Youth Advisory Board
The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) informs the development of our STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshops. As former workshop attendees or co-facilitators, YAB members provide feedback on developments to the week-long summer program and collaborate with researchers and other peers while engaging in personal development opportunities (graphic design skills, networking, public speaking, near-peer mentorship). The board includes middle school, high school, and college-aged youth. The YAB is funded by a Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness grant through the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Dr. Linda Charmaraman is Director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab and seeks to amplify youth voices in the co-creation of our summer digital wellbeing workshops. One of her goals is to use the power of data to inform inclusive programming for those underrepresented in the design of social technologies. She is a Thai American, first-generation scholar with a daughter who is entering middle school.
Dr. Catherine Delcourt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction Lab and Media Arts and Sciences (MAS) program at Wellesley College.
Catherine co-leads the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab activities pertaining to STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshop and developing apps for healthy social media use in middle school. Her research interests focus on how people relate to each other through social technologies and the social implications of our increasing dependence on the internet.
Alyssa is the Project Coordinator for the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab. In this capacity, Alyssa serves as the liaison for YAB members, overseeing board recruitment, administration, and related tasks. She is excited to work with Board members to help shape the development of the STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshop. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys adventuring with her family and spending time at her sewing machine.
Paige is a junior attending The Winsor School in Boston. Her interest in sociology prompted her to join Wellesley's YMW lab and the Youth Advisory Board for the Digital Well-being workshop. She is excited to participate in this learning opportunity and is eager to see what the future holds. Asides from sociology, Paige fosters a love for classical music, art history, and philosophy.
Pilar is 14 years old from North Carolina. She is also a previous participant of the STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshop. Pilar enjoys anything musical, art, baking, football, and basketball. She is very excited to be a part of the Youth Advisory board to help children come out of their shells.
Samantha is 12 years old and is from Queens, New York. She is a member of the Youth Advisory Board and a prior participant of the STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshop. Samantha enjoys swimming, playing the piano, and dog-sitting. She is excited to partake in the Youth Advisory Board with the hope of strengthening her leadership and collaborative skills to improve future workshops.
Joanna is a 13-year-old girl that goes to North Attleboro Middle School and lives in Massachusetts. She does Track & Field and is interested in piano, singing, drawing, and painting. She is a former participant of the Wellesley Summer STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshop. Joanna is excited to be a part of the Youth Advisory Board because she wants to improve the experience of the workshop for future applicants.
Esther is a 15 year old freshman at Cupertino High School in California. She has previously participated in the summer workshop and is excited to improve the summer workshop for future participants. In her free time, Esther enjoys playing badminton, playing flute and piano, and baking.
Sancha Gonzalez is currently a junior at Wellesley College studying Political Science with an interest in American Politics and American Studies. She is passionate about the intersection of policy and protest, and how their relationship impacts minority populations.
Connie studies Media Arts and Sciences at Wellesley College, and she’s a research intern at the YMW lab. She is excited to join the Youth Advisory Board and help improve adolescents’ mental wellbeing through technology. In her free time, Connie loves playing sports and she's part of the Wellesley Ultimate Frisbee team, the Whiptails.
Carolyn Bacaj recently graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Biological Sciences and Education Studies. She was the 2022-23 academic-year research intern for the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Lab, and she’s excited to learn more from youth this summer through the YAB. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys crafting, spending time outside, and trying new recipes.
Amara is a 14 year old that lives in Massachusetts and goes to Coakley Middle School. She was born in Kenya in Africa and moved to the U.S. at the age of 7. Amara is excited to participate in the Youth Advisory Board and to improve the summer workshop for future members. She loves art, baking, drawing, and road trips.
