Young Leader Council

Alaska

Mina, born and raised in Alaska, is currently studying for a BS in biology with minors in neuroscience and psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). After an eating disorder that took them out of state for treatment, Mina was struck by the lack of care and support present in Alaska. This insight, coupled with inspiration from a social work class at UAA, led Mina to begin working with the Alaska Eating Disorder Alliance (AKEDA). Alongside AKEDA, Mina speaks on the distressing reality of experiencing an eating disorder and the subtle yet impactful reframes communities can adopt to help prevent these conditions. Today, Mina uses their voice across platforms to share their personal story, raise awareness about care disparities, and discuss the risk factors associated with high-intensity athletic environments.

New Jersey

Athena McDowall lives in New Jersey and received her Master’s in Social Work degree from Rutgers University following a time in which she served in the New Jersey National Guard. During college, Athena became the National Eating Disorders Association Philadelphia Walk Coordinator. Athena currently works for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) as their peer support group coordinator and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) as a walk associate. Athena also volunteers with the Body Empowerment Project (BEP) which is an organization aimed at reducing eating disorder risk in Philadelphia Youth. In her free time Athena enjoys being a Sunday School teacher and Youth Group Leader at the church that she grew up attending and spending time with family and friends. 

Texas

Bella is a third-year student at the University of Texas at Austin studying to become a registered dietitian. She is passionate about improving outcomes for individuals affected by eating disorders through multidisciplinary collaboration and has engaged in the eating disorder community as a volunteer for the Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. Bella is involved in nutrition research as an undergraduate research assistant, contributing towards her ultimate goal of supporting eating disorder recovery and prevention by advancing evidence-based nutrition care, research, and policy.

Maryland

Anna is a first-year student in the joint BS/MD program with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany Medical College, in Troy, New York. She became involved in mental health advocacy through her lived experience with an eating disorder, and her interests lie in health policy and the neurological basis of eating disorders. In her role as part of the policy translation team of Harvard STRIPED, she works with other teenagers and young adults to meet with lawmakers and promote legislation that fights eating disorders. Additionally, as a wrestler, she is passionate about addressing the prevalence of disordered eating in combat sports athletes, and she advocates for increased education of coaches, improved resources for athletes, and modification of dangerous weight-management strategies.

California

Sahana is a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz pursuing a degree in psychology. She is a longtime volunteer at the Eating Disorders Resource Center of Silicon Valley (EDRC), where she served on the Student Action Committee and co-founded the Education Initiative. Her work with the EDRC primarily focuses on bringing awareness to her community about eating disorders through free educational presentations for people of all ages and backgrounds, from middle school students to healthcare professionals. Sahana is also a research intern at the Stice Lab at Stanford, where she is working to implement a pilot program for eating disorder prevention in high schools. 

Ohio

Sahana is a high school senior in Ohio passionate about the intersection between healthcare and public policy. She is currently a member of the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED) and serves as State Campaign Captain for Ohio. She is a Youth Council member for the National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) and works on content writing and policy translation. Sahana is also an active member of her school’s debate team, ranking as a National Finalist and State Champion for her event. She volunteers for local literacy programs, raising 1000+ books to promote children’s literacy in Kenya. In her free time, Sahana plays the piano, dances, and listens to podcasts.

Colorado

Mia Perry is a high school junior in Colorado who was born in London and lived there until she was 13. After receiving eating disorder treatment when she first moved to the United States, Mia became passionate about advocacy in this area. She has leadership experience supporting peers, connecting with healthcare professionals, and co-founding a teen-focused podcast. Mia is especially dedicated to challenging the normalization of eating disorders in sports. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, baking, and traveling.

