Charlize Chloe Castillo

Charlize is a first-year Youth Board member. She is also a community college student approaching her first year at Napa Valley College, majoring in Computer Engineering with the support of faculty in MESA STEM. After graduating she plans to pursue medical school afterwards to fulfill the childhood dream of becoming a Family Medicine Physician. Since joining local non-profit Club Stride Inc., Char has co-founded an activism internship called Action in Movement where the passion for community advocacy came to life by working firsthand with underserved middle school youth. She has explored several parts of social justice by taking part in Sustainable Solano’s Youth Leadership Council in support of environmental sustainability and taking up Content Creation internships focused mainly on well-being and self love at Club Stride Inc. She is an Ambassador for Touro University’s Healthcare Opportunities program and plays an active role in the Planning Committee for non-profit Children Now. Encouraged by the support of several community leaders, Char is determined to drive a positive social change in the world through healthcare and technology.

Christian Lizaso

Christian Lizaso is in his fourth year as a Youth Board member. He is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is majoring in Public Health with a focus on adolescent and community health. Christian is a CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholar, Advanced Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health (MCAH) Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways (LEAP) Scholar, and Youth Equity Discovery Initiative (YEDI) Scholar. In addition to his work with CSHA, Christian is an undergraduate researcher on youth participatory action research and is pursuing a certificate in Asian American community health. Christian is passionate about youth engagement and youth programming, and hopes to empower young people and improve access to health resources within his community.

Dina Mirmotalebisohi

Dina is a fourth-year member of the Youth Board, and is a student at the University of California, Riverside, majoring in Biology and intending to minor in Public Policy. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree, she plans to continue pursuing an education and career in medicine. Dina stumbled upon her passion for public health throughout the years as a result of working with and interning for groups such as the Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health as a Policy Intern. She has also worked with other groups such as Diversify Our Narrative and the Miles Hall Foundation, which aim to create an inclusive, intersectional, and equitable environment within K-12 schools. She is also a dedicated member of her university’s Associated Students Program Board, University Blood Initiative, and the Iranian Student Association. In her free time, she volunteers at a free clinic or in the cardiovascular unit at Riverside Community Hospital. It is within these groups that she is reminded of the drive that pushes her to continue studying medicine. Dina’s advocacy efforts are driven by her own Treacher Collins Syndrome and unyielding belief that adequate health care is a human right and must be accessible for all.

Jubilee Adams

Jubilee Adams is a first-year Youth Board member and a second-year student at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Jubilee is on an accelerated pathway to graduation, where she is projected to graduate in three years with a major in Global and Community Health and a minor in Biology. Jubilee works at her town’s local health food store and is passionate about expanding access to nutritious food in underserved communities. Her passion for youth engagement, specifically in relation to health stems from her own personal experiences with school-based health centers as a young person. After graduation, she plans to pursue a holistic and functional approach to medicine as she continues her education beyond her undergraduate studies. In her free time, Jubilee enjoys running and training for races, hiking, camping, and cooking.

Nancy Aguilar

Nancy Aguilar is a writer, artist, advocate, and a second-year Youth Board member from Fresno, CA with over five years of youth advocacy work experience. She is also a youth member for the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), where she is a part of many Fresno-based and statewide programs. Nancy has worked on multiple public service announcements and campaigns that highlight prevention efforts for underage drinking, smoking, substance use, and gambling. Being a part of the HOPE youth coalition, a statewide YLI program, she participated in advocacy efforts to address the harmful presence of alcohol and substance advertisements on social media. Her art can be seen published in multiple zine and publication art covers for YLI. Nancy also had the opportunity to participate at the Mental Health Matters Day press conference at the California State Capital, where she presented the impacts of social media on youth’s mental health and provided recommendations to address these issues alongside State Assembly member Buffy Wicks, and California’s First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsome. Nancy hopes to continue pursuing her passion for both art and advocating for youth’s mental health.

Rehma Shahid

Rehma is in her first year as a Youth Board member for the California School-Based Health Alliance. She is about to start her first year at Diablo Valley College as a biology major with the intention to transfer. After obtaining her associate degree, she plans to transfer to UC for further education and pursue a career in medicine. Rehma, as a Youth Board member, aims to utilize her leadership skills to advocate as a youth leader in her community and work towards creating a safe and welcoming environment where teens can share their experiences. Over the years, Rehma discovered her passion for public health through her work and internships with various organizations. At school, she worked with Discovering the Realities of Our Community, an organization focused on transforming the community and promoting environmental prevention of alcohol and drug abuse. Rehma engaged with her state representatives on these matters, managed inventories, implemented improvement strategies, facilitated meetings, learned about local policies, generated monthly reports, and built meaningful relationships. She was involved with the CourAGE (Advocacy Generation Education) program for four years, where she educated the public about the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances by organizing workshops and participating in a countywide conference with youth-led workshops on substance misuse. She also developed advocacy projects and implemented improvement plans while building relationships to motivate others to make healthier choices. Rehma felt empowered to hear youth voices and found it meaningful to hear younger youths wanting to amplify their voice and be a positive influence on their peers.

