. I am so grateful to STF for believing in the potential of young people and for teaching me the skills and attitude required to advocate for positive change.

Wildwood ’14

Noa Park

Wildwood School ’14
Carnegie Mellon Univ. ’18
MBS & PhD Keck Graduate Institute

I got my Master of Business and Science at KGI in Claremont and interned at Edwards Lifesciences. After graduating, I will be continuing my education as a PhD student. The focus will be bioprocessing.

Academy of the Canyons ’14

Sung Woo Park

Academy of the Canyons ‘14
Johns Hopkins Univ. ‘18

Sketchware is a startup I cofounded 2 years ago and I work as a software engineer. Sketchware is an app that lets you create your own apps on your smartphone, so we thought sketching software = Sketchware would be a good name. I handle mostly mobile app development and UI/UX that goes along with it. I also meet different investors to raise capital for the company. I love working for myself because my schedule is very flexible. I work remotely, which allows me to travel and set my own hours. It was a side project for me until I met a couple investors (Primer and Strong Ventrues along with few angel investors) who wanted to invest in the company. Then, I took a year off from school to really focus on the growth of the company.

Golden Valley ’17

Serene Parra

Golden Valley ‘17
College of the Canyons ‘21

My time in STF changed the way I felt about being able to make people aware of the world around them. Being able to talk with people with different attitudes about the world, and even meet people like Henry Oster and Sara Kruzan, still influence my political and social values to this day. I am currently at College of the Canyons studying political science, participating in the “Pathway to Law School” program. I’m hoping to transfer soon to UCLA, Berkeley, Channel Islands or San Diego State.

Intern ’17

Angie Peckham

Intern ‘17
Occidental College ‘17
Hertie School of Governance ‘19

My year-long internship with STF taught me the true meaning of what it meant to be a human rights advocate. Looking back on my time with STF chapters, what stands out is how capable and driven the students I had the opportunity to work with are. I learned that everyone has their strengths that they bring to the table, all of which combine together for powerful human rights advocacy. I just graduated from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, pursuing a Master’s in International Trade and Development, and was hired at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin in the Department of Commerce. I have been so grateful for the opportunity to study and live in such an international city as Berlin, and now never want to leave!

Santa Monica HS ’18

Sophia Pei

Santa Monica ‘18
USC ‘22

I wish I had learned about the Santa Monica HS STF chapter sooner. Being one of the student leaders this year definitely helped me personally develop. I hope to stay involved once I head off to USC!

Carson ’15

Priscilla Pena

Carson HS ’15
CSU Los Angeles ’19

What STF means to me is that, working through here, I was able to make a difference and spread awareness. It made me realize that I have a voice and it matters, one day I can actually a positive impact in this world. I am now working as a billing specialist in Carson.

Sierra Canyon ’18

Sydney Perry

Sierra Canyon ‘18
Wesleyan Univ. ‘22

STF meant so much to me as it opened my eyes to this whole aspect of the world I was unaware of. I became so passionate about human rights and without STF I would not have found this new passion of mine. I currently work at Scoreplay. They are a media hub that works with sports teams, leagues, and federations helping them manage and monetize their content through AI software. They are a global company and actually based in Lisbon which is really exciting. I will be working out of California as a Sales Coordinator but hoping to be traveling there a bit!

Venice ’08

Tynia Perry

Venice HS ’08
Bay State College ’12

I received by BA from Bay State College for Criminal Justice. I am now a Staff Assistant in Financial Aid at the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Santa Monica ’14

Emma Polhemus

Santa Monica ‘14
UC Berkeley ‘18

I am studying economics at UC Berkeley and am involved in Students for Syria (a school organization).

Santa Monica ’14

Ava Pomerantz

Santa Monica HS ’14
Davidson College ’18
MS USC

STF made me aware of issues around the world and gave me a new way to look at them peacefully. It really helped me think about problems from all sides especially because I struggle with my stance on many issues, but being part of STF gave me an avenue to address and talk about them. I currently work as an Innovative Associate at King’s Hawaiian!

Wildwood ’08

Brian Porter

Wildwood ‘08
USC ‘12
MBA Carnegie Mellon ‘20

I am currently working at Amazon full-time as a senior product manager in Seattle, developing the platform that classifies and governs all the products on Amazon. Before that, I started working in real estate finance at a large publicly traded company, then moved to doing data analysis and product development at a small market research tech company. Then I got my MBA at Carnegie Mellon doing a full-time program. Between working at the tech company and this MBA program, I took some time to develop my own tech product – essentially a life hack too that enables people to design their lives around maximum happiness and fulfillment. As part of my MBA program, I worked as a product manager at a robotics firm, Dusty Robotics, with the aim of making the construction industry safer and more productive.

Intern ’08

Chris Price

Intern ‘08
CSU State Long Beach ‘09
M.A. Univ. of London ‘14

Recently, I was working for the Resettlement Support Center in Nairobi, Kenya. Because of Trump administration limits to the number of refugees coming into the US, the Resettlement Support Center cut more than 500 positions, including mine. I am now moving to Baltimore, MD to work with the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, conducting an audit of affiliate refugee service centers to ensure new Americans are receiving their guarantied benefits. Recently, I’ve also been working with asylum seekers at the border. I partner with churches and local NGOs to help receive and process individuals who are released from ICE custody.

New Roads ’15

Aram Radfur

New Roads ‘15
New York Univ. ‘19

Before transfering from Pitzer, where I studied political science and economics, I interned at the UN for Global Action to Prevent War, which is a small NGO focused on how human rights issues are institutionalized within the UN. Since, I transfered to NYU and am studying economics and math.

Sierra Canyon ’21

Abdullah Rafique

Sierra Canyon ’21
USC ’25

I’m graduating 2025, and am currently working in Corporate Strategy at Capital One. In the past year or so, I’ve also been working as a tutoring fellow for Teach for America, an Operations intern for LAUSD, and a business analyst at Wells Fargo. Following college I will be doing some type of strategy work.

