Youth Committee

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2025 Youth Committee Member Photos

Purpose

The Youth Committee is responsible for maintaining and updating the Youth Community and Volunteer Services Directory and Youth Employment Directory.  The Committee also plans and participates in an annual local youth job fair, review and recommend new teen recreation programs and events, and plan one or two teen recreation programs each year. Youth Committee members participate as volunteers at City sponsored events, provide youth input on various City projects, and work cooperatively with the Dana Point Youth Board. The Committee's goal is to create a positive working relationship with the City Council and other City organizations in an attempt to give the teens of Laguna Niguel a strong voice and presence in the community.

Meetings 

The Committee meets on the 1st Thursday of each month from September to May at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. Additionally, Committee members attend annual joint meetings with the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission. To view Committee agendas and reports, please click the button below. 

MEETING AGENDAS AND REPORTS Opens in new window

Members

The Committee consists of 15 members and two City Council Liaisons. Committee members serve one and two-year terms. All Committee members are high school students residing in Laguna Niguel. To learn more about the recruitment process, vacancies, and qualifications, please CLICK HERE.

Currently, the following individuals serve on the Youth Committee: 

  • Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Jennings (City Council Liaison)
  • Council Member Ray Gennawey (City Council Liaison)
  • Michela Adams
    • Michela is a senior at Aliso Niguel High School, and this is her second year on the Youth Committee. She plays soccer, is President of the Law Club, and aspires to become an Arctic Marine scientist. 
  • Emma Auth
    • Emma is a sophomore at Aliso Niguel High School. She is a member of the Advanced Orchestra and plays both the piano and violin. Emma is the Vice President of “Scrub Sisters”, a club that supports women in medicine. Emma has been training in Taekwondo and Jiu Jitsu for nine years and holds a second-degree Black Belt in Taekwondo and a green belt in Jiu Jitsu. 
  • Davey Baker
    • Davey is a junior at Dana Hills High School. He spends his free time volunteering with the Challengers Basketball League and losing all his money in penny stocks. He is looking forward to his first year on the Youth Committee. Davey is the youngest of four boys and has two dogs. 
  • Casey Baker
    • Casey is a junior at Dana Hills High School, and this is his first year serving on the Youth Committee. In his free time, Casey enjoys driving around and spending time with friends. He hopes to pass AP Calculus AB this year, and a fun fact about him is that he is a twin! 
  • Christelle Bunge 
    • Christelle is a freshman at Aliso Niguel High School, and this is her first year on the Youth Committee. She plays soccer and volleyball and enjoys going to the beach and playing with her dogs. A random fact about Christelle is that she has played soccer for 11 years! 
  • Gabriella Gulini 
    • Gabriella is a senior at Aliso Niguel High School, ans this is her third year on the Youth Committee. She is involved in ASB, Link Crew, NHS, and CSF. In her free time, Gabriella enjoys spending time in Laguna Beach and walking her dogs with her family. Fun fact - Gabriella is double-jointed in her left thumb!
  • Madelyn Gulini
    • Madelyn is a freshman at Aliso Niguel High School, and this is her first year on the Youth Committee. She enjoys playing soccer, reading books, and cooking for her friends and family. Fun fact about Madelyn, she has played soccer for 9 years and loves it!  
  • Rachel James 
    • Rachel is a sophomore at Aliso Niguel High School. She is an ASB member and is on the basketball team. Rachel enjoys baking and eating with her friends. She hopes to become a doctor and one day rule the world! Fun fact, Rachel scored 100% extroverted on her MBTI test.
  • Rijul Kashyap 
    • Rijul is a senior at Aliso Niguel High School, and this is his second year on the Youth Committee. He is a part of its ASB and is a Club President and Student Ambassador for “Your Story Matters.” 
  • Derrick Mai 
    • Derrick is a junior at Dana Hills High School. He is an avid photographer, president of two school clubs, serves on the CIF Student Athlete Advisory Council, and this is his second year on the Youth Committee. Derrick hopes to be pre-med and is currently interning at Mission Hospital where he has the opportunity to perform CPR during codes.
  • Viana Najafi
    • Viana is a senior at Aliso Niguel High School, and this is her third year on the Youth Committee. She is passionate about government and science. Viana hopes to give back to her community through recreational events. A fun fact about Viana is that she loves to travel and has been to over 20 countries!
  • Naomi Pospisil  
    • Naomi is a sophomore at Aliso Niguel High School. She is the secretary of the “Scrub Sisters” club, a group that supports women in the field of medicine. In her spare time, Naomi enjoys reading, baking, and travelling. This is her first year on the Youth Committee. A random fact about Naomi is that she is a track cyclist and competes nationally each year! 
  • Alanni Rogers 
    • Alanni is a senior at Aliso Niguel High School, and this is her second year on the Youth Committee. She is the founder and president of the Mock Trial club at her school. In the future, Alanni wants to work in the law field. A fun fact about Alanni is that she has lived in four states: New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, and California! 
  • Sofia Rasuli
    • Sophia is a junior at Capistrano Valley High School and has lived in Laguna Niguel for 13 years. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and traveling, as well as debating in Model UN when she is not at school. A random fact about Sofia is that over the Summer she won a free subscription of Poppi!
  • Sophie Sukendro 
    • Sophie is a senior at the Orange County School of the Arts. She is passionate about human rights and loves animals, reading, geography games, and participating in Model UN. Sophie has lived on three continents, but has lived in Laguna Niguel since 2022. This is her second year on the Youth Committee. A fun fact about Sophie is that she can name every country in the world in under five minutes!