The Getting to Zero (GTZ) Program's Youth and Young Adult Advisory Board (YAYAA) is a new collaborative that provides opportunities for Santa Clara County students ages 14 to 24 to be involved in GTZ planning and to gain valuable experience and knowledge in topics related to STI and HIV prevention and education.
Meet the students
Meet the 2022-2023 YAYAA Board!
Over the course of the academic year, the members will participate in various activities including program and materials development, creating social media content for public health channels, community health promotion and outreach, career development, and networking opportunities among public health staff and peers. They will also meet virtually every other month to review materials created, coordinate with public health staff, and engage with guest speakers.
The members are united by their commitment to health promotion and working towards the GTZ Program’s mission of meeting the goals of zero HIV-related stigma, zero new HIV infections, and zero HIV-related deaths. We look forward to collaborating with this group of talented students from diverse backgrounds and identities.
Meet the recently graduated second cohort of the YAYAA Board! It is our pleasure to introduce our 2022-2023 members.
For additional information about the YAYAA Board, please email [email protected].
Hi, I am a freshman at Santa Clara University, and I joined the board because as a Public Health Science Major, I wanted to apply my learning onto our community so that we can help and educate our next generation about sexual health while raising awareness about STD/HIV prevention.
Hi! I am a senior at Bellarmine College Prep and I am very excited to serve on the YAYAA Board this year. I am very passionate about healthcare regarding the LGBTQ+ community and aspire to be a nurse practitioner with a focus on public health. In my free time, I enjoy thrifting with friends, playing my ukulele, and hiking.
Hey there! I am a senior in high school, and I’m always looking for ways to improve the well-being of my community. The YAYAA Board provides me the perfect opportunity to pursue this while meeting other students from around the county. I enjoy volunteering and watching Netflix in my free time. I’m incredibly excited to see the impact we can make together!
Hello! My name is Sam, and I am a sophomore at Piedmont Hills High School. I enjoy playing video games and hanging out with my friends. I joined the YAYAA Board because I am interested in health and want to educate others on sexual health. I am really excited to work with this amazing team!
I am a junior who is interested in healthcare and community work, and I figured the YAYAA Board was a great way to learn more about public health. I am excited to learn about and participate in community organizing this year. In my free time, I enjoy running, baking, and playing the clarinet.
Hello! I am a high school junior and I am excited to be on the board because I want to learn more about how to prevent the spread of STDs/STIs in our community. Some fun facts about me are that I like drawing and crocheting.
Hello! A little bit about me is that I am a badminton player, amateur music producer, and I have an unnatural aversion towards tomatoes. I also like reading (trying to get into Lord of The Rings) and videogames! I joined the board because I felt that topics regarding sexual health are still regarded as taboo and I wanted to try and help change that. I also joined because I was interested in getting experience in the public health field, a career path which I have some interest in.
I am a junior at Saint Francis High School and I was interested to join the YAYAA Board because I wanted to learn more about the health problems in my community with the intention to make a change in teenagers’ lives by spreading awareness in public health. I am passionate about traveling and the diversity of cultures around the world and spending good quality time with my family and friends.
Hi! I am currently a sophomore at Lynbrook High School. My interests are crocheting, reading, and spreading information about real-world issues. I joined this board to try and make a positive impact on my community.
I am a sophomore at Dr. Tj Owens Gilroy Early College Academy. I enjoy speech and debate, writing, reading, and dancing. I joined this board because I believe that awareness is a crucial aspect of society. Specifically, I believe that eliminating stigma around HIV and sexual health should be a priority in all institutions to increase the action and awareness levels in our community. I am beyond excited to collaborate with like-minded people to achieve this goal!
Hi, I am a senior at Pinewood High School. I joined the YAYAA board because of my strong interest in public health and a desire to work with other young people to reduce the spread of misinformation and stigma around HIV. In my free time I like to dance, figure skate, and read about history.
Hi, I am a junior at Saratoga High! In my free time, I enjoy making music, watching tv, and taking naps. I am so thrilled to join this program to make new friends and make a meaningful impact in my community!
I am a junior at Archbishop Mitty High School and I joined the YAYAA Board because it combines my interests in science, leadership and helping the community. I am passionate about biology and mental wellness, and I hope to become a doctor in the future. I also enjoy baseball, playing video games and watching movies.
I am currently a sophomore in high school that is avidly trying to empower his community. Through the YAYAA Board, I am hoping to educate prone individuals and prevent disease throughout our community. With the resources this organization has, I want to utilize my voice to uplift others and take action against HIV. I am someone who cannot sit around while new cases are rising every day.
Hello, I am Sol and I am a junior at Silver Creek High School! Some of my hobbies are sowing, reading, and cooking because being able to create and work on a progressive, interactive activity is really effective in my comprehension. As a student and general learner, building progress and improvement is important to me and my goals. As I realized more about the risks that my generation faces, I wanted to make an impact and create a safer, more open environment for the general youth.
Hi, I am a senior in high school from the Bay Area. I love biology and am a very passionate advocate for equity in healthcare. I joined the GTZ YAYAA board to take action in my community in a sector of health I am interested in and meet new people.
Hi! I am senior at Mt. Pleasant high school. My dream job is being a dentist; however, I decided to join the YAYAA Board because I want to help others who are facing issues about sexual health and spread awareness. In addition, I think this is a great opportunity to explore public health.
I am a senior at Notre Dame San Jose and I enjoy solving escape rooms and listening to music! I joined the GTZ YAYAA Board to gain invaluable experience in the healthcare field and I’m excited to help make STD/HIV prevention and awareness more inclusive and accessible.
Hi, my name is Emmy! I'm currently a senior in high school and am super excited to be part of the YAYAA Board this year. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, reading, and running.
Hi! My name is Luisa and I am a senior in high school who wants to pursue a Neuroscience major! I’ve always loved psychology and strongly believe that good mental health treatment could change our world for the better. For me, joining the YAYAA Board was a great opportunity to learn how to better help those who are struggling with highly stigmatized diseases such as STDs and to get a better understanding of how disease prevention and informative campaigns impact our communities. I firmly believe that it is essential for youth to be informed on both STD prevention and stigma, as we are in the midst of a mental health pandemic among youth.
YAYAA collaborating partners
The GTZ Program and YAYAA Board is partnering with Public Health Without Borders (PHWB), a student organization based in the Bay Area dedicated to information the community on relevant public health issues. PHWB was founded during the COVID pandemic to improve access to credible information and resources on COVID. GTZ works with PHWB on STI and HIV prevention and education activities.