Palisades Charter ’14

Andrea Ramirez

Palisades Charter ‘14
UC Santa Cruz ‘18
PhD Stanford Univ. ‘25

I’m currently the leader of an organization called Hermanas that helps empower Latine women in STEM, mainly graduate students. We hold social and cultural awareness events, lunches with Spanish tables, partner with other on-campus orgs, help with the Latino Post-Doc Association, and recruit undergrads who are interested in applying to grad school and help them with their applications, especially non-native speakers. In my first year, I was rotating in the lab and someone in the lab told me about the organization, so I got involved and my engagement grew from there. I am excited to be attending Stanford as PhD candidate for Biology! I hope to have my own lab at a university and be a professor. During my senior year at Santa Cruz, I started doing research with the help of a STEM Diversity program and since then I’ve loved working in a lab. I focused on molecular, cell, and developmental biology but I think I’m more interested in plant biology labs now for my PhD program with molecular biology applications as well. I studied it throughout undergrad although I didn’t like it at first and was taking a lot of sociology and humanities classes. I even did some work with a sociology professor for a year. I did a youth group study and was able to publish a paper on that as well! I am interested in both and would like to find some social justice applications to my work towards education equity.

Carson ’16

Gisselle Ramos

Carson ‘16
UC Los Angeles ‘20

My first year of college as full of self discovery and personal growth. There were times where I miss high school, especially STF, which showed me how to stop feeling helpless and instead help make a change. At UCLA, I joined a theatre organization called Night of Cultura, where we use theatre to inform UCLA students about issues occurring in Latin communities. I also recently changed my major to English because I love Literature and I hope to enter the entertainment industry in the future. I remember always being so impacted by the films that STF would screen. Thank you so much for being a large part of my high school experience.

Intern ’17

Sydney Redmond

Intern ‘17
USC ‘18
Boston College Law ‘22

After graduating from USC in 2018, I went to Boston College Law, graduating in 2022 and then I took the Bar Exam in California. I am working for a firm in Orange County starting in September doing corporate and securities law.

Intern ’00

Jasmina Repak

Intern ‘00
USC ‘99

In 2000 I left HRW to return to my hometown in Mostar to work on reconciliation, reconstruction, and development in the war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina. I stayed in Bosnia for twelve years, supporting international community’s efforts to ensure sustainable reforms that would contribute to Bosnia’s road to Europe. I worked on the Governance Accountability Project (GAP), helping improve the capacity of Bosnian municipalities to provide better services to citizens. I continue my human rights work as the Foundation and Corporate Relations Manager at the Downtown Women’s Center. At our facility we ensure that women in downtown Los Angeles have access to permanent supportive housing, as well as the services they need to break out of homelessness, poverty, and chronic unemployment.

Crossroads ’15

Samantha Resnick

Crossroads School ’15
Pomona College ’19

I graduated from Pomona College in 2019, and I’m currently working as a research editor and writer for a health tech company called Honeybee Health. We are an online pharmacy focused on providing access to prescription medications for underserved communities, especially those who are under- or uninsured and have limited healthcare access.

New Roads ’18

Alexis Restum

New Roads ‘18
Clark Univ. ‘22

I completed a major in International Development and Social Change with a concentration Peace & Conflict Studies, as well as a minor in Environmental Science. I received my BA in 2022 and my Masters in 2023. I went to a language immersion program in Guatemala to brush up on my language skills before I start to work in the field. My studies focused a lot on extractive industries, complexities of the energy transition & Indigenous struggles in South & Central America. I’m not sure exactly how that’s going to manifest just yet, but when I’m finished with the program there, I’m planning to cast a pretty wide net. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to work out of the US for a few years to start.

Academy of the Canyons ’16

Lauren Ring

Academy of the Canyons ‘16
UC San Diego ‘19

At UCSD, I studied Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and I wanted to go into UX design. Upon graduation, I was hired as a UX/UI designer with Infosys in Seattle! UX design is user experience design, sort of just like the human thought process behind using apps and products and stuff. And I’ve just sort of always been interested in neuroscience.

Palisades Charter ’15

Kevin Rivas

Palisades Charter ’15

I’ve just passed my three year mark of being in the Marine Corps and I’m stationed in Washington, D.C. I am a graphic designer for the Marine Corps and within the next 6 months I have option of re-enlisting or not. Which as of now I’m leaning towards re-enlisting, but it’s a process and hopefully do get the opportunity to re-enlist.

Santa Monica ’09

Leah Robinson

Santa Monica ‘09
Middlebury College ‘13

I am a conslutant in financial services risk and compliance after working my way up from part-time copy editor! I’ve been doing it for a little over two years. I was in nonprofit management before that, specifically for youth development orgs.

Canyons ’18

Julissa Robles

Canyon ‘18
College of the Canyons ‘20

I graduated college in 2022 with my B.S. in Anthropology. I’ve been volunteering as a youth basketball coach, taking a few gap years before applying to medical school. I plan on gaining more clinical and research experience before applying. I got a job working for the city in one of the public libraries— I’m studying to become an epidemiologist. My ultimate goal is to travel the world, researching disease, or perhaps working for Doctors Without Borders. I’m taking baby steps to get there though. I always had plans of going into the medical field, but being a doctor or surgeon (someone who stays in a hospital) just isn’t for me. I like to explore, enjoy a challenge, and am much more hands-on. I feel like being an epidemiologist combines my multitude of passions: biology/anatomy, directly helping others, experiencing different cultures, and having a job where the sole purpose is to work to improve the lives of others.

Canyon ’10

Brianne Rogers

Canyon ‘10
College of the Canyons ‘14

While I finish my Bachelors in English, I am working on a research project in Mohave with Jess Phoenix, the co-founder of Blue Print Earth. It’s very exciting!

Culver City ’20

Evalie Rohr

Culver City HS ’20

My time in HRW STF has been an invaluable high school experience. It taught me how to be active in my community and fight for change, while also helping me reach my full potential as a leader. Before STF, I disliked having people dependent on me and being the center of attention. Through being one of the presidents of my chapter, I have learned to lead a class of students and teach them about current events, which has helped a lot with my social anxiety. I have met so many wonderful people through my club and the various workshops that we’ve had that have helped me grow as a person and encouraged me to break out of my shell and talk to new people. Through STF I have become more vocal and confident, something that will help me for the rest of my life.

