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.
Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D.
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.
Alyssa Gramajo
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.
Youth Board Members
Ailish Marsh
Ailish is 12 years old and in 7th grade. She does choir, soccer and likes to play Roblox and watch Netflix. She is very excited to join the Youth Advisory Board because she wants to help improve the thought on social media and digital wellbeing.
Margaret Macie Zuniga Murga (Macie) is 12 years old and lives in Natick Massachusetts. I participated in the STEM & Digital Wellbeing Workshop. I am a member of the Youth Advisory Board. I enjoy playing video games like roblox, going through youtube for art and baking inspo. Also I enjoy playing instruments like the Clarinet and Alto saxophone. I am a student of Kennedy Middle School. Also I do a lot of different afterschool activities like jazz, jazz lab, honors Wind Ensemble, and theater out of school
Simeng Chen
Simeng is a member of the Youth Advisory Board. She lives in Wayland, MA and is 14 years old. She has attended the summer workshop in the past year and is excited to continue to be a part of the program
Ana Japaridze
Ana is a member of the Youth Advisory Board. She is 14 years old. She lives in Hopkinton, MA. She is excited to be part of the youth advisory board because she wants to spread education to young people about the importance of online wellbeing.
Alisha Nandwani
Alisha is an excited member of the Youth Advisory Board. She lives in Needham, MA and she is 13 years old. She is excited to learn more about social media because it is so new and to help others feel more comfortable in that type of space. She did a summer workshop and loves to read and like to do community service
Lillian Miga
Lillian is 13 years old and is in the eighth grade. She is from Needham, Massachusetts and has lived there for her whole life. She participated in the Wellesley College Digital Wellbeing Workshop in 2025. She is excited to serve on the Youth Advisory Board because she enjoys social media and would like it to be a safe and healthy place for teens. Outside of the YAB Lillian enjoys dancing, hanging out with friends, shopping and music.
Mila Nguyen
Mila is a member of the Youth Advisory Board. She lives in Southborough Massachusetts and is 15 years old. She's excited to meet new people and learn about their own ideas and perspectives. She participated in the Summer Workshop during 2025.
Sanaa Mahesh
Sanaa, a 12 year old funny, silly, yet serious girl who lives in Westborough, Massachusetts, is a new participant in the YAB. She is excited to be a part of the YAB because she loves learning more not only for her own knowledge but also so she can share knowledge with the people and world around her, as well as helping people in many other ways so she can make a difference in our world. She joined this because she loved the recent summer workshop done by the YAB and was pulled by her curiosity to learn more about this YAB leadership program and is so excited to learn about how she can help others in her community of Massachusetts and even others around the world who live outside of her state. She hopes to join you in all the next meetings prepared to learn a lot more.
Jean Luo
Jean is 14 years old from Southborough, Massachusetts, and is a freshman in high school. She is excited to be part of the Youth Advisory Board because she participated in the YMW's summer program last year and really enjoyed it, now hoping to extend her experience. Outside of school, Jean also likes to do math competitions, play soccer, and take photos for her school newspaper.
Mentors
Luna Do
Luna (she/they) studies Media Arts and Sciences and Education at Wellesley College, and she’s a research assistant at the YMW lab. She is excited to connect and engage with youth to develop next summer's Digital Wellbeing Workshops! In her free time, Luna enjoys spinning props such as staffs and hoops, and playing the occasional video game, and hanging out at Wellesley's Glass Garage (where she also works at!) making things like clay sculptures and beaded crafts.
