The Team Behind NexYouth

At the heart of NexYouth is our inspiring community of volunteers — passionate individuals who dedicate their time, skills, and creativity to driving meaningful change. Coming from diverse backgrounds in science, education, advocacy, and the arts, our volunteers share a common commitment to protecting the environment and empowering youth.

Who We Are

NexYouth was founded by a small group of high school students who recognized gaps in educational access and sought to address them through peer-led action. What began as a student initiative has grown into a youth-run nonprofit supporting students across diverse backgrounds through education, mentorship, and service.

Our work is grounded in the belief that young people are not only beneficiaries of change, but capable leaders in creating it. Through partnerships with schools, community organizations, and youth groups, NexYouth provides structured opportunities for students to develop academic skills, leadership capacity, and a sense of civic responsibility.

Led entirely by students, our organization emphasizes sustainable impact, collaboration, and access. By lowering barriers to quality learning and leadership opportunities, NexYouth aims to equip young people with the confidence, skills, and perspective needed to contribute meaningfully to their communities and beyond.

Justin Huang - Co-Founder

Justin Huang

Co-Founder

Justin is the co-founder of NexYouth. He is interested in how young people learn through experience, connection, and initiative, and focuses on creating spaces where youth can explore ideas and take ownership of what they care about.

Max Wen - Co-Founder

Max Wen

Co-Founder

Max co-founded NexYouth with a vision to democratize access to quality education and mentorship for youth globally. Passionate about creating systemic change through youth empowerment.

Our Story

NexYouth was founded in 2023 by high school students whose experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how they viewed education, access, and youth leadership. As schools moved online and support systems became uneven, our founders saw firsthand how many young people were left without guidance, structure, or opportunities to grow.

Motivated by this experience, NexYouth began as a youth-led initiative focused on creating spaces where students could reconnect, develop skills, and take initiative. What started with a small group of volunteers has since grown into a broader youth network spanning multiple countries.

Today, NexYouth is built on a simple belief: young people are capable of leading meaningful change when given responsibility, trust, and the chance. Through youth-designed programs and partnerships with schools and community organizations, we work to expand access to learning opportunities and leadership experiences, while empowering students to support one another and contribute with purpose.

NexYouth Community

What We Do

We operate three core programs designed to serve young people at different stages of their journey:

Skill Development Courses: Our comprehensive courses cover essential topics from public speaking to STEM, delivered by passionate instructors committed to youth success.

Seminars & Workships: We bring industry leaders and experts together with young people for interactive sessions on emerging opportunities and global challenges.

Global Mentorship Network: Our mentorship program connects youth with experienced professionals worldwide who provide personalized guidance and support for career development and personal growth.

Beyond these programs, we're constantly innovating and listening to the youth we serve to develop initiatives that have real, lasting impact.

NexYouth Programs

Our Leadership

Our leadership team is comprised of passionate youth leaders from across the globe, each bringing unique expertise and a commitment to youth empowerment. They guide NexYouth's vision and strategy.

Justin Huang

Justin Huang

Co-Founder

Justin is the co-founder of NexYouth. He is interested in how young people learn through experience, connection, and initiative, and focuses on creating spaces where youth can explore ideas and take ownership of what they care about.

Max Wen

Max Wen

Co-Founder

Max is dedicated to making youth development accessible globally. With expertise in program design, he drives innovation in our initiatives and curriculum.

Stephanie Uzea

Stephanie Uzea

Canada President & Director of Operations

Stephanie brings strategic vision and operational excellence to NexYouth. As Canada President and Director of Operations, she oversees Canadian operations and manages our growing team of volunteers and partners.

Xuhan Yang

Xuhan Yang

Director of Technology

Xuhan, as Director of Technology, oversees our technology initiatives, developing digital solutions to make NexYouth's programs accessible to youth around the world. Passionate about innovation and impact.