Carson ’17

Michelle Roldan Morales

Carson ‘17
CSU Dominguez Hills ‘21

I am now entering my junior year of my undergrad — double majoring in English and Chicanx Studies. I aspire to become a university professor with a doctorate. By joining STF, I became more socially aware of issues around the world and developed a passion for activism. As a future educator, I plan on encouraging my students to become activists within their community by aiming to dismantle systems of oppression. I’ve always enjoyed writing and took one chicanx course and it changed my life―especially learning about the school to prison pipeline. I hope to go to UCSC or Berkeley fingers crossed.

Palisades ’20

Maria Romero

Palisades Charter HS ’20
Middleburry College ’24

It has been a pleasure to be apart of Pali’s Human Rights STF. Being apart of STF allowed me avenues to educate myself on a current issue that afflicts the world, which oftentimes these conversations are neglected in classrooms. Through research and share backs, we were able to create these exhibits to spread our knowledge with the school, which benefitted our school profoundly. I enjoyed my time being apart of teams to build a section of our exhibits, helping set up our stations, and staying back at lunch to answer questions about our presentations. It was a task that showed our commitment and passion through a collective shared effort and in turn, allowed us to inform our classmates who will vote to never allow such violations to happen again.

Wildwood ’16

Anthea Rosenbaum

Wildwood ‘16
Barnard College ‘20

I have officially declared as an Urban Studies major with a concentration in Political Science. This past semester I decided to add on a minor in Architecture. I’m also on the board f the Athena Pre Law Society at Barnard and Columbia, and in March, we hosted a talk with Professor Susan Herman, president of the ACLU, about civil liberties and the current state of America. This summer I will be interning for Senator Feinstein (CA) in Washington DC. I’m really excited to see the legislative process happen in action. While I don’t think I want to be a politician, I really want to be involved with policy, so I think it’s important to familiarize myself with how advocacy efforts that I’m passionate about are translated into legislation. I’ll most likely work on urban planning policy, which is a great facilitator in providing social services, and looking at social justice aspects of urbanism such as mass incarceration and environmental justice. I see myself going to law school, but I may very well go to grad school for urban planning instead!

Crossroads ’07

David Roth

Crossroads ’07
M.D. Emory Univ. ’20

I am in medical school at Emory University after finishing a Master of Science in Public Health. Since I just started medical school, I still have four more years to go and am undecided on a residency.

Palisades Charter HS ‘12

Evelyn Salvador.

Palisades Charter HS ‘12
UC Merced ‘16

I am starting my second year in Guatemala for the Peace Corps and I’m loving it! There are so many things that have made my experience memorable. Living with my wonderful host family, working with the health post staff, and experiencing the different traditions that they have here. I’ve been working on my diagnostics by interviewing the health personnel going on house visits with the doctors and auxiliary nurses. In the future, I will be giving health talks and training health personnel on how to do appropriate health talks tailored to kids, teens and adults. I knew I wanted to work in the health sector but wasn’t specific as to where. The Peace Corps assigned me to Latin America as a maternal and child health volunteer. The best part about being in the Peace Corps is learning how the health system works here and how their daily life/work is. I majored in public health and minored in Spanish at UC Merced and plan to definitely continue in either public health or global health.

Da Vinci Schools ‘19

Gi Salvatierra

Da Vinci Schools ‘19
Kalamazoo College ‘23
West LA College

I attended Kalamazoo College, double majoring in Critical Ethnic Studies and English with a focus on Food and Land Sovereignty. I completed two fellowships where I learned how to steward the land in one, and how to build organizing skills in the other. I think of STF and the work we did all the time. I have so much gratitude for the experience it gave me— being apart of STF makes activism tangible compared to liking SJW posts on Instagram. I love that I found a community of people who are driven and have the same goals as me. STF has made me feel productive when there are so little opportunities for teens to do so.

Now I’m currently in West LA College’s Conservation Studies program and it’s been a really illuminating experience! I’m feeling out what next steps look like for me—entrepreneurship, law school, estate planning. I am a newbie at all of the above, so wish me luck! I am confident in my ability to persevere in the face of adversity.

Santa Monica HS ‘17

Amanda Samimi

Santa Monica HS ‘17
Barnard College ‘21

I’m so lucky to have been a part of STF for four years! Through the organization, I was able to create a connection outside of the classroom with the issues our global society faces in the present day. I was able to increase my understanding of certain issues while having conversations and presenting these important topics to others. My speaking and presentational skills have been enhanced through my time with STF as well. I’m so thankful for the opportunities given to me, like attending lavish events such as the HRW dinner and the women leadership event at the Mayor’s house as well as meeting people with fascinating backgrounds such as Henry Oster. Thank you STF for always guiding us and uplifting us with your positive energy. Your work is so appreciated!

Immaculate Heart ‘01

Christina Sanchez

Immaculate Heart ‘01
Yale Univ. ’05
MPP and Urban Planning from Harvard’s Kennedy School ’10

STF turned me into an activist. It was very important to me personally. I was involved in the Stopping the Use of Child Soldiers campaign. After graduating from Yale, I taught Social Studies and
English as a Second Language (ESL) in the Los Angeles Unified School District, launched
parent-organizing efforts across the state of California with Parent Revolution, and
served as the Director of Programs for A Place Called Home, a community and youth
center in South Central Los Angeles. As a consultant, I now work with over thirty organizations to strengthen their programs, launch new initiatives, and prepare for substantial growth. I have also advised local and national organizations working on issues ranging from climate change to conservation, health care access, immigration, and education.

Harvard-Westlake ‘17

Phoebe Sanders

Harvard Westlake ‘17
Barnard College ‘21

When I was asked to help kickstart STF on campus, I was ecstatic. Finally, there was a club focusing on having dynamic discussions—discussions of nuance, and subtleties, and contention. Being a part of this organization gave me a voice—a place to talk, a place where likeminded people now explored ethics in both intelligent, and exciting conversation. Even more, STF catalyzed a deep-seated passion. For years, I had always gravitated towards being a writer. STF helped me find that intersection of using a voice both on and off the page to try to do better for the world. Still, perhaps the most valuable feature of STF might just be the people—the shared and inspirational stories from the students across all of LA, sitting together with a common interest, as well as the extraordinary speakers that I was able to witness solely because of this phenomenal organization! Next, at Barnard College in New York City, I am most certainly going to translate what I have learned in STF into my work. STF has undoubtedly shaped me into a bold woman, ready to take on the world.

