We are excited to announce our new Youth Board for 2025! These passionate young activists will help our UN team to advocate for more sustainable, plant-rich food systems at international events around the world, both in their own advocacy and through their work with ProVeg.
The 20 members of the board will engage with ProVeg’s UN team, helping out with projects and supporting with the preparation of relevant events, such as the Bonn climate conference in June, the World Food Forum in October, and the COP30 UN climate conference in November, which will be held in Belém, Brazil, in the heart of one of our most precious ecosystems, the Amazon rainforest.
You’ll get to hear from our new members in the coming months, but, for the moment, check them out on their socials and have a look at their amazing work!
Altamush Saeed, 29, Lahore, Pakistan
Altamush Saeed is an award-winning Pakistani interspecies justice lawyer, activist, philanthropist, teacher, and filmmaker. He holds four advanced law degrees, including an Animal Law LLM and Environmental Law LLM from Lewis & Clark Law School, and a Human Rights LLM from the University of Michigan. Altamush lectures on Animal and environment in disasters law at the University of Central Punjab. He is the Founding Managing Partner at Environmental and Animal Rights Consultants, co-founder of Charity Doings Foundation, founder of Pakistan’s first International Animal and Environmental Rights Conference and founder and chair of Pakistan’s first Notified Animal Law Committee at the Lahore High Court Bar Association of Pakistan. Recognised globally, he has received the LUMS Vice Chancellor Alumni Achievement Award, the Humane Society’s DEI Trailblazer Award, and the inaugural DEI Trailblazer Spark Award.
Benjamin Pitkänen, 27, Finland
Benjamin Pitkänen is the co-founder and Executive Director of Viral Vegans, an animal-rights organization based in Helsinki, Finland. Under his leadership, Viral Vegans has grown into a thriving team. In August 2024, Pitkänen released his debut non-fiction book, The Animals We Love and Eat.
Benjamin was honored with the Ashoka Young Changemaker Award in 2022. He is a Global Shapers Helsinki Hub member, a 2025 Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network Fellow, and was named one of 30 Promising Young People Under 30 by the University of Helsinki.
Follow Benjamin’s work on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X, TikTok, and Youtube
Brunna Sachs, 15, Brazil
Brunna went vegan at the age of four, on her own accord, recognising at that young age that animals should not have to die or suffer for the sake of humans. She started giving public speeches about veganism when she was eight, and now, at just 15, she’s a teen ambassador for Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira, Animal Hero Kids, Plant Based Treaty, and GenV, as well as the organiser of Youth Climate Save Brazil, and a Youth Pro Animal Awards silver prize winner. Brunna advocates for veganism, animal rights, and climate action on her social-media platforms as well as on YouTube as a Vegflix Channel team member.
Emma Heiling, 26, Vienna, Austria
Emma is the founder and CEO of ClimaTalk, an international non-profit dedicated to combating disinformation and making climate policy accessible to young people. ClimaTalk has published over 500 articles and has reported live from the UN climate conferences since COP26. A long-time advocate of plant-based diets, Emma previously served as President of the Cambridge University Vegan Society. She also founded the university’s Food Sustainability Project, leading successful campaigns to introduce Veggie Mondays and expand vegetarian and vegan options in college canteens.
Ferdison Valmond, 21 , Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica
Ferdison Valmond, an Indigenous climate change advocate from Dominica’s Kalinago Territory, is a journalist, news presenter, and communications consultant. Passionate about youth development and the inclusion of Indigenous people in environmental discussions, he founded the Climate Classrooms initiative, which promotes awareness about the environment and sustainable agriculture. Ferdison recently completed a fellowship with the High-Level Climate Champions as part of the Race to Resilience campaign, focusing on inclusivity in adaptation and resilience efforts. He is the Public Relations Officer for the Caribbean Youth Environment Network in Dominica and has served as a youth advisor to the UN Resident Coordinator for the Caribbean. He will soon be pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science.
Fredrick Kioko Kilonzo, 23, Nairobi, Kenya
From the heart of Laikipia County, Kenya, Fredrick leads the Nature Hub Collective Community, pioneering innovative approaches to transform food systems in Maasai communities. This groundbreaking initiative blends sustainable plant-based programmes with rich indigenous knowledge and traditions, creating a unique model for dietary transitioning in pastoral communities. As a passionate advocate of Africa’s food heritage, Fredrick’s approach blends traditional knowledge with sustainable solutions. Fredrick aims to bring this vital perspective to global food-system discussions through the Youth Board, showing how traditional knowledge systems can help to shape a sustainable future for all of us.
Harriet Klepper, 22, Germany
Harriet is a young climate activist from Germany. Currently pursuing a dual master’s at Sciences Po Paris and Bocconi University, Milan, and working as a teaching assistant for the Sciences Po Law Clinic on Corporate Social Responsibility and Innovation, she has been involved with various organisations, and was a delegate at COP28 and COP29. Having been vegan for nearly 10 years, she advocates for plant-based sustainable food systems as a mechanism for fighting climate change. Passionate about youth inclusion, Harriet is helping to amplify young voices to ensure a just transition towards a better tomorrow.
Heloisa Rigolon, 24, Porto, Portugal
Heloísa is a Brazilian plant-based chef with more than four years’ experience in professional vegan kitchens across South America and Europe. Passionate about both fine dining and comfort food, Heloísa advocates for more sustainable food systems through NGOs, giving workshops on cuisine, and participating in UN events. By showing the deliciousness of this approach, along with the world of possibilities it unlocks, she is helping to raise awareness about the importance of a global diet shift towards more plant-powered diets.
