Meet Our Distinquished Speakers

Guest speakers will join us throughout the program to share their various expertise with the group. AYUSA World Leaders' speakers are leaders and innovators in their chosen fields and eager to interact closely with AYUSA's young leaders of tomorrow.

Senator Loni Hancock, California State Senator

Senator Hancock has sustained a strong commitment to environmental protection throughout her career. As a member of the Berkeley City Council, she successfully worked to preserve the Berkeley Marina from development and to protect local wildlife. While in the Assembly, Senator Hancock served as Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources. In this role, she led efforts to pass historic environmental legislation that would protect open space, expand recycling, and promote healthy city-infill strategies. Senator Hancock currently serves on the Environmental Quality Committee, which oversees legislation relating to air and water quality, waste management and toxic substances, among other environmental issues.

Amy Fraenkel, Regional Director, United Nations Environment Programme

Amy Fraenkel has more than 20 years of experience in environmental law and policy. She has worked in both the executive and legislative branches of the United States government, inter-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Her areas of expertise include climate change, ocean and coastal issues, hazardous substances, trade and environment, and international law.

Antwi Akom, Award Winning Educator, Scholar and Writer

Antwi Akom is a leading expert on the green economy, climate change, and educational equity. His research focuses on the links between race, environmental health, and educational equity in cities and schools; the role of the green economy in facilitating pathways out of poverty for vulnerable populations; and the role of local knowledge in the production of environmental health and educational equity.

Jennifer Wolch, Dean, College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley

Jennifer Wolch’s groundbreaking research in the field of environmental design has inspired her students and peers to rethink how they conceptualize land use. She headed the Green Vision Plan for 21st Century Southern California, a planning guide and toolkit for habitat conservation, recreational open space and watershed health. She also worked with a multidisciplinary team of architects, urban designers, planners and engineers to develop the City of Los Angeles' strategic plan for its downtown.

Learn more about the unique AYUSA World Leaders experience when you explore the campus, the curriculum, the culture, and the community.