What is the Advisory Council?

About the Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is a select group of esteemed professionals and community leaders who offer their expertise, insights, and support to help Youth on Root achieve its mission. By advising on strategy, programs, and community engagement, council members play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our initiatives and the lives of young leaders.

Become Part of the Advisory Council

Are you a visionary leader eager to make a difference? Youth On Root welcomes professionals and advocates dedicated to shaping impactful youth programs. By joining our Advisory Council, you’ll be part of a dynamic team that drives meaningful change in communities nationwide. 

Empowering the Next Generation with Expertise

Driving meaningful change requires collective wisdom and experience.

Advisory Council members play a vital role in amplifying the voices of youth, sharing their wisdom, and opening doors that were once closed. Your contributions help us grow an intergenerational movement rooted in solidarity, resilience, and hope.

By joining the Advisory Council, you’re not just guiding the next generation—you’re standing shoulder to shoulder with them, inspiring and being inspired, and showing that leadership is a shared journey. Together, we’re proving that when experience and youth power unite, we create unstoppable momentum for justice and liberation.

  • Zoë Temple is an environmental educator living and working on occupied Tongva lands (Los Angeles). Zoë is passionate about promoting environmental justice through education and advocacy. In her current role as Eco Opportunities Program Manager at TreePeople, Zoë develops and leads youth green workforce development programs across Los Angeles County. Over her seven years in education, she has worked to empower hundreds of young people as environmental leaders in their community through curriculum design, classroom teaching, green workforce development, and community engagement.

    Zoë earned her B.A. in Neurobiology, Psychology and Spanish from UC Berkeley and her Master’s in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University, and holds a teaching credential in Biological Sciences. In her free time, Zoë loves to hike, read, embroider, and spend time with her two pets (a dog and a snake).

  • Mallory Morales is an attorney in Davis Wright Tremaine LLP’s foundations and nonprofit practice group, where she advises nonprofit organizations and philanthropists on corporate, tax, and regulatory matters.

    Mallory graduated magna cum laude from Boston University in 2013 with a degree in Anthropology and Religion. She earned her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2018, where she was elected Editor-in-Chief of the California Law Review.

  • Jed Terrence Lee 李家誠 is an activist, artist, and filmmaker of the Chinese diaspora from the Bay Area in California. Jed organizes for the Student Environmental Resource Center at UC Berkeley, their alma mater, as a Wellness and Environmental Justice Community Engagement Manager to continue pursuing environmental, climate, and development justice. Jed strongly believes that we can always look to nature to find inspiration for our interpersonal relationships, collective movements, and personal healing, and that there is always love, life and hope in this world.

  • Michael Riggins is an attorney who works with financial institutions, assisting with regulatory and compliance matters. Before practicing law, Michael worked as both a middle school and elementary school teacher. He began teaching in 2012 when he joined Teach for America in Kansas City, where he started as an English Language Learner teacher.

    Mallory graduated magna cum laude from Boston University in 2013 with a degree in Anthropology and Religion. She earned her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2018, where she was elected Editor-in-Chief of the California Law Review.

  • Laura (loud-ah) Hernandez is a white-passing Queer Latine environmental educator, activist, & aspiring curandera. They currently work at Justice Outside as the Bay Area Outdoor Educators Institute Coordinator supporting their community to live in their vision by leading authentically as themselves. Laura works to embody accountable trauma-informed and healing-centered leadership & listen to and center Indigenous and Mother Earth’s wisdom. They believe if we can work to deconstruct the harm done we can reconstruct it into something sustainable, creative, healing, and beautiful.

  • Willie is a dedicated housing attorney and advocate passionate about advancing environmental and social justice. As a housing attorney, he represents tenants in eviction defense and fights for housing equity. Willie's commitment to community empowerment is informed by his extensive experience in public interest law, including work with Earthjustice's Biodiversity Defense Program, where he addressed the intersection of environmental degradation and marginalized communities. A proud queer Black man, Willie brings a deep understanding of the importance of equity, education, and grassroots advocacy to his work. Outside of his professional endeavors, Willie enjoys nurturing his ever-growing collection of houseplants, exploring new books, and reconnecting with his love of music as a flutist and clarinetist. He is excited to contribute his expertise and passion to advancing environmental justice through the advisory council.

  • Michael is an operations manager and pastoral leader dedicated to empowering communities and fostering impactful change.

    He has developed efficient processes, fostered collaboration, and driven meaningful outcomes across the nonprofit and corporate sectors. His expertise includes operations management, quality assurance, and pastoral care. As a second-generation immigrant, Michael’s passion for service is rooted in his commitment to creating equitable opportunities and his dedication to ecotheology, advocating for the intersection of faith and environmental stewardship. He is pursuing a Master of Arts in Global Leadership at Fuller Seminary, is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Networking.

    Dedicated to servant leadership, Michael strives to build organizations that prioritize equity, empowerment, and sustainable impact.

  • Monica is a Project Coordinator at The Energy Coalition where she works with public agencies to lower their energy usage. She studied chemistry at Cal State Fullerton and has a research background investigating fuel cells and nanoscale materials for alternative energy. She grew up in a Latinx/Asian household in Southern California and became passionate about sustainability and science communication throughout college. She is passionate about communicating complex ideas and tangible climate solutions to diverse audiences. In her free time, she loves practicing yoga, testing perfumes, vegan cooking, making music and art, and straight vibing on a blanket at the park.

  • Danielle Taylor helps socially conscious organizations increase revenue and improve operations to maximize community impact. As a business strategist and international human rights advocate, she has helped teams develop processes to reflect on their norms and policies and has led transformative overhauls of business practices that resulted in increased revenue and healthier work environments.

    Her work has been featured in numerous international publications and media outlets including Nasdaq and Runners World UK, and she regularly lends her expertise as a guest lecturer on social justice themes at universities and professional conferences. Before founding Strategic Disruption Consulting, Danielle served as the Chief Operating Officer for Virginia’s largest legal aid organization, Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC).

    Prior to joining LAJC, Danielle led high-stakes human rights campaigns across Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia with respected global development agencies including The Carter Center and the General Board of Global Ministries. Danielle is also a proud alum of Teach For America.She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University, a Master of International Policy from the University of Georgia, and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University.