Advocates for Youth staff are working hard on Amplify to make sure your voice is heard!

If you have any questions or concerns about Amplify, want to share website feedback, or have other technical questions, email Nikki Serapio, Manager of New Media Strategies: nikki@advocatesforyouth.org

For press inquiries, contact Will Neville, Director of Strategic Communications: will@advocatesforyouth.org

Advocates for Youth's president is James Wagoner. Contact James at james@advocatesforyouth.org


Meet the staff who work with the Youth Activist Network!

Sarah Audelo
Senior Manager, Domestic Policy

Sarah is Advocates' Senior Manager of Domestic Policy. She works with youth across the country to fight for accurate sexual health information and services so that they can prevent unintended pregnancy and/or STIs, including HIV. Before joining Advocates, Sarah was a high school special education teacher in La Joya, Texas as part of the Teach for America program. She was also the sponsor of the G-Force, a college preparation club, and advisor to the National Honor Society on her campus. While Sarah attended Georgetown University, she was a member of Advocates' International Youth Leadership Council, working on international reproductive health and HIV and AIDS issues. Sarah is originally from Bakersfield, California and can't wait to help represent the youth of the San Joaquin and Rio Grande Valleys in the fight for effect sex education. Contact Sarah at sarah@advocatesforyouth.org or read Sarah's blog.

Emily Bridges
Director of Public Information Services

Emily has been Advocates' Director of Public Information Services since 2006. She edits materials for publication, writes fact sheets and other educational materials, and contributes to Advocates’ websites. She also manages Advocates’ library, a comprehensive collection of the best and most current information about adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and assists staff, Advocates’ partners, and the public with research. Emily has a Master’s in Library Science from the University of Maryland. Contact Emily at emily@advocatesforyouth.org or read Emily's blog.

Durryle Brooks
Program Manager, GLBTQ Initiatives

Durryle Brooks is the Program Manager for GLBTQ Initiatives. Over the last seven years, Durryle has studied the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and religion—closely examining the impact of those interconnections on the development of GLBTQ people. At Advocates, Durryle oversees the Anti-Homophobia and Transphobia Project, which provides capacity building assistance to community based organizations seeking to better serve the needs of GLBTQ youth of color. In addition, he oversees YouthResource, a site designed by and for gay, lesbian bisexual, transgender, and questioning young people. The site provides accurate and science-based sexual and reproductive health information for GLBTQ youth in addition to exploring other issues relevant to GLBTQ youth. Durryle received his bachelors of arts degree in religious studies from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and his masters of arts degree in sexuality studies from San Francisco State University. He attributes his inclusive, anti-oppression, religious and sexuality politics to the social justice framework taught by great professors at both institutions and mentors. Contact Durryle at durryle@advocatesforyouth.org or read Durryle's blog.

Mimi Melles
Program Manager, International Youth Activist Network

Mimi oversees the International Youth Activist Network (iYAN)--a new project of the International Division that builds the capacity of youth-driven organizations in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean to empower young people as powerful advocates within their own countries and at international forums on reproductive and sexual health and rights of youth, especially young women. Previously, Mimi managed Advocates’ Youth Activist Network (YAN), working with youth to fight for accurate sexual health information and services so that they can prevent unintended pregnancy and/or STIs (sexually transmitted infections), including HIV. Mimi was a member of the International Youth Leadership Council, during her undergraduate career, and was hired to work at Advocates for Youth soon after graduation from the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact Mimi: mimi@advocatesforyouth.org or read Mimi's blog.

Will Neville
Director of Strategic Communications

Since 2005 Will has worked closely with program, policy, and communications staff to develop and implement a wide variety of advocacy campaigns and marketing strategies in various media, including print, online, and video. He received a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Davidson College before spending a year in the United Kingdom and Europe on a postgraduate fellowship from the Thomas J. Watson Foundation, and is currently seeking a Master’s degree in Political Management from the George Washington University. Contact Will at will@advocatesforyouth.org or read Will's blog.

Samantha Pajor
Amplify Community Editor

Samantha Pajor became Amplify's Community Editor in April 2010. Each week, she compiles a Weekly Round-up of must-read blogs from fellow Amplify writers. She also works to support current writers and invite and encourage new writers. Before being promoted to Community Editor, she contributed to the site as a Frontpage Blogger, starting in March of 2009. In 2008, she received her Bachelor's degree in Theatre from Southern Illinois University. Now, as a member of Join the Impact Chicago, she is proud to be fighting for change through the grassroots and the netroots. Contact Samantha at samantha@advocatesforyouth.org or read Samantha's blog.

Meghan Rapp
Senior Manager, State Strategies

Meghan works with state advocacy coalitions to build their capacity to improve adolescent reproductive and sexual health policies. She is the former State Policy Assistant at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) and was a member of the Pro-Choice Public Education Project’s (PEP) Young Women’s Leadership Council. Meg earned her postgraduate certificate in International Law and Human Rights from the University of Leicester and her Bachelors of Science in Political Science from Old Dominion University, where she received the award of Top Politics Student in her graduating class. Contact Meghan at meghan@advocatesforyouth.org or read Meghan's blog.

Julia Reticker-Flynn
Manager, Youth Activist Network

Julia has been with Advocates since 2010. She attended Georgetown University where she majored in Culture and Politics and received a certificate in Justice and Peace Studies. There she was involved with the Georgetown Solidarity Committee where she worked on a successful Living Wage Campaign. She also was part of the group that organized for what is believed to be among the first (if not first) LGBTQ Resource Centers with full time staff at a Catholic University in the country. While in school she interned for HIPS (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive) where she continues to volunteer. Inspired by the individuals she met at HIPS, she wrote her thesis on the violence faced by transgender sex workers in DC. Contact Julia at julia@advocatesforyouth.org or read Julia's blog.

Hemly Ordόñez
Coordinator, State Strategies

Hemly Ordόñez is the State Strategies Coordinator at Advocates for Youth. She works with local and state-based organizations and youth activists across the country to advocate for cultural and policy changes that improve and value young people's sexual and reproductive health and rights. She has been actively involved in youth civic engagement and advocacy with communities of color for more than 7 years. She has dedicated her life to community activism through building successful programs and education campaigns around gender, gender violence, educational access, immigration, civic engagement and youth empowerment. She holds a bachelors degree in Science and Technology in International Affairs with a concentration in International Health from Georgetown University and was the program coordinator at the Women's Center and a co-founder of the Women Advancing Gender Equity Fellowship. Hemly is originally from Carson, California and proudly helps to represent the youth of South Los Angeles in the fight for effective sex education.

Trina Scott
Senior Program Manager, Health Disparities and Youth Empowerment

Trina is responsible for coordinating Advocates’ Young Women of Color Leadership Council, MySistahs, and a partnership with historically black colleges and universities. Trina Scott has ten years experience in adolescent sexual and reproductive health, in particular HIV/STI prevention programming. Her prior experience includes overseeing HIV prevention and peer education and outreach programs at community-based organizations in Washington, DC. Trina Scott has a bachelor of science from Howard University and is pursuing a master of public health from Morgan State University. Contact Trina at trina@advocatesforyouth.org or read Trina's blog.

Nikki Serapio
Manager of New Media Strategies

Nikki Serapio is the Manager of New Media Strategies. He oversees the youth activism platform Amplify as well as Advocates' presence on the social web. Previously, he worked for Involver, the leading social marketing technology provider. Outside of Advocates, he is the Director of Americans Against the Darfur Genocide, a Sudan advocacy organization. Nikki has a BA in Political Science from Stanford University. Contact Nikki at nikki@advocatesforyouth.org or read Nikki's blog.