YOUTH
CLIMATE
CABINET
The Youth Climate Cabinet is comprised of award alumni and is the body that administers the National YCAA and serves as the peer review panel for submissions. In its spare time, the Cabinet speaks TRUTH TO POWER.
The YCC is also responsible for adjudicating the National Youth Climate Activism Award each year.
FINNEGAN BROWN
⦾ Chair
Finnegan is a climate advocate, visual artist, and youth leader, recognized for his creative activism and civic engagement. He was awarded the NYCAA in 2023 for his climate action work in artistic activism and engagement with local government. He advocates for connecting with nature through visual art, believing that experiencing its wonder inspires us to protect biodiversity.
As a Member of Parliament in BC’s Youth Legislative Assembly, Finn introduced a bill in the BC Legislature to redesign the grounds with a focus on habitat restoration and sustainable practices. The bill was passed with support from youth MPs representing ridings throughout British Columbia. He previously served in the Vancouver Island Youth Parliament, where he passed a private member’s resolution to install beehives on the Victoria Parliament Buildings to promote biodiversity and food security.
Now in his second year at the University of British Columbia, where he majors in Economics and minors in First Nations and Endangered Languages, Finnegan is fascinated by the ways ideas shape policy and society. His editorial cartoons have been recognized with the Global Young Journalist Award and selected for publication by the George Orwell Foundation in London. He was honoured to deliver the keynote address at the Victoria Climate Action Youth Forum, where he inspired and mentored other youth. Through his creative and civic work, Finnegan seeks to connect with others to take meaningful, collective action for social change.
Finnegan is an avid swimmer, competitive water polo player, and certified lifeguard. Now living away at university, he misses his two dogs, Lucy and Fred, but stays connected to pups by helping train facility and service dogs through UBC Campus Canines in partnership with PADS, promoting accessibility and inclusivity on campus.
➜ Check out Finn being interviewed on the National Observer by Patricia Lane HERE.
PARKER LITTLE
⦾ Communications Officer
Parker was a recipient of the NYCCA in 2022, where she was recognized for her recycling reformations at Claremont Secondary School. This included the opening of a Cafe (named the Zero Waste Cafe), writing Claremont’s One Planet Saanich plan, and speaking alongside Saanich’s immediate-past mayor, Fred Haynes, when the municipality accepted a Carbon Disclosure Project award. She has spoken to over 1,200 youth about the importance of recycling, and placed second nationally for her speech about the importance of the skilled trades in Canada’s future in the 2022 Skills Canada competition.
Parker is now doing a double major in Economics and Environmental Science as an undergraduate student at the University of Victoria. Her Environmental work continues through her research on soil carbon sequestration through the VKURA research internship, through her membership with the University’s sustainability project, and as a board member of I-SEA.
AMY ZHANG
⦾ Coordinator
Amy served as the Youth Outreach Group Leader in Mount Douglas Secondary School’s Environmental Leadership program, where she led initiatives to educate students about climate change, local ecosystems, conservation practices, and environmental threats such as microplastics. Under her leadership, the Youth Outreach team inspired middle school and high school students to take meaningful action toward environmental stewardship through interactive education and community engagement. Youth Outreach has since become a lasting part of Mount Douglas Secondary School’s Environmental Leadership program and continues to reach more students each year, educating younger generations about climate change and empowering them to take meaningful action in their own communities.
Beyond Youth Outreach, Amy volunteered throughout the Environmental Leadership program by removing invasive species at Mount Tolmie, transplanting camas in the school garden, and participating in local beach cleanups.
Amy is currently studying Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia. She is excited to see what inspiring actions youth will continue to bring to environmental advocacy, community leadership, and the future of our planet.
AMY CLARK
⦾ Role TBD
Amy Clark is a high school student from Southern Manitoba and a 2026 NYCAA recipient. Driven by a commitment to sustainable energy, Amy's environmental advocacy is grounded in rigorous scientific research. A three-time Canada-Wide Science Fair competitor representing Manitoba with distinction each year, her scientific work spans radon mitigation and mapping across the prairies and sustainable technology that harnesses energy from vibrations.
Her dedication to climate action is also shown in her writing for The Starfish Canada, where she covers sustainable tech. Alongside her environmental leadership, Amy is heavily involved in community and systemic impact: she advises the province on education policy through the Manitoba Student Advisory Council, advocates for girls in STEM with the United Nations Association in Canada (Winnipeg branch), and supports global health education as a Spanish translator and presenter for Rabies Global Support.
At her school, Amy stays active in the theatre, jazz band, student council, and as President of the Comic Book/Literature Club. When she isn't gaming, reading, or connecting with peers, she remains dedicated to building a more sustainable future.
Gayatri Sakharkar
⦾ Role TBD
Gayatri, a high school student from Calgary, was a recipient of the NYCAA in 2026, recognized for her work in environmental research and her local initiative. Her most prominent research was "Bye-Bye Toxic Plasticizer!" In this project, she developed a novel soil-compatible biodegradable plastic film derived from food waste materials. For this, she was recognized by receiving top awards at the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) including a gold medal. Beyond research, she also runs "Bhumii Initiatives" which is a local initiative aiming to increase environmental awareness/appreciation through the expression of the Indian arts.
Gayatri continues to make an impact on the environment. She is continuing both her research in sustainable agriculture and "Bhumii Initiatives." When she is not working for sustainability, her favourite thing to do is Kathak, a traditional Indian dance form. For her education and career, she aims to pursue environmental or green chemistry to continue creating innovative materials for a more environmentally-friendly future.
Melody Silva
⦾ Role TBD
Melody is a first-year Geography and Environmental Studies student at UVIC who was awarded the NYCCA in 2026. She received this award for her climate advocacy across multiple disciplines, from directing and producing a documentary on the impacts of fish farming on BC’s wild salmon populations to leading a research team studying the relationship between moss and soil microorganisms for the Salt Spring Climate Adaptation Research Lab.
During high school, she restarted the Earth Club to empower students to take meaningful climate action and address climate anxiety. She has also organized school-wide sustainability initiatives, including clothing and gift swaps and repair cafés, to reduce waste and encourage more sustainable consumer habits. In her senior year, she helped develop and run a Youth Climate Advocacy Training Program and co-designed and implemented a pilot plastic recycling system at her school.
Melody is passionate about inspiring people to get involved in climate advocacy in a way that is true to their strengths and interests. Whether through scientific research, creative expression, or community organizing, she believes that everyone has an important role to play in tackling the climate crisis.