Lawrence Y Teen Brings Youth Voice to YUSA Youth Council
LAWRENCE — The Merrimack Valley YMCA is proud to announce Lawrence teen and YMCA staffer Nayeli Almanzar Lizardo, 19, has been named to the 2025 Youth Advisory Council with YMCA of the USA (Y-USA).
Almanzar Lizardo will join other council members across the country to assist Y-USA with amplifying and prioritizing youth voice in organizational strategic decision-making.
“This is an exciting national leadership opportunity that Nayeli earned through her hard work, drive, and community leadership,” said Merrimack Valley YMCA President and CEO Francis J. Kenneally III. “This was a competitive application process, but Nayeli stood out for her work at the Lawrence Y, her commitment to improving her community, and her skills at building a network to advocate on her behalf. We can’t wait to see the positive impact Nayeli will bring to this national council.”
Y-USA, the national resource office for the 2,600 YMCAs across the country, launched the Youth Advisory Council in 2023. This council is comprised of 21 young individuals, ranging in age from 16 to 24, from across the country. The council’s role is to advise and support the Y-USA CEO, Executive Team and National Board on emerging issues, opportunities, programs, priorities and strategic decision-making, with a goal of ensuring that the Y remains relevant at the local, state, national and global level.
As a member for the February 2025 – February 2026 term, Almanzar Lizardo commits to providing input and applying a youth lens to emerging issues; working with Y-USA leadership to further develop the structure of the Youth Advisory Council; advocating for more youth representation on local, national and global Y initiatives; serving as strategic thought partners to the Y-USA CEO, Executive Team and National Board; electing a youth representative to serve on Y-USA’s National Board and much more.
The board is made up of teens and young adults from across the country. Almanzar Lizardo is the only teen from Massachusetts on the council.
Almanzar Lizardo has been part of the Lawrence YMCA since she was a child, with swimming lessons being her earliest memories of the Lawrence Street facility. Throughout elementary and middle school, she participated in Y programs and was part of the Adelante Scholars Program, which helps high achieving eighth graders through the process of applying to top private and public high schools.
In September of 2023, Almanzar Lizardo joined the Y staff as a leader of the Adelante Program. Almanzar Lizardo supports Adelante youth, creates programming and serves as a role model for the current eighth grade class.
Almanzar Lizardo is a graduate of Notre Dame Christo Rey High School, Northern Essex Community College and is currently attending UMass Lowell with a major in psychology and minor in business.
“I want to be part of an impact bigger than myself to improve opportunities for all,” said Almanzar Lizardo. “We will make big changes and I’m excited to be working alongside other youth council members, Y-USA board members, and executives to target emerging issues and pinpoint solutions.”