Palisades ’08

Bryant Sandoval

Palisades Charter HS ’08
Los Angeles Trade Technical College ’11

Currently I am on my way to getting my AA in Culinary Arts. Human Rights Watch Student Task Force helped me to see that there are hardships in the world, and that I am not the only one who is going through struggles, and mine are in no way as bad as some. I am doing best for those that need more.

Immaculate Heart ‘03

Christina Sarkissian

Immaculate Heart ‘03
USC ‘07

I have been working at iHeartMedia for the last 8 years. Currently I’m in the role of Strategic Partnerships creating pitching and executing 360 degree marketing campaigns that are designed to drive results for clients.

Canyon HS ’12

Vanessa Saucedo

Canyon HS ’12
SFSU ’16

Since my last check in with STF I received my BA in English Education from SFSU (2016). Currently, I am working at Vaughn International Studies Academy in the special education department as a Resource Specialist Paraprofessional! I’ve been working from home since LAUSD closed all schools. I am still providing services to my IEP students from home and just hoping I’m doing my best for them!

Carson ’15

Susan Senical

Carson HS ’15

I’m majoring in Child Development at CSU Dominguez Hills. After graduation I plan on working with special needs students. I’m planning on staying in LA for about 5 years, then eventually I plan to move out of California.

Canyon ’10

Megan Scherich

Canyon HS ’10
Northwestern Univ. ’14
MBA Univ. of Utah

I am an R&D Engineer. I studied biomedical engineering in college. Now I do research and development to engineer new medical devices.

Academy of the Canyons ’15

Megan Schneider

Academy of the Canyons ’15
Claremont McKenna College ’19

After a summer of traveling to Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, and Myanmar, I began attending Claremont McKenna College. I am pursuing a degree in International Relations with a possible double major or minor in Economics. After college, I plan to join the Peace Corps.

Golden Valley ’17

Zoe Shaw

Golden Valley HS ’17

I am doing nursing at College of the Canyons. Now I live in Frazier Park, and I’m enjoying it. This year I’m hoping to start my first rounds. I’m enjoying college. I want to be a traveling nurse after I graduate.

Valencia HS ‘13

Jenna Shelton

Valencia HS ‘13
UC Berkeley ‘17
MPP George Washington Univ. ‘20
PhD Cornell Univ. ’25

I just graduated with my MPP from George Washington University and starting my PhD in Public Policy & Management at Cornell University. I’ll be done with my PhD in about 5 years. When I was in my masters program, I studied program evaluation. I’ve always been very passionate about data and social policy. I am a former foster youth, so I want to focus my research on improving outcomes and supporting successful transitions to adulthood for foster kids and homeless youth. When I graduate I want to pursue a tenured professorship while also producing mixed methods research. I’m also open to working at a research organization that works on supporting underprivileged youth.

Crossroads School ‘11

Miriam Shestack

Crossroads ‘11
Univ. of Chicago ‘15
London School of Economics ‘20
Harvard Univ. School of Law ‘23

After graduating from law school in 2023, I moved to New York City to start a new job at Mobilization for Justice (MFJ), a legal services organization where I am a staff attorney in their Housing Project. I directly represent low-income tenants in eviction proceedings. My job is part of New York’s “Right to Counsel” program, which aims to create a public-defender type system for tenants facing eviction in housing court. The program, honestly, does not yet have the level of staffing needed to provide universal representation yet, but it has greatly expanded access to counsel for NYC tenants. Currently I am interested in exploring ways to use technology and restructure the organization’s workflow to try to reach more people with the resources that we have.

Palisades Charter HS ‘11

Riddhi Mia Shipli

Palisades Charter HS ‘11
UC Davis ‘16

Currently I’m in between jobs, but I previously worked in environmental advocacy, advocating for the reducing of toxic plastics (i.e. Styrofoam). I’m more oriented towards causes, like public policy issues. My current plan is to job hunt close to home.

Academy of the Canyons ‘11

Kaitlyn Silvey

Academy of the Canyons ‘11
UC Merced ‘15

I co-founded the Academy of the Canyons STF chapter in 2011. Thereafter, I transferred to the UC Merced, where I finished my bachelor’s degree in December 2015. My main field of study was Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations, but I also completed a minor in Cognitive Science. I
worked as a Research Assistant in a Cognitive Science laboratory studying empathetic pathways during my last full year on campus.

Since then, I’ve moved back home to Santa Clarita, CA. I’m using this time to study for the GRE, with hopes of going to graduate school for either political or cognitive science. I have very recently been offered a job by a large labor union to do political work including lobbying and mobilization for Hilary Clinton, the organization’s preferred candidate. I have not yet accepted this offer out of conflict with my own hopes for the Bernie campaign.

Wildwood School ‘07

Martino Simcik

Wildwood School ‘07

I am now a freelance football journalist and producer in the United Kingdom, working with brands such as Nike, Adidas, as Roma, FIFA, and more. Before this role, I worked for Copa90, writing articles, researching and fixing the documentaries we make, and creating a collective of fan owned football club organisations, like Supporters Direct, and Football Supporters Europe, as well as independent football magazines from around the world. Before that I worked at TIFO Magazine, a socially conscience sports newspaper. While with them, I wrote an article on Darfur United, the refugee children STF got to know through the Human Rights Mobile Library project.

Immaculate Heart ‘00

Jessica Skylar

Immaculate Heart ‘00
Intern ‘01
American Univ. ‘04
M.A. American Univ. ‘05

Being in STF was the first time I realized that I could actually DO something about the things that I cared about – and that I had the power to make a difference. And, maybe even more importantly, that I wasn’t alone in wanting to do so. I have spent my career working on market-based solutions to improve access and equity, after being a founding member of STF! I am currently working as a Managing Partner at Think of Us. Think of Us serves as an R+D lab for child welfare – we take on different projects with groups like the Children’s Bureau, different states, etc. that have the chance to change the system and center lived experience.

