Los Altos Institution Fellows

Devansh Agarwal, a senior at Los Altos High School, is a leader, an entrepreneur, and an activist. He acts as the CEO of a social media agency he formed with 6 other students, and he frequently engages with his community by supporting elderly residents at the local Senior Center, organizing walkathons in memory of his passed friend, and holding food drives for community food banks. With his multidisciplinary background in technology, political science, and psychology, Devansh works to combat prolific misinformation and fake news targeting vulnerable groups of people.

Julian Hong is a student at Palo Alto High School where he serves as Student Body President, Editor-in-Chief of The Campanile, and Captain of the Extemporaneous Speech and Varsity Volleyball teams. Julian currently works for the Hoover Institution at Stanford University on East Asia and has worked with Stanford’s Department of Political Science, the California State Assembly, and the City of Palo Alto. Julian is a UKTOC qualifier, state runner-up in journalism, finalist for the National Feature Story of the Year, USA Volleyball Beach National Team Development Program invitee, and moderated the first high school-run congressional primary forum in American history—with LAI.

Developing a strong interest in Yugoslavia after learning about the burning of libraries in Sarajevo, Carter McKinzie has an immense passion for the different permutations of fascism and the factors that shape them. Currently, Carter works in collaboration with Dr. Mularski and Dr. Aleksić of The University of Michigan, along with the Yugoslavic archives, in a comparison of the 1935 Yugoslaivc Nationalist Movement and Milošević's policies and government during the 1990s. Additionally, Carter served as the student board member of his Governing Board of Education.

Joshua Tang, a Senior Research Fellow at the Los Altos Institution and Vice President at Computer Engineers of the Next Generation, is a dedicated professional conducting research on science policy across various disciplines while actively teaching coding to students and fostering athletic skills in young children as a Junior Counselor at Decathlon Sports Club.

Jack Gordon is a student at Yale University passionate about economics and finance. He is a Wharton Semi-Finalist, a National Economics Challenge Runner Up, and a Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge Champion. Jack was the Vice President of Resources for the Youth Economics Initiative, Team Captain of the Exeter Economics Association, Editor in Chief of the Exeter Review, and Captain of the Exeter Boys Varsity Ice Hockey team.

Avyay, a high school senior hailing from Naperville, Illinois, is set to embark on his freshman journey at Vanderbilt University. Currently serving as a student representative for the Financial Advisory Board for his city, Avyay also actively engages in school activities, including Model UN, Youth and Government, and Junior State of America. With a passion for business and a flair for innovation, he explores sustainable product development through his involvement in DECA. Eager to delve into research, Avyay looks forward to deepening his understanding of the intricate interplay between politics and the economy.

Dhruv is passionate about technology and STEM as a whole. He is involved in many communities, working as a leader at school and apart from it.

Kayvon Banankhah is a junior in the Modesto High School IB program. He has
served in his school’s Student Leadership for the past 2 years, is active in his local Youth
Commission, and is a member of his district’s LCAP Advisory Committee. He’s a
passionate advocate for financial literacy and expanding accessibility to financial
education for all students, and has supported legislative measures such as AB2927.

Ratul Chakraborty is a junior at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California. He is the current president and founder of California High School Democrats, Pleasanton Chapter, a Pleasanton-based branch of the youth wing of the Democratic Party dedicated to enacting policy change in Alameda County and the State of California. He also serves in leadership positions at various clubs in his high school, including the quiz bowl, research, and math clubs. A passionate scientist in many fields, he usually spends his free time doing math problems, researching global conflicts, doing unique research projects in a variety of fields, or converting these interests into successful start-ups/non-profits to enact change in the world around him.

Allison Cho, a junior at John A. Rowland High School, epitomizes a blend of empathy and determination in her activism, aiming to empower communities through policy solutions. Her advocacy efforts are evident through her founding roles in the coalition YouthForEarth and nonprofit Visioning Beyond, where she has pushed to solve environmental and social justice issues. As an intern at the office of Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, she worked diligently to craft policy that would address equitable access to education and healthcare. Allison’s overarching goals include fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future, where marginalized communities have fairer opportunities for prosperity and well-being.