Ethan Luo

Ethan Luo

Oakville Chapter President

Ethan is a Grade 10 student at Abbey Park High School in Oakville. With 2 years of competitive debate experience, he has advanced at prestigious tournaments such as Harvard WSDC, Queens BPHS, McGill BPHS, and Hart House High Schools. Outside debate, he enjoys clarinet, trail running, and co-hosting Perception Podcast.

Rachel Wei

Rachel Wei

Coquitlam Chapter President

Rachel, as president of the Coquitlam Chapter, oversees the chapter and is instrumental in building community connections. She's dedicated to making NexYouth's programs accessible to local youth.

Chloe Huang

Chloe Huang

Secretary

Chloe is a Grade 11 student at Earl of March High School. She is an avid volleyball player and loves sports!

Keerti Joshi

Keerti Joshi

Debate Coach

I'm Keerti, I'm a grade 11 student at Upper Canada College. I've been debating since Grade 8 and I debate in both WSDC and BP formats. I am a new member of the Canadian National Debating Team.

Kristen Yip

Kristen Yip

Debate Coach

Kristen Y (she/her) is a grade 9 student and avid debater. Achievements include: Top 4th speaker+top jr speaker (Harthouse Winter Open), top 3rd speaker + grand finalist (Harthouse Summer Open).

Cody Zhang

Cody Zhang

Economics Instructor

Cody Zhang is a high schooler from Toronto and scored a 5 on AP Micro and makes economics simple, fun, and engaging!

Jeffrey Liu

Jeffrey Liu

Debate Coach

Hi, I'm Jeffrey! I am a grade 11 student at Milliken Mills High School. In my free time I love cooking food, listening to music, and working out! Passionate about accessibility in debate.

Amy Liu

Amy Liu

Debate Coach

Amy is a G10 student and a competitive debater who has won many debate tournaments.

Ferrari Zhang

Ferrari Zhang

Debate Coach

Ferrari is a G10 student and a competitive debater, who loves argumentation and refutation!

Terrence Guo

Terrence Guo

Debate Coach

Terrence is a G12 student and a competitive debater at the national level, winning many debating tournaments, including being the top speaker at Hart House High Schools.

Yunfei Shuai

Yunfei Shuai

Contests Organizer

Yunfei wrote her first story when she was 7 years old and never looked back since. She is an avid sci-fi enthusiast and an aspiring astrophysicist.

Susan Zheng

Susan Zheng

Contests Organizer

Susan finds way too much enjoyment in daydreaming about fictional scenarios and promising herself she'll finish a project tomorrow. A sci-fi fanatic, she obsesses over specific concepts.

Shahrad Islam

Shahrad Islam

Science Instructor

Hi! My name is Shahrad! Some things you should know about me are that I like playing sports, playing instruments, watching movies and shows, and I really like cats!

Ronnie Liu

Ronnie Liu

Science Instructor

Hello, my name is Ronnie Liu. I am a gifted grade 10 scholar at Richmond Hill High School. I love teaching because I enjoy watching children learn and discover new things.

Aaron Yang

Aaron Yang

Debate Coach

Aaron is a high school student at University of Toronto Schools with a strong passion about Debate and Competitive Programming. Has been competing for 3 years and is the only junior-qualifying senior national semifinalist in recent years. Achievements include top performer in age group at Harvard World Schools and Hart House Junior Quarterfinalist. Outside of debate, enjoys ultimate frisbee and exploring Classics.

Vincent Pham

Vincent Pham

Coding Instructor

Vincent is an IB Grade 11 student from Ottawa who enjoys building projects ranging from websites and games to apps and machine learning. He is proficient in full-stack development, Python, and Swift, and has performed well in several Canadian computer science competitions. Outside of coding, he is an award-winning violinist and enjoys running with his goldendoodle, Isabelle.

William Wang

William Wang

Coding Instructor

William Wang is a high school student at University of Toronto Schools with a strong interest in STEM. He enjoys exploring coding and problem-solving and is excited to help students build a solid foundation in programming through NexYouth.

Join Our Movement

Whether you're a young person looking to develop skills, a professional wanting to mentor, or an organization interested in partnering with us, we'd love to hear from you.

Get Involved