Meet Our Team
We're an passionate group of change makers from Indonesia, Nigeria and the USA with a range of experiences in cross-cultural exchange, youth education, operations, and climate action advocacy.
YES-P CORE TEAM
New York, USA
Amy Sit
Amy Sit is a 2023 Stevens Initiative Alumni Fellow and an alumnus of the Soliya Global Circles program in 2021. She has held a range of roles in her career, from organizational change management consulting and market research to design, dialogue facilitation, and education. She seeks to design experiences that help people around the world become more connected, compassionate, and curious. She has a B.A. in International Development Studies, an MBA, and certifications in UX/UI Design and Dialogue Facilitation. As a Stevens Initiative Alumni Fellow, she collaborated with a team of fellows to establish a virtual exchange program that promoted multimedia skills training and cross-cultural dialogue between young individuals in Yemen, Iraq and the US. She currently continues to facilitate dialogues between students in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Asia and the US with the organizations Soliya and Seeds of Peace. Currently, she provides design, strategy, and conflict resolution guidance for a range of mission-driven startups, nonprofits, and public organizations.
Makassar, Indonesia
Samintang
Samintang recently graduated with a degree in economics and business from Hasanuddin University. She participated in the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Global Student Leaders on Climate Change and the Environment in 2023. Samintang is a writer, storyteller, youth advocate, community activist, and organizer. She serves as the President/Executive Director of Climate Catalysts, a youth-led non-governmental organization headquartered in Makassar, dedicated to empowering young people through impactful climate empowerment programs. At the SDGs Center for Eastern Indonesia, Samintang has led over 100 social action projects, benefiting more than 100,000 individuals. She has also led a team of 200 young change-makers, earning her recognition with the Gender Equality for SDGs Award in 2022. As a SUSI Mini Grantee, she collaborated with alumni fellows to establish climate advocacy and cross-cultural dialogue between youth in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, and the United States. Samintang's achievements include receiving grants and scholarships such as the Project Green Challenge in California, where she engaged with numerous participants to advocate for climate action and public health. She also presented on industrialization paradigms and edible bioplastic innovation directly to President Joko Widodo during the Indonesia Development Forum 2022. Currently, Samintang works as the East Asia and the Pacific Local Engagement Coordinator for the TechGirls Programme.
Manado, Indonesia
Dwiki Hermawan Halla
Dwiki Halla is an alumnus of the Summer 2021 Virtual Program SUSI for Student Leaders on Education and the Future of Work, having completed his capstone Program at the University of Washington in Fall 2022. Currently serving as an Operational Enablement Specialist for a leading global KPI research institute based in Australia, specializing in business performance, Dwiki brings a diverse background to his role. Previously excelling as a facilitator for Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia’s scholarship awardees, he showcases a dedicated commitment to education and empowering youth. In his role as Project Management Officer for the Oxygen for Indonesia campaign, Dwiki played a pivotal role in installing oxygen generators across 10 hospitals during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Leveraging a grant from the US Department of State through Meridian International Center, he spearheaded the transformative climate initiatives “CSSI Climate Camp” for undergraduate students in Manado, reflecting his passion for environmental sustainability. He has a B.Eng in Civil Engineering and a Project Management Professional Certification from Google. Beyond professional endeavors, Dwiki remains deeply committed to empowering youth through volunteerism, embodying the philosophy of living beyond oneself.
Gombe, Nigeria
Maikudi Danburam
Maikudi is a medical student at Gombe State University, Gombe State, Nigeria. He is a proud U.S Government Exchange Alumnus (Study of the U.S. Institutes for Global Student Leaders on Climate Change and the Environment 2023), a certified SDGs Advocate, a Healthcare Access Ambassador, as well as a Climate and Sustainability Activist. He is currently the Cofounder and Director of Strategic Development at Waila Initiative for Sustainable and Inclusive Development (WISAID), a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youths and communities to thrive. He couples as the Program Officer at the West African wing of Oli Health Magazine Organization. He has also served several leadership roles with many organisations and associations, leading the implementation of over ten (10) projects in Education, Healthcare, Climate change, and Environmental Sustainability sectors in marginalized and vulnerable communities in Nigeria. He has earned numerous certificates of achievements in Leadership, Development, Management, Advocacy, Digital Skills, and Research Writing from renowned institutes and directorates online. His achievements includes grants and scholarships such as The Pollination Project Seed Grant, SUSI Alumni Mini Grant, and Wells Mountain Initiative Scholarship. He ultimately aspires to combine medicine and his passion for addressing global challenges to pursue a career in public health and impact humanity.