Nikhil Daniel is a sophomore at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park with an interest in Domestic and International Politics. To further his interests and make an impact on his community, Nikhil is an Economic Policy Director at the Institute for Youth in Policy, Data Director for High School Democrats of America, and is nationally ranked for Public Forum debate. In his free time, Nikhil likes to play with his dog and watch Suits.

Fernanda Escalante, a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy, is a member of the Exeter Economics Association Competition Team, where she prepares for the Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Competition and the National Economics Challenge. Outside of Exeter, she leads the EconToday Journal, an international publication focusing on the most pressing economic issues of the time. Growing up on the US-Mexico border, she developed a passion for development economics, specifically in the Latin American world. Today, she looks to investigate developing markets and their intersections with geopolitical relations worldwide.

Christine Gibson, is a leader, community organizer, and philanthropy enthusiast. She currently serves as the founder and executive Director of Zation, and actively serves on multiple nonprofit student advisory boards. Drawing from a multicultural worldview coupled with prior knowledge in psychology and sociology, Christine is working to revolutionize the nonprofit sector by transforming it into a space where all social injustices are addressed internationally.

Joonyoung Heo is a student at Phillips Exeter Academy with a primary subject interest in history. He has developed extensive research with such institutions as the Massachusetts Historical Society, winning competitions at state and national levels. Beyond his projects, he currently leads the History Club and captains the school's History Bowl team. He also works in the American Independence Museum.

Michael Leff, a 17-year-old junior at Los Altos High School in CA, is a dedicated student and varsity wrestler with a passion for personal growth, sports, business, and entrepreneurship. Co-author of a book on Stoicism available on Amazon, he actively engages in school leadership, community outreach, and spent a summer interning at The Professional Fighters League. In the PFL's social media division, he focused on enhancing fan engagement and expanding the organization's online presence through strategic posts and influencer collaborations.

A junior at Farragut High School, Sophie is someone who seeks to live life deliberately, yet still to the fullest extent, and her passions for environmental justice reflects a combination of the two. Unafraid, she wants to use her voice to accentuate her passions, while fostering collaborative and productive environments for future conversation. Outside of personal research, she enjoys exploring youth civic engagement through her role as convention coordinator for the Junior State of America, Ohio River Valley region. Additionally, she has worked on research at Oak Ridge National Labs, is a violinist for the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra, and a competitive swimmer on Tennessee Aquatics.

Joshua Metters, is a Junior at Livingston High School. With experience from an internship with former New Jersey representative Assemblyman John McKeon, he actively supports Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill's campaign. Josh also serves as a Public Relations specialist for his school's Shell EcoMarathon team, dedicated to developing fuel-efficient automobiles. Beyond his political engagements, he conducts academic research on creating an educational curriculum for youth addressing the challenge of healthy aging.He enjoys hiking, fencing, cooking, exploring fashion, Geopolitics, Economics, Linguistics, World history, Taiwanese history, and learning about diverse perspectives in his free time.

Noah Nam is a junior at Los Altos High School. Alongside his studies, he interns at Mashgin, where he performs data and sales analysis.

Venkata Siva Ramisetty is a 16 year old high school student from Sunnyvale, CA. Part of many student organizations, Venkat is a natural leader. He has previously worked with the Delaware Institute of Public Health on Cancer Screening and research and is currently working on using machine learning to reduce inequalities in cancer screening. Venkat is also an expert on Global Health and has attended the Global Health Leaders Conference at Johns Hopkins University.

Amanda Wang is a student at Los Altos High School who is passionate about applying math and data science to provide solutions to issues in economics and technology. She is actively involved in multiple school activities, and currently serves as the Women in STEM public relations officer, BEAM (Business, Entrepreneurship, and Math) Younger Generation Program Coordinator, Math Club treasurer, and a peer tutor. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, listening to music, reading, and volunteering to help children in need.

