Natasha is a junior at Stanford University studying Computer Science on the premed track. She's been involved with both the North Texas and Northern California Coastal Regions for five years in all Lines of Service—leading blood services volunteers, hosting Pillowcase Presentations, participating in IHL Youth Action Campaigns, and organizing a few fundraisers. She is especially passionate about International Services, as she started up the Missing Maps MAPathon Program (now Mapswipe) in North Texas. She served as Field Ambassador in 2020, developing a sustainable Youth Recognition Program for North Texas and received the region's Youth in Action Award. She also served as Co-President of Coppell High School's Red Cross Club for two years and was appointed Line of Service Officer for the North Texas Youth Services Executive Board. For her service, Natasha earned the Navin Narayan Scholarship in 2022. She serves as Restoring Family Links Outreach Lead for the Northern California Coastal Region. In her free time, Natasha loves going to the gym, drinking boba, and watching Suits (sometimes all at the same time). Contact Natasha at natasha.banga2@redcross.org.
Dianne Estevez is a sophomore at the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón studying Chemical Engineering. She has been volunteering with the American Red Cross for four years through the Puerto Rico Region. Dianne currently serves as the Youth Engagement Lead for her region, where she supports youth volunteers across the island, strengthens engagement strategies, and helps coordinate regional programming. She previously served as Vice President of her school’s Red Cross Club and has participated in campaigns such as the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Youth Action Campaign. Dianne has proudly represented the American Red Cross internationally at the annual Red Cross Youth Camp in Costa Rica and was selected to attend the Annual IHL Youth Summit in Washington, D.C 2024. She also helped launch the region’s first hybrid IHL Summit and played a leading role in bringing the “IHL in Nuclear weapons” campaign to her local community. Her service has been recognized in a feature on Telemundo Puerto Rico, and awarded volunteer of the year in her región, where she supported community outreach and engagement. For over four years, Dianne has worked to bring greater visibility to humanitarian issues within underrepresented communities and hopes to continue expanding the reach of Red Cross programming throughout the Caribbean. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, trying new foods, and listening to music. You can contact Dianne at dianne.estevez@redcross.org.
Emily is a junior at Duke University majoring in Economics and Public Policy. She began volunteering with the American Red Cross in 2019 when she founded a Red Cross club at her high school. Since then, she has served on the Texas Gulf Coast Region's Youth Service Council for three terms and represented the region as a Field Ambassador. Additionally, Emily has been heavily involved in the International Humanitarian Law Youth Action Campaign program for four years and previously served as a regional lead coordinator. Emily is also a Preparedness Regional Program Lead and works to support various disaster preparedness programs in the Texas Gulf Coast Region by delivering Be Red Cross Ready presentations and managing client data for the national Sound the Alarm campaign. In addition to being a member of the National Youth Council, Emily is a National Collegiate Officer for the Southeast and Caribbean Division and a member of the Duke Red Cross Club. For her service, Emily received the 2023 Navin Narayan College Scholarship. In her free time, she likes to try new foods, visit national parks, and watch early 2000s movies. You can contact Emily with any questions at emily.wang2@redcross.org.
Natalie is a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh's 8-year BS/MD track. Originally from the Los Angeles Region in California, she began her journey with the American Red Cross in 2020 by founding the Chaminade High School Red Cross Club, where she served as President. Her involvement expanded to advocacy, community preparedness, and humanitarian efforts, including roles as the IHL Youth Action Campaign Advocate, Services to the Armed Forces & Veterans Executive Board Officer, and President for the Northern Valleys Youth Corps of the Los Angeles Region. Natalie also spearheaded and coordinated the Los Angeles Region's first Youth Day and represented the Pacific Division at the 2023 IHL YAC Summit, contributing to the annual IHL Pop Culture event and helping curate the 2023 Social Media Toolkit. She also served as a Sub-Team Intern for the 2024 IHL Summit. Natalie has earned the Gold and Bronze Executive Service Awards and was the recipient of the 2024 Navin Narayan College Scholarship. She is excited to apply her Red Cross experiences to further its mission while pursuing a career in medicine. In her free time, Natalie loves to stay active, listen to Taylor Swift, read, and go out with her friends. Contact Natalie at natalie.kim@redcross.org.