Intern ‘15

Alex Sleisenger

Intern ‘15
UC Los Angeles ‘15
Johns Hopkins Univ. ‘17

I recently returned to Los Angeles after having spent a year in Israel working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. The experience was formative for me in learning about Israel’s culture, society, and politics. During my time in Israel, I had an opportunity to travel throughout the region including in the West Bank and Jordan where I met members from various communities including Bedouins, Druze, and Arabs, to name a few. I also had a chance to reconnect with family in various parts of the country and gain a first hand look into the “start-up nation” technology and innovation sectors. The year was pivotal for me in learning about my family’s history, developing a robust understanding of pressing issues facing the greater Middle East, and exploring ideas for how the technology and innovation sectors can change the world for good.

Crossroads School ‘08

Ginny Smith

Crossroads ‘08
Georgetown Univ. ‘12
UC Berkeley Law ‘17

My experiences in STF imbued me with a strong belief in the importance of human rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular. That has shaped almost every aspect of my being from how I interact with people to what I am studying. I wouldn’t have been exposed to so many important issues and concepts if I hadn’t participated in STF.

After undergrad, I taught 6th grade English at Crestworth Learning Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as part of Teach for America’s South Louisiana Corps. Now I’m about to graduate from Berkeley Law and I’m moving back to LA. I’m starting a job clerking for a federal district court judge in Santa Ana in August. And in 2018 I will begin working at a law firm in LA full time.

Intern ’01

Dana Sommers

College of Wooster ’19
Intern ’01

I graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio in May 1999 with a B.A. in Sociology and Religious Studies. Prior to interning with STF, I spent a year living in Jerusalem, independently exploring the challenges of interfaith dialogue and the role it plays in peacemaking. As an intern, I participated in advocacy efforts for the child farmworkers campaign and the LGBT youth report. I later worked for HRW in New York as an associate in the Children’s Rights Division. Now, I’m the Assistant Program Director with Center for Urban Community Services, a frontline Social Worker in supportive housing, helping formerly homeless adults living with mental illness, substance use, HIV/AIDS and other serious chronic health conditions.

Intern ‘16

David Soper

Intern ‘16
Carleton College ‘17
Univ. of Chicago

I’ve just finished my final year at Carleton College, and I am getting ready to attend the University of Chicago Divinity School in the fall! I will be studying religion, specifically the philosophy of religion. I don’t exactly have any long term career plans at this point, but I was given a generous offer to study something that I love so I took it. We will see where it leads me in the future!

Crossroads School ‘11

Lauren Speigel

Crossroads ‘11
Univ. of Chicago ‘15
M.A. Stanford Univ. ‘19

I have been working as an assistant editor at Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy but will spend summer 2019 as a resident doctoral fellow at the University of Leipzig researching philosophy in meta ethics and practical philosophy. I want to spend time teaching in the future, but want to get my PhD because I hope it can inform my work with the Speigel Foundation (my brother’s foundation).

Santa Monica HS ‘13

Cami Speyer

Santa Monica ‘13
Williams College ‘17

I graduated from Williams in 2017 with a double major in History and Biology. I’m now working at Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston doing clinics research in their rheumatology department with the Lupus Center!

Palisades ’21

Beau Staun-List

Palisades Charter HS ’21
Lewis & Clark College ’25

I am at Lewis & Clark College, studying Environmental Studies (with a sustainability focus) and minoring in French Studies. Over the summer, I am working full time and saving up for the next year of college! I am really enjoying university and Portland is an amazing city with lots of artistic people and beautiful scenery around it. This past year, I participated in my school’s Gardening Club (we have a student-run garden right near my dorm). I also attended our weekly French Club meetings, where I got to speak to fellow French-speaking students and do activities (movie nights, cooking, excursions).

STF Assistant ’24

Emily Steidl

STF Assistant ’24
UC Los Angeles ’24

After graduating UCLA, I moved to Steamboat Springs, CO where I worked in HR for Steamboat Ski Resort for about 1.5 years. I am now an Executive Coordinator at The Health Partnership and I am applying for the Youth Policy Accelerator program with Mental Health America as youth mental health is still a primary passion of mine! I am also doing some college application advising on the side & dog sitting (because who doesn’t love a good side hustle). I love living in the mountains, and doing lots of skiing in the winter & hiking in the summer.

New Roads School ‘19

Carolyn Stein

New Roads ‘19
Stanford Univ. ‘24

I am beyond thankful for the opportunities STF provided me. STF has taught me what it means to be an activist and how it is a continual process that you are always learning from. There were many times throughout the year where I read the news and felt hopeless about the state of our country and the world as a whole. STF gave me a platform to not only voice those concerns, but to create events and protests as well. I graduated from Stanford in 2024 and I currently work as a general assignment reporter for the Naperville Sun, where I’ve covered everything from a controversial proposed data center to immigration enforcement activity in the city. I love telling stories about ordinary people who may not usually get to be in the spotlight.

New Roads School ‘16

Yana Sternberger

New Roads ‘16
Mills College ‘20

Ever since I graduated from New Roads School I have been attending Mills College. I intend on graduating in 2020 with a major in Studio Art and Ethnic Studies and I am on track to receive my bachelors in teaching at the school of education at Mills the following year. I am very involved in the art community as well as the queer POC community in the Bay Area. I am currently working at the Mills College art museum as a event photographer and gallery assistant. I have also started my own business called Shrinky Time where I sell handmade earrings and keychains, which I make out of shrink art material.

Consultant ‘13

Anne Stotler

Univ. of Virginia ‘11
Consultant ‘13
M.P.P. Harvard ‘15

In July 2018 I left the State Department and moved to New York City to work at ideas42, a nonprofit that applies insights from behavioral science to public policy and social programs. I am now a Principal Behavior Designer and I live in San Francisco.

Santa Monica HS ‘18

Anya Strum

Santa Monica ‘18
UC Davis ‘22

My time in STF helped me connect on a micro level with other teenagers with an interest in preserving human rights. On a macro level, it gave me insight into how an established organization fights human rights violations globally. Additionally, it taught me how to talk to people who have differing opinions politically and socially. Human rights issues transcend those differences.