Georgia, USA
Erin Shen
Erin attends Statesboro High School in Georgia. She is a National Security Language Initiative for Youth alumni and had the honor to study language and culture at National Hsinhua University for 6 weeks. She has extensive experience in youth engagement through connecting middle and high schoolers locally and globally. When working for the startup Junilearning and AceIt, she had the pleasure of creating free resources for high school students, host live learning sessions, and assisting with the 6 week digital SAT dash campaign where she helped with Discord engagement and cram sessions. She also is an advocate for global issues such as climate change, increase literacy for youth, equality in education, and mental health through her initiative “Mind Matter” and partnership with the Teal House. She also has experience with social media where she helps create promotional videos for the research program “Talaria Summer Institute” and helps oversee the social media managers for her literary club, listen.
Makassar, Indonesia
Fadhil Adiyat
Fadhil Adiyat graduated from Hasanuddin University in 2022. He is a driven and dedicated person with a passion for continuous learning and growth with current issues. He was an awardee of two prominent exchange programs: the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program at Missouri State University, administered by the U.S. Department of State; and the Indonesia Korea Youth Exchange Program, administered by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia. He has been active in various local and international communities, explicitly addressing grassroots issues like environmental, human rights, and indigenous issues. He is a writer and translator for Makassar Biennale 2021, an international biennale arts event with “Maritime” as its perpetual theme, where he arranges programs for developing discourses through exhibitions, seminars, discussions/dialogues, and also publications, both educational spheres in the broadest meaning for the youth. Throughout his academic career, he received several awards and actively contributed to youth empowerment. As a result, in September 2022, he was selected as the most outstanding youth and honored by the Governor of South Sulawesi. Currently, he is working as an Education Advisor for EducationUSA Indonesia, helping Indonesian students pursuing higher education in the U.S.
YES-P VOLUNTEERS
Virtual Facilitator
Sharon Chiahamen
Nigeria
Sharon Chiahemen is a dynamic force in the social impact and climate action space, boasting over 6 years of experience in initiating and executing climate projects. She is the team lead for GreenWithGrin, one of Nigeria's most vibrant youth led climte orgs, working to bridge the climate education gap in Nigeria. She has led many virtual and physical projects, served as a mentor on climate fellowship programs facilitated and spoken on local and international programs. Sharon has worked with notable organizations like the Embassy of Sweden, US Embassy, Embassy of Brazil, etc
Virtual Facilitator
Ilham
Indonesia
Ilham is a public health student, focusing on social, environmental, and health issues. He has participated in the Climate Catalyst program and university programs in climate crisis research and development. He received the national Outstanding Student Award, specifically for public health students in Indonesia. Ilham is also a Co-Founder of Teman Baik Ta, a Social and Non-Profit Platform.
Community Facilitator
Lawal Kareemah Olaitan
Nigeria
Karimah Lawal, from Abuja, is the founder of SKillsard, an EdTech startup that is bridging the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern education through vocational trainings. She is a passionate thoughtful leader and impactful enthusiast working as a skilled creative writer with 5 years of experience in brand management and content marketing. She is currently a United People Global Sustainability leader promoting SDG Four. Karimah's Uniqueness is packed with the spirit of resilience, empowering, motivating, and influencing young people on the need for personal development, education, and growth.
Community Facilitator
Trifosa Viana Christi
Indonesia
Trifosa Viana Christi is a student, majoring in communication and media. She has a passion for public speaking and a keen interest in social issues, one of them being climate change issue. Here, she would love to contribute to societal change with the skills she possesses.
Tech Support
Jon Levesque
South Korea
Jon Levesque is a college-aged student who is currently not at college! After one year at the University of Maine for engineering, he took a break from school during the peak of COVID and worked various jobs within his town. He currently wishes to return to schooling at the University of Connecticut to become a teacher and hopefully pursue a full time position after graduation. In his free time he spends his time learning languages, watching motorsports. and walking around the metropolitans of Korea. When not spending time with family or friends, he can be seen perpetually engaging in repetitive behavior such as eating, walking and sleeping. Occasionally, he can be heard talking mainly to Dwiki, who for some reason knows everything about Jon, even things he does not know himself.
Tech Support
Iqbal Malik Alfaruq
Indonesia
Iqbal Malik Alfaruq is a villager who has big dreams. When he was a teenager, he studied in Junior High School Palembang city. Afterwards, he graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science from Sriwijaya University. During college, he was active in many communities, both on and off campus. He also freelances as a Graphic Designer and Photographer while working full-time as a Data Analyst. As an ambitious person, he still continues to learn and improve his skills even after graduating. One of his dreams is to increase his village's livelihood with its natural resources and increasing human resources.
