Randy (he/him) brings over a decade of experience in programming, youth development, and nonprofit leadership, having worked with a host of organizations dedicated to empowering young people, including the YWCA of the City of New York, Oliver Scholars, and Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility. He has held roles ranging from teacher and dean to multi-site director, overseeing academic advising for over 600 high school scholars and managing mentoring, study abroad, and counseling programs. A certified facilitator for the American Lung Association, Randy has led workshops to help individuals quit smoking and honed his leadership skills through the CRE High Performing Managers Initiative. As a consultant, he has supported organizations in program development, curriculum design, and leadership training. A POSSE Scholar and lifelong learner, Randy holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College, MA, and a Master of Science in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology from SUNY Albany. In his free time, he enjoys traveling—having visited all 50 U.S. states—staying engaged in politics, and spending time with his family and dog, Pac.

Micky De Simone is a strategist, storyteller, and community organizer working at the intersection of politics, media, and youth civic power. He’s led winning city, state, and federal campaigns, produced award-winning podcasts, and helped raise millions to expand civic access and leadership opportunities for underrepresented communities. Currently Chief of Staff at YVote, Micky has built and managed high-performing teams across nonprofit, media, and political spaces. He was previously a co-founder and Chief of Staff of The Branch, where he also produced its flagship show, Lost Debate, winner of back-to-back Webby Awards. A former model turned movement-builder, Micky brings heart, hustle, and vision, shaped by his immigrant story and a belief that those closest to the struggle must be closest to the power.

I became involved with YVote last fall, and have loved it ever since! I’m very passionate about environmental justice, and love to support sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices within our communities and government. My favorite YVote memory is our first Saturday of Action from the fall, when I got to meet my home group and participate and a fascinating activity from the People’s Money. As for the summer, I’m really excited to get to know everybody on the YVote team better and also improve my own civic literacy.

Chris-Ann Barnett (she/her) graduated cum laude from New York University with a B.A. in Politics and Sociology and is a founding member of YVote. She is passionate about the intersections of identity, advocacy, and political engagement and approaches political engagement from a people-first ideology. During her undergraduate career she completed research on the social interactions of Black students attending predominantly white institutions which became her thesis “Racial Socialization and Spatial Awareness in Black Students”. Her research and passions have informed how she approaches activism and organizing as she emphasizes the need for minority voices and representation across all industries.

I became involved in the summer of 2023 because I was interested in politics and civic engagement and wanted to meet other like-minded young people. I’m passionate about immigration Justice, educational equality, environmental justice. My favorite YVote memory is our day of action in the ChangeMakers 2023 summer session where a representative from the NYIC spoke with us about immigration justice and rights. I’m excited to mentor and learn from others about issues related to civic engagement and politics. I’m also excited to meet new people and enhance my public speaking skills.

I got involved with YVote in the summer of 2022 because I wanted to get to know other civically involved students. I’m super passionate about election reform, reproductive justice, and environmental issues. My favorite YVote tradition is our yearly holiday party, when we get to interact with YVote alumni. I’m excited to get to know the new participants this summer :).

Hello, my name is Francisca and I joined YVote in the summer 2023. Since I joined I have learned a lot of things about civil engineering and how to become a successful advocate. Also, my public speaking has gotten better and I am also proud of myself because public speaking is something that I used to suffer from but now I’m getting better and better all thanks to YVote. I’m so excited to be a facilitator because that will help me get better at public speaking.

I got involved with YVote in the summer of 2023 through Democracy Camp, and then have been engaged throughout this school year with Changemakers and the NYC Youth Agenda. I joined YVote because as a young person, I wanted a platform to be civically and politically engaged, and I wanted to learn how to create tangible change within my community. I am especially passionate about educational equity and mental health, issues I’ve been able to explore through my participation this past year. My favorite YVote memory was definitely the Holiday Party last winter! I’m super excited to connect with new and familiar YVoters alike this summer :).