Meet the 2026 AYEA Youth Organizers!
This fall, twenty-five incredible teens from across Alaska are coming together for our 2026 AYEA Youth Organizer Summit! They will gather for a week full of skill-building, leadership, storytelling, friendship, and so much more, as they learn how to build the future they want for their communities. Read more about this amazing group of young organizers below!
Peer Trainers
Alakai
Alakai is an aspiring photographer from Chugiak. He is Sri Lankan, and is a cross country runner and cross country skier. This will be his second AYEA summit as a Peer Trainer!
Lupine
Lupine is from Denali, and currently attends school at the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program in Anchorage. In the summers, he works as a Park Ranger! He loves to spend time outdoors, hiking, backpacking, berry-picking, kayaking, and skiing with his dog. He is very passionate about environmental issues, especially in Alaska, and is excited to hear about everyone’s experiences around the state!
Claire
Claire is from Tok, Alaska, and is currently attending Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka. She has been to two AYEA summits already, and has created a recycling club at her school where she shares her AYEA knowledge. She is extremely excited to keep working with AYEA and advocating for Alaska. This is her first summit as a Peer Trainer!
Maddie
Maddie is a well-seasoned AYEA member from Juneau. She has been to five other AYEA summits, and has attended two as a Peer Trainer. This will be her sixth summit, and she is excited to get to know and learn from everyone else attending!
Stav
Stav is 18 years old and has lived in Fairbanks, Alaska her whole life. She is a senior at West Valley High School and hopes to study political science after graduating. She has been passionate about environmental and political issues since middle school, and has been involved with AYEA since she was 16. This is her first summit as a Peer Trainer!
Mazelle
Mazelle is one of our amazing new Peer Trainers! Here is what she has to say: “Góos’k’i kwáan x’éináx Mazelle Joseph yóo xát duwasáakw. Atoot jewu duuwataan xas too has du naa Dak’laweidi. Deisheitaan yadíx xát sitee. My English name is Mazelle Joseph, I am to-be adopted into the Tlingit Dak’laweidi, and I am a child of the Deisheitaan. I am 16 years old and live in Áak’w Kwáan (Juneau) although my ancestral homeland is Xutsnoowú (Angoon.) I have never been to interior Alaska before, so most of all I’m excited to meet the land.”
Youth Delegates
Cam
Cam is 16 years old and the youngest out of 8 siblings. He loves to play volleyball and is one of the best players in his village. He plans to keep playing after high school. Cam is a very hard worker. When he is assigned to do something, he is dedicated to finishing it. He will be joining us from his hometown of Brevig Mission!
Hannah
Hannah is a rising sophomore from Juneau, and a student athlete who plays two sports. She loves music and plays both violin and guitar. Her favorite hobbies are reading and exploring new trails with her dogs!
Kelly
Kelly is a sophomore in high school from Brevig Mission. She loves lotus, spending time outdoors, and her subsistence lifestyle. Kelly’s favorite season is summer, because she loves swimming ,camping, hiking and being with friends.
Grace
Grace is a sophomore at West Anchorage High School. Growing up in Alaska, she was surrounded by the outdoors from an early age which sparked her appreciation for the environment. She is incredibly passionate about law, and especially loves finding the overlap between legal systems and the environmental issues she cares about. She competes on her school’s debate and mock trial teams, and also loves cross country skiing with her dad and playing tennis. She is very excited for the summit!
Brielle
Brielle is a freshman from Bethel. This will be her first AYEA summit! She enjoys arts and crafts, music, reading, and outdoor activities. Her favorite TV show is Nana by Ai Yazawa.
Sadie
Sadie is a senior at West Anchorage High School, where she is president of the environmental club. She is an active member of the Anchorage AYEA chapter, and loves getting outside and exploring, especially on road trips around Alaska!
Kaya
Kaya is a bird enthusiast who enjoys music, art, and the outdoors! They love hanging out with people and making new friends whenever they go. Their hobbies include snowboarding and crocheting, and they are from Wasilla.
Gemma
Gemma is a senior at West Anchorage High School. She has been a part of AYEA for a year, and is super excited to meet other AYEA members from around the state! She loves to be outside hiking, swimming, biking, running, backpacking, and sometimes climbing. After graduating, she hopes to study marine and molecular biology in college.
Adriana
Adriana is a sophomore from Dillingham, where she is a straight-A student! She cares deeply about her history and culture, and wants to be a great leader someday. Outside of school, she has fallen in love with basketball and hopes to play professionally!
Holly
Holly is a sophomore, and this will be her first AYEA summit! She spent the first eight years of her life in Denali Park, before moving to Talkeetna. Each year, she spends much of the summer at Denali. She attends Su Valley High School, where she plays volleyball and runs track.
Cameron
Cameron is a freshman from Bethel. At school, he enjoys science, and won first place at the state science fair! He also loves listening to music and hanging out with his friends. This will be Cameron’s first AYEA summit!
Judy
Judy is a sophomore from Talkeetna. Outside of school, she is a nature photographer who loves bumblebees. She uses her skill as an artist to help with events and fundraisers for local nonprofits. Judy is super excited to visit Fairbanks for this year’s summit!
Sue
Sue is a senior from Fairbanks. She enjoys many hobbies, including handcrafts like crocheting, sewing, and beading, and sports, including soccer, volleyball, Native dance, and basketball. She also loves volunteering in her community, and is always open to new things. Sue loves to talk with new people and make friends.
Emily
Emily is 15, and a lifelong Alaskan from Anchorage. She loves staying active in the community by participating in youth organizations and events, including AYEA! Emily is passionate about the wellbeing of the environment and uplifting youth voices in advocacy. Already, she has advocated for rare disease healthcare in Congress for almost a decade, and is a part of her Girl Scout troop’s BioGlitter Initiative to reduce microplastic use in Alaska. Emily is dedicated to supporting youth-led positive change in our communities!
Nuala
Nuala is a senior from Nabesna, Alaska, a small off-grid community in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. She is passionate about environmental stewardship, rural health, and science, and has participated in programs like Alaska Geographic and the Copper River Stewardship Program, as well as several research projects focused on ice safety and climate impacts in Alaska, including Fresh Eyes on Ice. She loves learning, working with others, and finding ways to make a positive difference in her community. In the future, she hopes to continue serving rural Alaska through both environmental advocacy and healthcare.
Emma
Emma Talus is a sophomore at Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, where she is the Vice President of recycling club. She loves making new connections and networking! Her passion for helping the environment is more than just a past time, she is determined to make a change.
Elijah
Elijah is joining AYEA at his first summit this year! This is what he has to say: “Hi my name is Elijah and I come from Kiŋigin (english name: Wales), Alaska. I was born in the Bering Strait Region, my Mom is from Wales and my Dad is from White Mountain, I currently live in Wales. My Papa is the late Frank Oxereok Jr. of Wales. My ancestors have been living in the area around Wales since time immemorial. I was taught to be kind and nice to both people and the land. I was taught about how the land is harsh and to respect the land so that it will stay the same and help the people that live there.”
Ida
Ida is a junior from Wales. Her dad is from Wales and her mom is from Teller. She enjoys spending time outdoors and going beach combing, as well as participating in cultural and creative activities in Wales. Her favorite event is the Kingikmiut Dance Festival (KDF). Her relatives have taught her to know the land, especially through gathering and harvesting for the winter. This will be Ida’s first AYEA summit!
Mary
Mary is a senior from Brevig Mission. This will be her first AYEA summit! Mary is excited to attend and learn new things in Fairbanks this year, especially related to the summit theme of land stewardship.