Tanvi is a freshman at Emory University studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. She’s volunteered with the Red Cross since her sophomore year of high school when she first joined her school's Red Cross club. In her junior year, she served as co-president of her school’s club and was also the FY24 Arizona/New Mexico Field Ambassador, working with Northern Arizona Red Cross representatives to establish a system of bringing equitable aid and resources to Native American reservations. She was accepted for a multi-week environmentalism internship with the IFRC Limitless Solferino Academy to learn more about climate issues and work with people from all over the world, brainstorming and planning initiatives to tackle different environmental problems. Her Limitless project proposal was selected to be one of the 1,000/10,000 initiatives to receive seed funding from the IFRC to tackle the Arizona heat crisis. Last year on the council, Tanvi served as a Youth & Young Adult Ambassador Lead on the Council, co-leading a cohort of 50+ Ambassadors and mentoring 30+ regional initiatives across the nation. Outside of the Red Cross, Tanvi loves re-watching Hamilton, experimenting with henna art, and drinking a little too much coffee. Contact Tanvi at tanvi.madugonde2@redcross.org.
Jay is a freshman at Johns Hopkins University studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. His Red Cross journey began in 2022 at Mater Dei High School located in the Southern California Region when he founded the Red Cross Club and served as President for four years. He then joined the Youth Leadership Team of the Orange County Chapter and served on the Special Events Committee and the Mission Impact Committee. Additionally, he served as a staffer for the GLOW Red Leadership Camp hosted by his chapter. Across all lines of service, Jay specializes in the Biomedical Service Branch. He is a Blood Program Leader for Northern Orange County and an Outreach Specialist Volunteer of the Donor Resources Development Team in the Biomedical Services Department, reaching out to potential donors, canvassing blood drive locations, and creating promotional materials. As a member of the National Youth Council, Jay hopes to tackle common misconceptions about blood donation and to promote awareness among youth. In his free time, Jay loves listening to Laufey, visiting National Parks, and watching Modern Family. Contact Jay at jay.qiu@redcross.org.
Faith is a pre-medical student and Regents' & Chancellor's Honors Scholar at the University of California Berkeley. She studies Molecular & Cell Biology and is located in the Northern California Coastal Region (NCCR). Faith began volunteering for the Red Cross in 2020 at Ann Sobrato High School and joined the Silicon Valley Youth Executive Board (YEB), where she became Chair her senior year. Every summer since 2020, Faith helps lead the NCCR’s Leadership Development Camp. Faith explored her interest in public health and biomedicine as an intern for the Biomedical Volunteer Workforce Engagement Team in 2023, where she presented about Sickle Cell Disease and the importance of blood diversity. Engaging her love for art, she worked with the NCCR region to design and paint an outdoor mural adorning the walls of our downtown San Francisco location in 2024. Faith has received the Nisha Baxi Youth of the Year Award and four Presidential Volunteer Service Awards. In the National Youth Council, Faith is excited to make a tangible impact and hopes to inspire leaders across the nation. Outside of the Red Cross, Faith enjoys art & music, golfing, and watching Brooklyn 99. Contact Faith at faith.fernandes@redcross.org.
Ishani is a first-year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management. Her journey with the Red Cross began four years ago, when she began creating posts for the North Texas Red Cross blog. After working as a Youth Placement Specialist where she interviewed incoming volunteers, she served as Workforce Engagement Coordinator, revamping the new quality assurance department of her region’s engagement team. Most recently, she served as Philanthropy Officer for the North Texas Region, where she fundraised tens of thousands for sickle cell disease and coordinated drives for hurricane, veteran, and disaster relief. She is passionate about introducing students to the Red Cross, as she served as Co-President of Carroll High School’s Red Cross Club. Ishani earned the Philanthropy Volunteer of the Year Award, Top Volunteer Award, and President’s Volunteer Service Award for her philanthropy efforts, and was a 2025 recipient of the Navin Narayan Scholarship. Outside of the Red Cross, she enjoys writing fantasy novels, going to cafes, hiking, and learning all about Greek mythology. Contact Ishani at ishani.gandi@redcross.org.
Jacob is in the special Business & Computer Science degree program at Washington University in St. Louis. His Red Cross journey began in January 2021 when he joined his high school’s club in the Central & South Texas Region. There, he served two terms as club President and as the IHL YAC lead advocate. He also took on regional roles, including Youth Ambassador and Youth Executive Board Technical Officer. Jacob’s passion for youth engagement grew through his involvement in the IHL YAC program, where he led a diverse team to creatively disseminate IHL knowledge. He was a panelist at the 2023 IHL YAC National Symposium and represented the SWARM division at the 2024 IHL YAC Summit at the American Red Cross National Headquarters. Most recently, he’s run the 2025 Youth & Young Adult Ambassador Program. As a member of the National Youth Council, Jacob aims to better connect volunteers with opportunities, ensuring there is something for everyone. In his free time, Jacob is an avid foodie, exploring the local restaurant scene. Contact Jacob at jacob.mathew@redcross.org.