Saivishnu Tulugu

Saivishnu is a fourth-year member of the Youth Board. He is in his fourth year at the University of California, Irvine, intending to major in Public Health and minor in Chicano/Latino studies. He is passionate about health and social justice and the importance of addressing structural barriers to health in underserved communities. In high school, he co-founded Break the Outbreak Inc to address the PPE shortage in his community and provide essential protection equipment to small businesses and vulnerable individuals. At UC Irvine, Saivishnu is involved with organizations such as The Free Clinic Project and Fresh Basic Needs Hub, to put his passion for community service and health justice into tangible change within his community. He is also involved with clinical research at the Akbari Lab studying neurological recovery in post-cardiac arrest rat models to better understand the implications of global ischemia. After graduating, Saivishnu hopes to attend medical school and pursue a career in interventional cardiology, to bridge his interests in patient care, public health, and research.

Taaliyah Tucker

Taaliyah is a dedicated advocate for mental and social health justice, currently serving in her second year as a Youth Board member. She is also a third-year student at Los Angeles Technical Trade College (LATTC), majoring in Health & Related Sciences, and she is proud of how far she has come in her journey. Her passion for advocacy was ignited in high school, where she transitioned from a focus on Culinary Arts to championing social justice and mental health issues. Taaliyah’s leadership skills were further developed through her involvement with the Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health – Student Advisory Board, where she played a key role in initiatives aimed at improving Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools and communities. In her current capacity, Taaliyah has been deeply involved in significant legislative efforts, including her work on the SB-954 Youth Health and Safety Act and conducting an interview with Senator Menjivar. She is also a committed supporter of the School-Based Health and Education Partnership Program, passionately advocating for health engagement among teens and young adults. As she continues her advocacy work, Taaliyah is focused on expanding her impact at the state level, ensuring that her voice and the voices of others are heard by a broader range of lawmakers. Her unwavering commitment to advancing social and mental health justice underscores her role as a powerful advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Yetzi Garcia-Martinez

Yetzi Garcia-Martinez is a second-year Youth Board member and a first-generation college student. She is currently a third-year student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she intends to double-major in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. On her campus, she serves as the Public Affairs Chair of the Neuroscience Research Club. Yetzi has also been active in her community, serving as a Peer Health Promoter for Novato Teen Clinic and teaching local youth about mental health and wellbeing. Additionally, she has interned with the Center for Domestic Peace as a part of their Marin Against Youth Abuse program, and as a college intern, she advocated for domestic violence awareness in young adults. From 2020 to 2021, Yetzi was also a part of UCSF’s Youth Advisory Board, where she collaborated on a project that increased reproductive healthcare knowledge. With her experience, Yetzi has seen the influence that youth voices can have in healthcare settings and is inspired to create impactful change on youth accessibility to quality healthcare. 

Youth Board members toured the Emeryville Health Center during their 2023 Retreat with staff to better understand how their center serves students! For some of our Youth Board members, this was the first time touring a site in Northern California!

Our Youth Board draws inspiration and knowledge from their lived experiences to create and take part in various projects that promote health literacy, education, and resources for youth across California. These projects are part of their goals of cultivating more youth leadership, engagement, and empowerment.

Presenting a Sexual Health Educational Webinar

Christian Lizaso and Nydia Hernandez planned a youth-only webinar on sexually transmitted infections and one of them moderated the presentation that was attended by youth from across the country.

Curating Tobacco Use Prevention Education Resources

Daniel Correa Bucio researched youth-friendly tobacco and vaping prevention and cessation resources to create a linktree, where youth, parents, and educators can find more information and get help. He also highlighted some of these resources with an infographic posted on our Instagram page.

Sharing the Concept of Consent on Social Media

Dakota Bodell led a social media campaign on consent to define this important concept for young people and lead them to resources and Title X clinics where they can find additional information and care.

Explaining the Menstrual Cycle

Gabriella Herrera created a printable pamphlet that provides quick facts on menstrual periods and can be shared at school-based health centers and in classrooms across California.

Raising Awareness with TAY Radio Marin

Daniel Correa Bucio was interviewed by two youth radio hosts and shared information about school-based health centers, mental health resources, and his personal experiences as a Youth Board member.

Testifying in Support of SBHCs in Sacramento

Stephanie Ocampo joined CSHA Policy Director Lisa Eisenberg to testify in support of AB 1940, our bill to update and improve California’s School-Based Health Center Support program.

Spotlighting Student Mental Health Challenges for Educators

Irma Rosa Viera – CSHA’s Youth Engagement Association and a former Youth Board member – presented on COVID-19’s effects on students’ mental health and academics at the 2022 Southern Regional Student Wellness Conference for educators. She used her Youth Board project as the base of her presentation to teach adult allies how they can help youth.