New Roads School ‘16

Duniya Syed

New Roads ‘16
Hobart & William Smith College ‘20

I just finished my first year of college. My major is most likely going to be economics and computer science. For the past year I have been working on a project with a group of seven students to fill up a canister with a muon detector, radiation detector and a spectrometer that is built by us. This canister will be put in a Rocket built by NASA and will be launched in June 2017. After the launch we will be noting the readings we get from our detectors and will be writing a paper on it.

Intern ‘08

Christina Tajalli

Intern ‘08
UC Irvine ‘09
UC Los Angeles Law ‘13

I have spent the last several years working at entertainment law firms, focusing on documentary films and promoting diversity in the industry. I’m now the VP of Business and Legal Affairs at PICTURESTART, a production company focused on stories about “discovery of voice”.

Palisades Charter HS ‘10

Hani Tajsar

Palisades Charter HS ‘10
UC Santa Barbara ‘14

I am currently attending University of California, Santa Barbara. I am going into my third year there as a Middle East Studies major and have completed all of my pre-dental requirements. I am heavily involved with Students for Justice in Palestine on the UCSB campus. That being said I also do a lot of solidarity work with organizations such as Pan African Student Union, El Congresso, and the Office of the Student Advocate. I definitely plan in being involved in activism throughout my entire life (including right now).

Santa Monica HS ’18

Ramiro Tapia

Santa Monica ’18
Univ. of Redlands ’24

I’m about to start my first semester at the University of Redlands as a Music Education major. The degree will be about four years and will culminate with a California teaching credential. My private violin teacher recommended one of the professors at Redlands, which is how I found out about the program. Over the summer I’ve been able to attend his studio and masterclasses, so I’m really happy that I get to study with him.

Carson HS ‘14

Klarissa Tarman

Carson ‘14
El Camino College ‘18

I graduated from El Camino and am working at a veterinary hospital as a tech while I go to school to become a veterinarian.

Los Osos ’23

Sara Teran

Los Osos ’23
UC Berkeley ’27

STF changed my life. Becoming part of this program made me believe, believe that there can and will be change in the future, because there is a lot of people that care about it, and I’m not alone. It made me hope, specially when looking at younger generations carrying the legacy, taking initiative and showing leadership and passion. This program not only shaped me to be a better human, but it shaped my perspective of the world for the better, and it influenced strongly my decisions on what I want to do in the future, a future that might’ve not been possible if it wasn’t for everything that STF gave me and how much I grew from it.

Intern ‘18

Kate Thomas

Intern ‘18
USC ‘20

I am currently living in London working at Portland as an Account Manager. I specialize in global health policy and comms, working with clients across life sciences (such as Pfizer Vaccines) and international development (such as Gates Foundation).

Palisades Charter HS ‘18

Darin Torres

Palisades Charter HS ‘18
Humboldt State Univ. ‘22

STF was, all I can say, life changing. From when I joined it taught me so many aspects of not only the protection of human rights but also how to work with other people who want just as much as you to help and inform others. I have learned about so many different tragedies and events all around the world and at home, but knowing that we will persevere and never give up the fight for change made me hopeful that we will succeed. I am grateful for all the support and the amazing people I met during my time and I will promise to carry on the values of STF not only in college but also in life. Thank you.

Academy of the Canyons ‘14

Colby Tunick

Academy of the Canyons ‘14
San Diego State Univ. ‘18

I am currently working at Refocus AI, where we help insurance companies reduce customer cancellations by identifying which customer are most at risk and why. STF provided an environment where I learned to think critically about complex global issues in a local context. Every Human Rights concern or violation has international ramifications, yet so often, why this actually matters to others is lost due to ineffectual messaging. STF is a platform that bridges this pain-point through educating young leaders on how to speak about these global human rights issues as it relates to their local community. I graduated from SDSU with a BA with Distinction in International Security and Conflict Resolution.

Sierra Canyon School ’20

Gowri Vadmal

Sierra Canyon School ’20
Stanford Univ. ’24

STF has taught me so much about the world, to always strive to be a better person, and to uphold my beliefs. I know that in the future, I will fight for human rights any way I can, both out in the world and in my own community. I won’t forget the powerful moments at STF events, whether it was listening to Bill Harvey recall his life during the Holocaust, realizing exactly how big this community of human rights defenders, or watching people risk their own lives to protect those of people less fortunate. I can be sure that this experience is something I will never forget, and I look forward to bringing what I’ve learned to the next stage of my life.

I’m graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Mathematical and Computational Science, concentrating on Biology, and am hoping to work in community health in the future.

Palisades Charter HS ‘17

Melisa Vargas

Palisades Charter HS ‘17
Santa Monica College ‘20

Being part of STF meant I was able to be part of making a change in my community due to human rights issues going on around the world. While attending the workshops, I was able to meet with other STF members from other schools and guests in order to educate each other about human rights. Since graduating, I’ve been taking classes at Santa Monica College and hope to transfer to CSUN, Long Beach (my dream school!), Fullerton or Fresno State to pursue a career in speech therapy. In early 2018, I donated bone marrow to my dad to treat his leukemia, and I’m happy to report it looks like he may be in remission!

Carlsbad ’24

Varun Venkatesh

Carlsbad HS ’24
Univ. of California, Berkeley ’28

STF has fueled my passion for activism and given me the opportunity to research and address global issues. Young people have gone through a lot of unprecedented struggles in the last few years. With political discourse as polarizing as ever, the pandemic having ravaged our nation, and mental health issues at an all-time high, the most prevalent issue facing young people is evident: a lack of leadership, accountability, and political knowledge among people my age. STF serves as a wonderful opportunity for youth like me to develop their leadership skills, work to foster the necessary transparency we currently lack, and explore global issues that are ignored in the classroom. For that reason, I genuinely appreciate the program and the STF team for being so supportive. I will carry my advocacy of fighting for solvency for our Southern Border Crisis in my future endeavors.

Palisades Charter HS ‘10

Ben Verheiden

Palisades Charter HS ‘10
West LA College ‘16
CSU Northridge ‘20

The HRW STF is one of my favorite and proudest parts of high school, and creating the Researcher position while I was in it is something that I have been proud of to this day. I am now an Urban Planning Major at California State University Northridge CSUN, with current leadership in the department’s club. As a student with disabilities, I have become a firm disability advocate in the field, and I have realized that it is extremely rare for people with disabilities like me to be in the field I am in. Urban Planning also has major overlap with human rights issues including specialties in social and environment justice planning.