Kaylee Kim is a freshman in the Seven-Year Dual Degree Dental Program at the College of Wooster and Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry. Her Red Cross journey began in middle school when she founded a youth chapter in Gwangju, South Korea, with the Korean Red Cross. After moving to the U.S. in 8th grade, she led her high school’s Red Cross Club as President for two years, growing membership from 12 to 136, spearheading a blood drive that achieved the season’s highest collection in the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter, and launching the Sound the Alarm Pilot Project across LA. Her leadership earned the club the Outstanding Club Award among 120 clubs for hosting the most community service events and achieving the highest member participation. Kaylee also served on the Los Angeles Region’s Youth Executive Board as Communications Officer and Blood, Health, Training, Services Officer, and contributed to the Leadership Development Camp as staff. Her service was recognized with a nomination for the Clara Barton Honor Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership as the only high school student nominated in the region and the National Youth Involvement Month’s Individual Award. Contact Kaylee at kaylee.kim@redcross.org.
Kelsey is senior at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley in San Jose, CA. She began her Red Cross journey in 2022 as a member of the blood ambassador scheduling team. Her interest in advocacy and health led her to serve on her chapter’s Youth Executive Board as the IS/SAF Coordinator. In this role, Kelsey raised awareness for veteran health disparities by organizing community projects like Totes of Hope and Cards for Veterans, as well as hosting educational workshops. Her commitment to humanitarian causes has led to her extensive involvement in the IHL YAC program. Kelsey has served as a 2024 Summit representative, a Deputy Coordinator, Summit sublead, and is a current Coordinator for IHL YAC. Under her leadership, the program has reached over 240,000 views on social media and engaged over 1,700 event participants. Her work has led her to earn the regional International Humanitarian Services award and to be nominated for the SAF/IS National Youth Award. Throughout her roles, she has found the most fulfillment when empowering other youth to become community leaders. On the National Youth Council, Kelsey is excited to leverage the platform to continue inspiring youth and helping them find their place within the Red Cross. Contact Kelsey at kelsey.mu@redcross.org.
Aparnaa Ananthakrishnan is a junior at Northwestern University studying Biochemistry and Global Health. She has been actively involved with the Red Cross at the regional, divisional, and national levels. In high school, she co-founded and served as President of her high school Red Cross Club, and currently serves as President of the Northwestern Red Cross Club. Nationally, Aparnaa represented the North Central Division as a FY23-24 National Collegiate Officer on the Red Cross National Collegiate Assembly. Driven by a deep passion for blood services and as a blood donor herself, Aparnaa spearheaded the annual Spring Collegiate Blood Drives—the largest Red Cross collegiate blood drive campaign—in the North Central Division. This initiative mobilizes Red Cross Clubs across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa to not only host campus blood drives to support their local communities but also encourage more college students to donate blood. For her leadership and impact, she received the IL Red Cross Blood Services Hero Award. Aparnaa is excited to further her Red Cross journey on the National Youth Council, working to encourage more youth/young adults to join the Red Cross mission, and hopefully, become blood donors themselves. In her free time, Aparnaa enjoys morning jogs, drinking Indian masala chai, and watching Love Island (yes, she’s watched every season). Contact her at aparnaa.ananthakrish@redcross.org.
Olivia is currently a senior at Galena High School in Reno, Nevada. She has been a volunteer with the Red Cross since her freshman year after creating and serving as president of the Red Cross Club at her high school. Recognizing the need for youth engagement in her region, Olivia has worked to foster and support the clubs in her region through various initiatives such as Youth Action Campaign, park cleanups, veterans’ drives, and numerous fundraisers. At the beginning of 2025, Olivia was nominated to the Northern Nevada Chapter Board of Directors as a youth representative due to her advocacy for youth volunteerism and community activism. Currently, she is playing a key role in establishing an international Red Cross Red Crescent initiative focusing on youth climate action for the first time in the United States called the Y-Adapt program. Olivia is excited to create a positive impact and grow the program nationally. Outside of the Red Cross, Olivia enjoys swimming, reading, and traveling with her family. Olivia is excited to offer her unique perspective to the National Youth Council to inspire and bring new opportunities to the youth in her community! Contact at olivia.ho@redcross.org.