Learning & Curriculum Support
Brenda Febrina Zusriadi
Indonesia
Brenda Febrina Zusriadi is a dedicated biology graduate with a passion for plant research. A life-long learner, she expanded her knowledge through books, journals, and volunteer activities, which also helped her build a strong network. Brenda enjoys collaborating and is currently focused on raising awareness about Indonesia's endemic plants through engaging social media content. Additionally, she nurtures young minds as a part-time early childhood educator, inspiring a love for nature and science.
Graphic Designer
Mareeno Anang
Indonesia
Mareeno Anang is a fourth-semester student majoring in Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, with a special interest in environmental issues, particularly plastic waste. As a content creator, Mareeno actively produces videos on Instagram focused on raising environmental awareness. Through his videos, he hopes to increase public consciousness about the importance of environmental conservation. Additionally, Mareeno is involved in an organization that addresses river issues in his city. Mareeno's dedication to environmental advocacy extends beyond local involvement; he has been invited by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia to discuss conservation issues. With this diverse background and experience, Mareeno strives to remain actively involved in environmental actions and hopes to continue inspiring others through his work and participation.
Graphic Designer
Zidane Luigi Ramadhan
Indonesia
Luigi is currently studying Visual Communication Design. at Telkom University in Bandung, where he is pursuing his interest for Graphic Design. His areas of competence are packaging, branding, and logo design. He approaches each assignment with originality and meticulous attention to detail. Prior to starting any new project, Luigi usually likes to do extensive study and he's always excited to learn about and experiment with new concepts. In addition to design, he enjoys doing research before beginning a project. His ability to adapt and build strong interpersonal skills enable him to do well in team tasks and thrive in collaborative environments.
Graphic Designer
Fitria Nurul Azizah Yusuf
Indonesia
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Graphic Designer
Fadzlika Khaira Azzahra
Indonesia
Fadzlika Khaira Azzahra is an undergraduate student and majoring in communication science. She address herself as Fadzlika, but most of her friends struggle when pronouncing her name, so she decided to use her last name Zara as her nickname.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Nurul Habaib Al Mukarramah
Indonesia
Committed to write, speak and act for climate, Lulu has been an avid climate and environmental issues advocate through legal research and policymaking processes since her second year of lawschool study. Her role ranging from mentoring, being an ambassador, organizing climate education and trainings, contributing and participating in international, national and domestic fora from grassroots level to high-level political forums including the UNFCCC CoP28. While serving as a consultant with specialised intersection on environment & climate, she channels her activism as the member of IUCN World Commission of Environmental Law, Member of Loss and Damage Working Group at YOUNGO (UNFCCC Youth Constituency), and The World Bank Group GYCN Y2Y Climate Ambassador 2023.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Andi Junila Aulia
Indonesia
Jun is an environmentalist with nearly 5 years of experience working with numerous International-based NGO that entailed analyzing and resolving complex socio-environmental issues. Her passion then lead her to be a representative for Indonesia on several International program such as The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Cohort Enviromental issues at East West Center Hawai'i USA 2020 and Australia Awards SC Sustainable Tourism Management at Griffith University 2023. Currently, she builds her initiative on regenerative tourism practices named Re-tour, located in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Virtual Facilitator
Claudius Mbuya
Kenya
Claudius Mbuya is the founder and Executive Director of Cloudton Hamp Ventures Sustainability Group. He is a visionary founder and emerging leader in the climate field, community Development combining passion with innovation. Armed with a background in environmental sciences and Climate leadership, he's a passionate environmental advocate and youth leader dedicated to catalyzing positive change. With a background in Negotiations and mediation, environmental science and activism, Claudius has spearheaded various initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and empowering youth to take action on climate issues. His innovative approach combines his expertise in environmental research with his commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable future for all. Through mentorship, advocacy, networking and community engagement, he strives to inspire others to join him in building a greener, more resilient world for generations to come.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Xiaoming Yang
USA
Xiaoming Yang is an assistant professor in Civil Engineering at Georgia Southern University. His current research spans roadway design, transportation, and geotechnical engineering. He likes soccer, running, and playing chess. Dr. Yang also enjoys working with young people and learning cool things from them.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Joy Tomo
Nigeria
Joy is a motivated individual passionate about being an agent for positive change. She has a Masters Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. She has engaged in different community projects and is looking to start up her Non-Governmental Organization. She is an advocate for the United Nations Sustainable development Goals which has borne her interest in climate action. Joy is a goood team player and is always eager to learn new things,
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Eka Meynia Helendri
Indonesia