I just graduated CSUN with a Masters in Sustainability to complement my Urban Planning Bachelor’s Degree also from CSUN. I was also part of the first cohort to graduate from CSUN’s Masters in Sustainability Program.

Grant HS ‘05

Beatrice Victor

Grant HS ‘05
Northeastern Univ. ‘16

After three community colleges, three universities, and a decade’s effort of swinging at life’s curveballs, I graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Northeastern University in April 2016. I focused on Middle Eastern politics and policy as well as American Constitutional Law. Since, I’ve taken opportunities to travel, feeding a fascination for the informative, self-revealing, and storied selcouth moments one inevitably confronts when alone and immersed in other cultures. I recently closed down my consulting company and began studying for the LSAT. I hope to be in pursuit of my law degree in the fall of next year.

Canyon HS ‘12

Yirzely Villanueva

Canyon HS ‘12
New Mexico State Univ. ‘16
MAT USC ‘18

During my Masters in Teaching program, I was a Summer School Assistant Teacher at the Burbank YMCA and did fieldwork in my old elementary school in Santa Clarita. I now teach 6th grade math and science. Distance learning is tough but there were some major pros that came out of it, such as students receiving better grades than in school and getting in touch with more families in our community. I am also a board member of Simply Youth Institute, which hosts workshops geared towards young women, specifically women of color, to help them grow past generational poverty and become more financially stable and improve their overall wellness.

Santa Monica ’22

Erin Vinson

Santa Monica HS ’22
UC Berkeley ’26

To me, being a leader in STF has meant change not only for the students we’ve helped educate, but for myself, too. Other STF members have been incredibly inspiring, and have given me hope that the climate crisis is something we can tangibly fight against. Especially with the resources that HRW provided, I feel like we took huge steps towards our goal of a more sustainable planet. I have great hope that future STFers, with the help of alumni and mentors, can succeed in that goal.

Harvard Westlake ’25

Rheanna Vradiy

Harvard Westlake ’25
Boston College ’29

This program has truly integrated me into the ways of the world, specifically regarding human rights. Over the last 3 years, I have become a more conscious citizen as well as a confident leader, and I can’t wait to continue my human rights advocacy journey in the future.

Wildwood School ‘08

Kanchan Wali-Richardson

Wildwood School ‘08
Cooper Union ‘12
M.L.A. Harvard Graduate School of Design. ‘21

STF helped me find a strength I didn’t know I had in myself to stand as a role model and actively engage the world around me. Those experiences are what brought me to understand the power of unity and the need for perseverance through difficult long-term issues. Last September I started a Masters in Landscape Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design with the hope of using a design practice to help address climate change adaptation and issues of environmental justice.

Santa Monica HS ‘14

Matthew Ware

Santa Monica ‘14
Yale Univ. in Singapore ‘18

I work at the Venice Family Clinic, which brings doctors to directly to homeless patients on the street. I’m working as the Quality Improvement Coordinator. I study data and find patterns in a way that impacts people — before the pandemic we were oriented towards goals like better cancer screening or more vaccine coverage, for example. And then layered with the challenges people have in their lives, you end up having to solve complex problems, like how to facilitate a screening appointment for someone without a fixed location or house. I don’t quite get to do that anymore because the pandemic has really shifted our priorities away from preventative care. I do split some of my time assisting the homeless outreach program, which has been modified due to the pandemic, as well as working on our video telehealth initiative and a program called CareMessage, where patients can get health information and reminders by texts. A longer term goal of mine is to get my Masters’ in Public Health but I’m grateful to be able to make an impact now and curious to see where I can take my existing knowledge and skills before I do so. I’m also going back to school for my Masters’ in Public Health this year!

Carson HS ‘15

Liyah Warren

Carson ‘15
CSU Dominguez Hills ‘18
Bowie State Univ. ‘20

I transferred to Bowie State University in Maryland, where I’m majoring in Criminal Justice. I’ve always wanted to live with my father and since I’m still in college it was the perfect opportunity. Maryland took some getting used to. California is my home, so it was a bit challenging to get accustomed to how people are here. Especially after my time in Korea, which I really enjoyed.

Palisades Charter ’23

Cleo Waxman-Lee

Palisades Charter ’23
Smith College ’27

I will be a senior this coming year and I just wanted to say that my experiences with HRW STF have continued to set me up for a successful college career. It was so meaningful for me to be able to work with STF and gain leadership and community engagement skills that I now use in my collegiate organizations. I am the VP of the Smith Food Rescue Network as well as the President of the Pre-Veterinary Society. I am doing animal welfare research in a neuroscience lab at school and I just got back to the US from a semester in Denmark (I got to do arctic fieldwork in Norway!). I work with an animal rescue group that is connected to the animal hospital I work at. After graduating from Smith, I hope to attend veterinary school and own my own practice one day. I am particularly interested in public health and shelter medicine. I am going to be volunteering with an organization called Project Street Vet this summer as well. They provide veterinary care to low-income, unhoused, and other at-risk communities. I truly feel like the skills I gained from my time in STF will continue to shape the way I approach activism, human rights, and community engagement. So grateful for you all and the work that you continue to support!

Academy of the Canyons ‘13

Sofia Weiss

Academy of the Canyons ‘13
UC San Diego ‘16

STF meant a lot to me when I was in high school and I am so glad you are able to continue to provide such valuable skills and involvement for students. STF showed me that I have a say in how the world around me operates, and that my actions and inactions matter. My time with STF was empowering and is a constant reminder to show up, speak out, and question how the world can change I am officially a licensed occupational therapist in California! I work at Select Physical Therapy as a hand therapist.

Santa Monica ‘24

Maya Williams

Santa Monica ‘24
UC Berkeley ‘28

STF pushed me to become a more comfortable public speaker and activist. I went from being an introverted and shy freshman to being an outspoken and confident advocate for human rights and environmental justice by the end of my senior year, in large part due to the leadership of the STF Team and the STF community.