Precious is an incoming freshman at the University of Maryland, where she is a member of the BioFIRE Program. Originally from Nigeria and currently residing in Maryland, she plans to major in Biomedical Science with a minor in Public Policy. Her passion for service, deeply rooted in my upbringing, led her to join the American Red Cross National Support Team, where she began her journey in humanitarian service. Since joining the Red Cross, she has supported dozens of biomedical volunteer roles and has been instrumental in expanding engagement within the organization. As a Placement Queue Lead, Precious facilitated outreach to prospective volunteers, significantly boosting participation in biomedical positions. Currently, she serves as an Engager Leader, training and guiding new onboarding team members across the country, while developing systems to foster volunteer retention and engagement. In addition to her national Red Cross service, she served as Blood Drive Coordinator and Leader at Elizabeth Seton High School, where she successfully collaborated with administrators to host a student-run blood drive. She led the development of marketing and volunteer teams and ensured smooth event operations from planning to execution. Beyond her Red Cross involvement, she co-founded and led a student fundraising team for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Student Visionaries of the Year campaign, raising over $4,000 in support of blood cancer patients. In her free time, she enjoys working with ceramics, reading psychological thrillers, and rewatching my five favorite comfort shows. Contact at precious.ikwu@redcross.org.
Lauren is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar at Vanderbilt University studying Economics, Human and Organizational Development, and Business. With interests in humanitarian rights and diplomacy, Lauren began her Red Cross journey in her freshman year of high school and has since held roles Chair of the Orange County Red Cross Youth (OCRC) Program, president of the Brea Olinda High School Red Cross Club and its founding Lead Advocate for the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Youth Action Campaign, and delegate to the 2024 IHL YAC Summit in Washington D.C. To her fulfillment, each experience has deepened her resolve to collaborate with and elevate communities. She has led programs serving over 1,700 volunteers across 60+ schools in Orange County, partnered with local organizations to conduct blood drives and fundraising endeavors, and worked alongside the county’s adult executive board to bridge youth perspectives with broader Red Cross initiatives. As a founding American representative to the inaugural IHL Youth Summit, she also mentored advocates both locally and globally, guiding them in discovering the relevance of IHL to today’s most urgent humanitarian crises. An avid journalist, Lauren looks forward to spending her time on the council honing in on her keen interest for to uplift narratives of youth agency and impact and guide volunteers nationwide to success. In her free time, Lauren enjoys writing journal entries, working hard (or hardly working, when chatting it up with friends) at cafes, going on long walks, and scouring the internet for random deep dives into interesting topics. Contact Lauren at lauren.ko@redcross.org.
Sydney is a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida. Seeking out avenues to volunteer, she began her Red Cross journey during the height of the pandemic. She was heavily involved in re-establishing the presence of the Red Cross at her university. By reaching out to adult leaders in the Central Florida & USVI region, Sydney was able to successfully re-register the club and was then elected to be Vice President of her chapter amassing to over 200 members. Since then, she served as the FY24 National Collegiate Assembly Lead (NCA) and led 12 National Collegiate Officers in completing division-wide initiatives. Sydney champions lifelong volunteerism with a focus on bridging the gap between high school and collegiate clubs within the Red Cross. In her spare time, Sydney enjoys kayaking, hiking, and working out with her friends. Contact Sydney at sydney.martinez@redcross.org.
Micaela’s journey with the Red Cross began in 2018 as a tabling volunteer with DCS while she was completing an AmeriCorps term. In 2019, she became an Account Manager with Biomedical Services, coordinating over 30 Red Cross blood drives per month in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. In April 2022, she transitioned to Volunteer Services as a Volunteer Recruiter for the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Central California Region. In her current role, she is responsible for recruiting volunteers in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and SanLuis Obispo Counties. In FY25, she helped her region recruit over 600 volunteers into targeted roles. In addition to recruitment, Micaela also oversees the chapter’s Red Cross Clubs, which she has grown from 17 clubs in 2022 to 33 active clubs in 2025.
For Bryan Aleman, the strength of the Red Cross has never been found at the center, but at every arista and in every “rincón” where a volunteer wears the emblem. He began in Parral as a young member of the Mexican Red Cross Youth in 2010 at the age of 11, later continued his service while studying in Chihuahua, and now serves in Juárez, and just across the border in El Paso, TX, where he serves under SAF-IS as a RFL volunteer, an IHL instructor, and as an IHL YAC coordinator. This binational perspective allows him to strengthen ties between local communities and the International Movement of the Red Cross. Bryan hopes to bring his borderland experience to a national stage. He advocates for youth leadership and education while
continuing to connect communities through humanitarian values.
Through more than a decade of experience, Bryan has led initiatives in humanitarian education, first aid, and community intervention.He has mentored new volunteers, guided programs during times of crisis, and
championed the idea that youth are not only the future of the Red Cross, but its living present.
Bryan is also pursuing a double major at the University of Texas at El Paso: his first in Engineering Innovation and Leadership and his second in Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry. His goal is to become an MD-PhD whose work bridges science, innovation, and humanitarian values. His story — from Parral in 2010 to El Paso, and now to NHQ — embodies a lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and the belief that the Red Cross is strongest wherever its volunteers stand.