Jessica Cook, 25, Amsterdam, Netherland
Jess holds an LLM in Public International Law with a specialisation in human-rights law. She is passionate about the intersection of sustainable diets, climate change, and human rights. She currently works at Climate Group, where she conducts research on sustainable public food procurement and implements Next Generation Budgets, a project aimed at aligning public budgeting with climate-neutrality goals and unlocking financing at a local level.
Connect with Jessica on Linkedin
Khesveny Nyanaguru, 27, Klang, Malaysia
Khesveny began her advocacy journey in gibbon conservation, where she managed an organisation and led campaigns against the illegal wildlife trade. She holds a Master of Studies in Animal Law and works as a consultant at Global Food Partners, supporting more humane egg production across Asia. She is passionate about food-system transformation, farmed-animal protection, and the intersectional issues of industrial animal agriculture.
Connect with Khesveny on Linkedin
Marielle Williamson, 19, US
Marielle is an American sophomore at Duke University’s China campus, where she is majoring in International Relations and Public Policy. Having lobbied for food and agriculture bills in Washington DC, worked with animal/environmental advocacy NGOs in China and America, and filed a lawsuit against the USDA regarding its discriminatory dairy policy, Marielle is passionate about tackling animal-rights issues in the legal and policy fields. She hopes to eventually work for the UN on international climate policy and the shift to a global plant-based food system.
Navin Durbhakula, 21, Boston, US
Navin is a senior at Harvard University with a major in Sustainable Food and Health Systems. He is the CEO of Food 4 Thought Innovations, an organisation that helps to integrate next-generation sustainable food strategies at major corporations and institutions. He is also a consultant at Tailored Food, where he works with UNICEF on improving child nutrition in 28 African countries. He is the co-founder of Harvard Undergraduate Plant Based and the only undergraduate appointed to Harvard’s Presidential Committee on Sustainability. He previously served as a national representative at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and worked on national public-health priorities under the US Surgeon General. Navin is an avid public speaker – his speeches on food sustainability, animal welfare, and public health have garnered more than half a million views.
Niharika Kapoor, 27, Dehradun, India
Niharika holds degrees in Commerce and Law, a Master’s in Sociology, and a Diploma in Animal Protection Laws. She is the founder of Our Faith, a public charitable trust focusing on sustainability, animal welfare, and youth engagement. With over a decade’s experience in policy and grassroots activism, Niharika serves in the President’s Office of the Indian Youth Climate Network and consults for Mercy for Animals India. As a Pollination Project grantee, she is making animal-related laws more accessible by translating them into regional languages with the help of AI. She has represented her work at COP28, COP29, and the G20 World Food Security Summit. Niharika is committed to driving systemic change towards a just plant-based future.
Connect with Niharika on LinkedIn
Njoke Tangwing Raisa Ngwenyi, 29, Douala, Cameroon
Njoke Tangwing Raisa Ngwenyi is a climate activist, columnist, cybersecurity analyst, and poet with a fiery passion for environmental sustainability and sustainable food systems. Her experience in climate advocacy led to her being selected as Cameroon’s Youth4Climate Delegate to the Pre-COP26, where she contributed in the formulation of the Youth4Climate Manifesto.
Njoke is the co-founder of the female-led organisation, Centre for Grassroots Sustainability and Sovereignty, whose activities are focussed on climate action and zero hunger.
Shreya Ghodawat, 29, Mumbai, India
Shreya Ghodawat is a sustainability and climate activist, and the host of the podcast Sustainable Tea with Shreya, where she engages with experts and change-makers to inspire a kinder, greener, and more equitable world. She also serves as India’s Ambassador for Project Dandelion, SHE Changes Climate, and the Plant Based Treaty, working at the intersection of sustainability, veganism, gender equity, and climate action.
Stella Carvalho Correa, 29, Araraquara, Brazil
Stella is a sustainability consultant with experience in impact businesses, ESG, sustainable finance, diversity, and systemic regeneration. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Development and Circular Economy and is passionate about transforming food systems. Stella has contributed to numerous sustainability publications and recently authored an article on plant-based diets as a tool for climate action. A long-term vegan and animal advocate, she integrates ethical, environmental, and social perspectives into both her personal and professional life. As a ProVeg Youth Board Member, she aims to drive global change through advocacy, education, and influencing policy.
Vivek Venkatram, 22, London, UK
Vivek hails from Singapore and is a final-year Philosophy, Politics, and Economics undergraduate and Fellow at the University of Warwick in the UK. As a UNESCO Youth Representative, COP29 delegate, Talks Coordinator of WES , Coordinator of Plant Based Universities Warwick, Founder of the Warwick Alt Protein Project, and Youth Fellow of the IYTT, he has helped to shape discussion forums.
During the pandemic, Vivek co-founded a networked grocery app to support elderly and low-income households. He has previously worked with Air France-KLM, Bayer, the Singapore Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vivek’s work has been featured on the BBC and the Straits Times. In his free time, he discusses current affairs and is an avid fusion percussionist and a hiking enthusiast.
Vladimir Mijatovic, 25, Rome, Italy
Vladimir is a Serbian communications professional with over five years’ experience working with United Nations organisations. He covers topics such as plant health, sustainable agrifood systems, and the One Health approach. His goal is to help bridge the gap between science and society. Vladimir believes the right message can turn awareness into action.
Connect with Vladimir on LinkedIn
Zoe Adamopoulos, 26, New York, US
Originally from Singapore, Zoe has over four years’ experience in advancing plant-based meat alternatives, including leading the successful launch and expansion of TiNDLE Foods in the US market. Her experience ranges from marketing and communications to business development and sales. Zoe is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Sustainability Management at Columbia University, aiming to leverage this knowledge to create more sustainable and equitable food systems. When she isn’t studying, you can find Zoe scouting for, cooking, and eating the best vegan food in NYC (she is more than happy to share recommendations).