As a plaintiff in the Genesis vs. EPA lawsuit, I’ve had an amazing experience. I’m so grateful to have met all my co-plaintiffs (one of them also goes to Cal and is one of my best friends now) and had the opportunity to advocate for children’s environmental rights on such a unique platform. I’ve also joined a second lawsuit/complaint targeting the removal of the endangerment finding (Venner v EPA). I’ll share more with STF as it happens.

Additionally, I am a UCOP Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellow, UC Berkeley Student Environmental Resource Center. I started it last fall and I’m hoping to continue it through my senior year. I’ve gotten to work with really amazing people across all the UCs, and I’ve spent the last year working towards starting an Environmental Justice minor here on campus. It hasn’t been approved yet, but we’ve got a lot of momentum and we’re almost there 🙂

Intern ‘18

Charlie Witwer

Intern ‘18
Occidental College ‘18

The pandemic threw my 2020 plans for a loop, I was evacuated from Indonesia in March along with all Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide. I loved my time in Indonesia, it was challenging but incredibly rewarding. Met some amazing people, learned a new language and got to do work that I found meaningful. I miss it all the time but it’s nice to be back with family/friends again. I absolutely want to go back at some point, it’s a truly beautiful and fascinating place.

In my current role, I’ve continued working with public health programs across California. My main projects are with local health departments, focusing on homeless services, vaccine access and equity, HIV/STI prevention and workforce development. I also recently got engaged to my wonderful girlfriend of four years, and we are planning our wedding for next summer.

Valencia ’16

Zachary Wong

Valencia HS ’16
UCLA ’20
MS & PhD UCLA

I’m currently studying mechanical engineering at UCLA with the goal of going into the research field.

Archer ’20

Allie Worchell

Archer School for Girls ’20
The George Washington Univ. ’24

I did a studying abroad program in Australia in 2023. I’m just graduated from George Washington University in 2024 with a major in political communication. I interned at Sugerman Communication Group in Los Angeles last summer.

Intern ‘16

Mackenzie Wright

Intern ‘16
Occidental College ‘16

After spending the last few years working with City Year Los Angeles, I will start USC’s Master of Social Work graduate program with a concentration in social change and innovation this fall! The program has a heavy focus on policy and the curriculum focuses on improving living conditions and work environments for individuals, groups, families, organizations and communities on a larger scale so my passion for human rights is definitely going to be expanded in new ways. I can’t wait!

Academy of the Canyons ‘13

Heidi Yang

Academy of the Canyons ‘13
UC Los Angeles ‘20

I am currently working at Learning Edge, a tutoring center for kids in Pasadena. I will attending UCLA in the fall, pursuing a career in occupational therapy.

Academy of the Canyons ‘15

Youstina Yousseff

Academy of the Canyons ‘15
UC Berkeley ‘19

In New York City, I work at the International Refugee Assistance Project as a Gardner Fellow. I work on family reunification and assist our attorneys in drafting legal submissions and memos for refugees. I’m hoping to stay in New York for another year before I go to law school.

Venice HS ‘08

Diana Yu

Venice HS ‘08
UC Los Angeles ‘12
Ph.D. Univ. of British Columbia ‘16

I graduated from UCLA in 2012 with my B.S. in Chemistry. I am currently at UC Merced, pursuing my Ph.D in organic chemistry. I am about to move to the University of British Columbia to complete my Ph.D program. I would like to become a postdoc and then remain a researcher in academia or industry.

Crossroads School ’07

Stephanie Yu

Crossroads ’07
B.M. & M.Music Julliard School ‘13

As a violinist, I am a performer, collaborator, and educator based in Los Angeles. I have performed in venues around the world, including the Royal Albert Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Metropolitan Opera House, the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. I enjoy doing projects with unique artists, and have also worked with King Britt, Rihanna, Bilal, Ryan Seacrest and Clint Eastwood. On the side, I was a volunteer with Shining Light Prison Ministries, a Performing Arts initiative that shares hope with the incarcerated. In 2012 and 2013, long with a team of Juilliard students I gave concerts in temporary housing complexes in Japan’s Tohoku region, the community most affected by the tsunami. I also travelled to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil to mentor students of Neojiba, a program based on the highly successful Venezuelan music program ‘El Sistema.’ While at Juilliard, I was an Instrumental Music Program Fellow at P.S. 11 and P.S. 84 schools and an English Teaching Fellow.

Sierra Canyon ’18

Isabella Yung

Sierra Canyon ‘18
Trinity College ‘22

I recently graduated from Trinity College with a double major in Engineering and Physics. I’m now moving to San Francisco/Redwood City area to start my job with FM Global as a consultant engineer! Very scary but big steps ahead, haha I’ve been moving a lot lately, back and forth across the country from Connecticut to LA and my internship in Michigan and a month in Virginia as well. Some of my hobbies I am involved in – I am now doing competitive riichi mahjong and am an official/judge for US figure skating!

Valencia HS ’15

Gabby Zacky

Valencia HS ’15
Cornell Univ. ’18

Since graduating Cornell University early, I have been doing strategy consulting at a financial services firm.

Los Osos ’23

Alisa Zhang

Los Osos ’23
UC Los Angeles ’27

STF not only taught me that my voice mattered, but also gave me the tools to make my passion of human rights defense come to fruition. Through my five years of involvement, I learned not only leadership, communication, delegation, and other valuable teamwork skills, but foundational perspectives to evaluate my life through. Being a first generation immigrant and eldest daughter, the combination of familial expectations and generational trauma threatened to deprive me of valuable experiences and joys I felt unworthy to live fully in. STF was a unique outlet in my life at the exact point when I needed such a welcoming and driven organization the most that fostered my passion and grew my strengths. STF work taught my values outside of the classroom, the family, and existing metrics; I learned to fight for what I believe in and choose the paths in life to follow that truly fulfills me. Because of this, I was able to weather personal hardships and mentor younger students and fellow peers to chase their dreams and become their best selves.

Sierra Canyon ’24

George Zhou

Sierra Canyon ’24

Joining STF has motivated me to take the initiative. I learned that I was not alone and that there are people like me who care about the issue I care about. This isn’t simply a club but a group of mission-driven students. STF will always be a highlight and a memorable part of my time in high school. I also want to take this chance to thank all STF facilitators, Kristin, Emily, and Amanda. Thank you all for an unforgettable memory! <3