Young Women’s Leadership Institute

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Young Women's Leadership Institute will be offered as a specialized learning track within the inaugural JSA National Convention hosted at Georgetown University from July 15 - 20, 2024. Stay tuned for more details!

About the Program

The Young Women's Leadership Institute (YWLI) is a one-week residential summer program, also offered virtually.

Junior State of America (JSA) believes leadership is a skill that can be learned and nurtured through instruction, self-reflection, and practice. At YWLI, students will learn about the history of women’s leadership in the United States, gain direct experience in community organizing and action planning, and understand the opportunities they have to be leaders in their communities.

YWLI students will hear directly from women who are currently leading on critical issues in our country. Past speakers and presenters include: Ambassador Susan Rice; Senator Amy Klobuchar; Mayor London Breed; Dr. Brooke Rios, Executive Director of New Los Angeles Charter Schools; Dr. Kelley Le, author and climate science activist; Dr. Marie Peoples, Deputy County Manager, Coconino County; Deputy Chief Drennon Lindsey of the Oakland Police Department; Amanda Litman, Co-Founder of Run for Something!; Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett.

Who Should Attend?

The material is designed for high school girls in 9th-12th grade. The youngest group who can sign up for this experience are incoming 9th graders.

2023 Confirmed Speakers

	Claudia Tobar Claudia Tobar, Ph.D. is Chief Innovation and Outreach officer at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. She teaches in the undergraduate department of education and is editor-in-chief of Para el Aula magazine. She is also director of Lupini, Community Children's Library. Learn more about Claudia Tobar.
	Laura Brink Pisinski Laura Brink Pisinsk is Vice President of University Real Estate Development and Facilities Management at Simmons University. Primarily focused on efforts to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the campus physical plant through real estate deployment, facility renovation and utilization and institutional master planning, she also maintains significant relationships with key donors and University volunteers. In addition, Ms. Brink Pisinski led the Simmons University COVID-19 Recovery Task Force. Learn more about Laura Brink Pisinski.
	Katrina M. Mulligan Katrina M. Mulligan was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC), a portfolio that included special operations, irregular warfare, counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, and information operations policy issues. She also assisted the Assistant Secretary of Defense for SOLIC on oversight of special operations peculiar administrative matters on behalf of the Secretary. Learn more about Katrina Mulligan.
	Bella Gomez Bella Gomez is a rising sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis. As a graduate of the Fall 2020 YWLI cohort, she co-founded Empowering Environmental Education, a non-profit creating climate science and environmental education curriculum for under-resourced public school districts. Bella actively engages in the St. Louis community, working in WashU's undergraduate admissions office and securing over $100,000 in funding for various non-profits through grant writing.
	Felicity Rodriguez Felicity Rodriguez is a student at Duke University, currently studying public policy. With a strong interest in social justice and environmental issues, she spends her free time running, playing sports, enjoying the beach, and spending time with friends.
	Nancy Chavez-Jacobo Nancy Chavez-Jacobo will start her biomedical engineering studies at the University of California, Irvine this fall. Her passion for cancer research and commitment to giving back to her community drive her ambitions. She gained valuable leadership and teamwork skills from the JSA YWLI program in 2022. Nancy is excited about becoming a woman in STEM and making a positive impact in the medical field.