Rhode Island

Julia is a high school senior in Rhode Island, and is a researcher, advocate, and creative writer—also one of Rhode Island’s Youth Poet Laureates. She has conducted research at Brown University and Boston University exploring how language and media—from billboard advertisements to TikTok—shape local health outcomes and policy. Julia is also involved with STRIPED, where she leads the Rhode Island delegation in developing legislation to prevent the sale of diet supplements to minors. Julia also works as a local advocate through her work with the organization Breathe Providence and the Rhode Island Department of Health Youth Advisory Council. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and reading.

Kentucky

Yara is a high school senior in Maryland, passionate about nutritional sciences and psychology. She is a co-founder of Green Grove, a youth-led nonprofit promoting food accessibility and sustainability. Having witnessed the effects of eating disorders within her community, she is passionate about mental health equity and culturally inclusive care. Yara also serves as an ambassador for Project HEAL and a board member of Shuno, an eating disorder advocacy group focused on south Asians. She also interns with the International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians, where she contributes to research and advocacy efforts supporting recovery access. In her free time, she loves art, reading, and hanging out with friends.

California

Eli Teel is a UC Davis graduate in psychology with hopes of becoming a private recovery coach, and eventually an eating disorder therapist. He currently lives in Sacramento with his dog, Sputnik. He went through several rounds of treatment at Eating Recovery Center and Monte Nido to recover from Anorexia, co-occurring with severe OCD. He is passionate about mental health awareness, spending time outdoors and advocating for LQBTQ+ rights and representation in healthcare settings. As a queer transgender man, he emphasizes the importance of education on gender diversity and the prevalence of eating disorders in the LGBTQ+ community.

Virginia

Katie is a high school junior in Virginia and a passionate youth advocate for online safety and mental health awareness. Motivated by her own experiences, she works to raise awareness of the harms young people face online and the need for systemic change. Katie has collaborated with organizations including Fairplay, the Eating Disorders Coalition, and the Heat Initiative, and has shared her story with the Archewell Foundation. She was a panelist at the Project Healthy Minds conference and is a graduate of Half the Story’s Digital Civics Academy, where she now serves on the Teen Advisory Board. Katie also serves on Virginia’s Reclaiming Childhood Task Force. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, playing travel soccer, and spending time at the beach with family and friends.

California

Gaurish is a sophomore at Washington University studying Engineering and Biology. He’s interested in using technology to improve healthcare, particularly in understanding the brain and its related disorders. As Vice Captain of STRIPED in Missouri and Ohio, he works to raise awareness about the unregulated supplement industry and promote safer, more accessible digital spaces. In his free time, Gaurish enjoys building things, watching movies, and going on runs.

Georgia

Eliana is a high school senior in Georgia, fascinated by the interaction between health and culture. A passionate advocate for eating disorder awareness, she has emphasized the power of healing through her Ted Talk “Out of Sync to In-Sync: The Process of Eating Disorder Recovery”. In her community, she is the co-founder of a mental health initiative called Hope Rising, dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental health conditions through painting workshops and awareness walks. She is also committed to reducing the rates of eating disorders within athletics. Beyond advocacy, she has conducted research on the dynamic interaction between eating disorders and other health conditions. In her free time, she enjoys competing in Science Olympiad and Model UN, playing her flute, and she running cross-country.

Texas

Ketan is a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis majoring in Biology & Global Health. He’s a proud member of the Harvard STRIPED Youth Corps and currently serves as the Co-Captain for the Ohio and Missouri Teams. Ketan has served in leadership roles addressing youth health disparities, including conducting research on population health disparities. He has designed substance use prevention curricula for youth and mentors younger students in advocacy and health initiatives. Ketan is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices and building sustainable community partnerships. He coordinates service initiatives and advances legislation by combining policy knowledge, storytelling, and coalition-building to drive meaningful change.

Kentucky

Elisbeth is a high school junior in Kentucky. Elisabeth is actively involved with the Kentucky YMCA, the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorder (ANAD), numerous competitive choirs, local educational advocacy, tennis, and many other community-based activities. She is extremely passionate about law and policy with the intention to go into corporate law on my way to a federal judgeship.