Since 2015, Eka has focused on sustainability through social media campaigns and personal development classes. She educates Instagram and TikTok users to protect the environment through creative pictures and videos on her personal account. She is also the founder of Meynia Academy, which aims to educate people to protect the environment through free virtual English and public speaking classes. In 2019, she was selected as a delegate of Indonesia for the YSEALI Academic Fellowship in the USA. In 2020, she was awarded as the Environmental Ambassador for the South Sumatra region, and in 2023, she was recognized as a Women Influencer by Narasi for Indonesia Butuh Anak Muda.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Muh Rifai Sahida
Indonesia
Muh Rifai Sahida (Fai) is a dedicated social worker with a passion for environmental and social justice issues. Since 2014, he has actively contributed to environmental and gender equality movements. He has initiated two projects and served as a founder: Tangan Edukasi Indonesia (2014), an organization that addresses waste management through campaigns and programs; and GARIS HITAM INDONESIA (2019), an NGO that empowers women prisoners and ex-prisoners by providing them with learning, mentoring, and training opportunities to help them reach their full potential.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Rianne ten Veen
Netherlands
Ms. Rianne C. ten Veen LLM MA MSc PGDip PGCert is a multilingual independent disaster governance, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue facilitator, consultant and trainer. Brought up part-internationally, after a first degree in Leiden (NL), and a commercial & policy start in Belgium, she then spent a decade at a disaster management INGO, and a decade at a consultancy (some of which part-time). She has been a PhD researcher on globalisation and surveillance (withdrawn due to Brexit impact). She focuses on intercultural/ disaster-related/ environment/ teaching/ development projects (the more interdisciplinary, the better!). She has been and is a trustee and board member. In 2019 e.g. a candidate for the Provincial & Water body elections; from early '22 until the '23 elections member of the Provincial Parliament. She was a member of the management team of Islamic Foundation for Ecology & Environment Sciences (IFEES), and co-founded 'Faith and Climate Change' (a Birmingham Friends of the Earth project) plus initiated Environment focus in the Board of the Birmingham Council of Faiths.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Tamsir Sallah
Nigeria
Tamsir has over sever years experience on climate Change Advocacy and activism. He is: a member of YOUNGO Of the UNFCCC and CYMG Of UNEP; the exchange coordinator of IAAS Netherlands, a volunteer under the volunteer international Action, the Dutch branch of the service civil international; a student in Wageningen University & Research, the best university in the Netherlands, the best university in the world in Agriculture and Forestry; a core organiser of the first ever Regional conference of Youth in Europe (RCOY Europe); an ex-core team lead of the first ever local conference of youth in climate change LCOY Gambia 2022; a certified fellow under the Climate Education leadership fellowship program under the Eco champions Africa; and a certified fellow under the UN system staff College in collaboration with UN climate change, under the Paris agreement as an essential element in achieving the UN SDGs.
Project Facilitator
Juliet Bedard
USA
Juliet Bedard was born in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, with her parents dedicating a decade of their lives to work in the region following the accident. Growing up with an acute awareness of the devastating impacts of human activities on the environment, Juliet developed a strong advocacy for environmental education and the integration of technologies through cultural diplomacy. The war in her home country of Ukraine has further highlighted the dual devastation of conflict, resulting in the tragic loss of life and extensive environmental damage. Now residing in Miami, Juliet continues her environmental advocacy in a region frequently battered by hurricanes and tropical storms, where climate resilience is a critical focus. Juliet recognizes the growing climate tech industry as a vital economic opportunity, attracting businesses and talent dedicated to developing innovative solutions to climate challenges. In addition to her environmental advocacy, Juliet is the author and leader of the Elevate Tech Mentorship Program at Miami Dade College. Through this program, she supports minority students in securing tech jobs, which is also the focus of her doctoral research.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Sadiya Yunusa Bello
Nigeria
Sadiya Yunusa Bello is a graduate of English language from Gombe State University. she's an alumna of the Study of the United States institute 2022, and a leap Africa Alumna. She's an advocate for the girl child and has engaged in numerous project such as the let's talk mental health, sexual harassment and your mental health. In addition to her commitment to mental health, Sadiya also has a strong passion for climate activities and sensitization in which she has participated in several community action project on climate such as team Green Gombe and the clima-teach action projects.
Project Facilitator / Mentor
Giancarlo da Motta
USA
Giancarlo da Motta is an incoming student at The Honors College at Miami Dade College who will be majoring in Public Administration, with a focus in Climate Advocacy. As an intern with local nonprofit chapter Food Rescue US South Florida, he is preparing a strategic plan for youth engagement in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system via the implementation of the Share Table Program (a food waste management system that works to reduce food waste in school cafeterias and transform students' relationships with food). Giancarlo is also working with Miami Dade College’s Earth Ethics Institute as he prepares to begin his studies in it’s Global Sustainability and Earth Literacy Scholar program, where he will complete a Civic Impact Project to address climate-related challenges in the Miami-Dade area via civic advocacy and engagement.