Maryland Youth Advisory Council
Background
The Maryland Youth Advisory Council was established through the State legislature (Chapter 559, Acts of 2008, Chapter 69, Acts of 2009, and Chapter 620, Acts of 2016) in order to ensure that Maryland youth are given the opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations regarding public policies and programs that affect their future and to take a leadership role in creating meaningful change.
Council members are appointed by the:
- Governor of Maryland;
- President of the Maryland Senate;
- Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates;
- Governor’s Office for Children appoints council members nominated by the:
– Maryland Association of Student Councils,
– University System of Maryland Student Council,
– Maryland Higher Education Commission Student Advisory Council, and
– Association of Local Management Boards.
Mission
As a coalition of diverse young advocates and leaders from across the State, the Maryland Youth Advisory Council addresses relevant issues by influencing legislation, spreading public awareness and serving as a liaison between youth and policymakers.
Vision
The Maryland Youth Advisory Council strives to be an effective voice that:
- Incites change for the betterment of Maryland youth,
- Ensures equal opportunity for all youth regardless of background or circumstance,
- Initiates political conversations with youth,
- Educates youth on political issues, and
- Is respected by legislators and other stakeholders on youth issues.
Current Officers
Officers will be selected during the September meeting of the Council
2023-2024 Council Members
| Council Member | Year on the Council | County | School | Appointing/ Nominating Body |
| Mahad Bhinder | Second | Frederick | Urbana High School | Speaker of the House of Delegates |
| Shradha Bista | First | Washington | North Hagerstown High School | Maryland Association of Student Councils |
| Brooke Burton | First | Prince George’s | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | President of the Senate |
| Nicholas Carter | Second | Baltimore County | Franklin High School | Speaker of the House of Delegates |
| Alessia Cuba | First | Frederick | Urbana High School | Maryland Association of Student Councils |
| Sade Davis | Second | Prince George’s | Prince George’s Community College | Maryland Higher Education Commission Student Advisory Council |
| Chimee Ejiogu | Second | Howard | Glenelg Country School | Governor |
| Folashade Epebinu | First | Montgomery | Seneca Valley High School | Association of Local Management Boards |
| Thomas Evans | First | Frederick | Mount Saint Joseph High School | Governor |
| Diana Flores | First | Carroll | Carroll Community College | Association of Local Management Boards |
| Stephen Hook | Second | Baltimore County | Washington College | Maryland Higher Education Commission Student Advisory Council |
| Alexander Hossainkhail | First | Anne Arundel | President of the Senate | |
| Nancy Lin | Second | St. Mary’s | Great Mills High School | President of the Senate |
| Grace Minakowski | Second | Calvert | Huntingtown High School | Maryland Association of Student Councils |
| Leslie Monter Casio | First | Caroline | North Caroline High School | Association of Local Management Boards |
| Nehal Naqvi | First | Howard | University of Maryland Baltimore County | Governor |
| Zaria Naqvi | First | Montgomery | Winston Churchill High School | Association of Local Management Boards |
| William O’Donnell | Second | Talbot | Easton High School | Governor |
| Rishi Sheth | First | St. Mary’s | Great Mills High School | President of the Senate |
| Eric Valentine, Jr. | Second | Charles | University of Maryland College Park | Speaker of the House of Delegates |
| Eman Zia | Second | Anne Arundel | South River High School | Maryland Association of Student Councils |
2023-2024 Meeting Schedule
- For the 2023-2024 year, meetings will be held in-person with a virtual option available. Meetings will be held at the Governor’s Coordinating Offices, located at 100 Community Place Crownsville, MD 21032.
- All meetings are open to the public, if you would like to attend a meeting virtually or in-person, please notify Christina Drushel Williams at christina.drushel@maryland.gov, no later than the Wednesday prior to the meeting.
| Meeting Date | Meeting Time | Meeting Agenda / Minutes |
| September 16, 2023 | 12:00 – 4:00 pm | Agenda, Minutes |
| October 14, 2023 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Agenda, Minutes |
| November 4, 2023 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Agenda, Minutes |
| December 16, 2023 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Agenda, Minutes |
| January 20, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Agenda, Minutes |
| February 17, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Agenda |
| March 9, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | |
| April 20, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm | |
| May 18, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm |
For Fiscal Year 2024, the Council was allocated funding from the Maryland Children’s Cabinet to provide grants to youth-led organizations and projects across the state. This grant project will allow young people in Maryland to better their communities and support youth initiatives. The grant is open to youth-led, adult-supported projects which aligns with one of the Council’s priorities.
Visit the Grant Project page to learn more about the application and information sessions.
Applications for the 2024-2025 year will be open on March 1, 2024. Visit the Application Page to learn more.
Connect with Us
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn |Linktr.ee
Advisor | Christina Drushel Williams | christina.drushel@maryland.gov | 410.697.9242.