Maulik Dhakal, a senior at Los Altos High School and Jon Alvin Hayman Director of the Los Altos Institution, is dedicated to addressing global challenges through his background in education politics, national security studies, policy analysis, and international relations, coupled with valuable internship experiences at institutions like the Hoover Institution and the University of Southern California's Dornsife Center for the Political Future.

Khyati Kapur, a dedicated social worker and Senior Research Fellow at the Los Altos Institution, serves as the President of MAPS MUN Club, UNHCR Trainee, Youth Ambassador at Aunua Global, and brings a wealth of experience as an ex-Hindustan Times intern, seasoned MUNer, and podcast host, passionately advocating for positive change and global understanding.

Quinn Mitchell, a 16-year-old political commentator from New Hampshire, offers a unique and unbiased perspective on the presidential process through his blog and podcast, "Into The Tussle," drawing from his extensive experience attending over 80 presidential rallies, meeting several presidents, and posing insightful questions, as featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Fox News, CNN, and USA Today.

Alex Tasic, a junior at Los Altos High School and a Senior Fellow at the Los Altos Institution, passionately leads research in medical machinery while showcasing exceptional athletic talent. He is highly passionate about technology and wants to take that passion into his research on medical machinery. Through his experience with utilizing technology in past work opportunities, he will focus on the research towards advancing remote surgeries by reducing delay from the operator to the surgical device.

Dean Harpaz is an entrepreneur, avid environmental conservationist, and photographer. As the founder of OneWhale, Dean has been working toward a safer planet for our next generation, helping our world become more forward-thinking. As a Fellow, Dean looks forward to creating new ideas and experiences.

Thomas Seigneurbieux, a junior at Los Altos High School, is dedicated to creating sustainable and aesthetically-pleasing architecture for cities across the United States through his experience gained from an internship at the UCLA school of architecture. He is also the president of the Los Altos chapter of the Best Buddies organization which aims to improve the lives and school experience of individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities.

Beatrix Austin is a current junior in Miss Porters School. She is currently on the varsity crew and ski team and is head of the Freshwater Ecology and Bee club. She is currently pursuing her certificate in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship and her museum docent certification. Bee is interested in sociology, Art history, Chemistry and journalism.

Amiya Bansal is a junior at Notre Dame High School in San José. She serves as the District 6 Youth Commissioner where she initiates change through policy in her city. She is actively involved in local politics as she is an intern for the Mayor of San José as well as for congressional candidate, Sam Liccardo. She intends to pursue a career in government and in her free time, you can catch her listening to Rap and R&B in her car!

Celina Chen is a high school freshman at Menlo School. She is a dedicated student and an experienced Congressional Debater of 5 years with an interest in American politics and international relations. Involved in student government, leadership and political activism, she hopes to promote political awareness in her community and become a national politician in the future.

Alongside being a fellow at the Los Altos Institution, Trevor Crane is a Life Scout and OA member for Troop 31 with hundreds of hours of community service, Co-President of the HAM Radio club and A Group leader for the LAHS Cross Country team. He has also led groups of peers though the Lakes of Northern Minnesota and Provided guidance through the harsh mountains of New Mexico, while also assisting in many food drives, homeless kitchens and community cleanup and decoration around the Bay Area. He is dedicated to finding a way to combine the extremes of the world today and find a common, rational and practial solution to the economic crises that face the world.

Theo Dischler, a junior at Los Altos High School, is researching sports medicine as a senior fellow at the Los Altos Institution alongside his role as a communications officer. Through the lens of computational biology, he aims to meld his background as a multi-sport varsity athlete with years of computer science experience and past research at institutions in pursuit of providing high-school students with digital resources regarding injury diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Talia Frank is Deputy Director on Communications and a Fellow on Health Policy at the Los Altos Institution. She is in her third year of Student Community Leaders at school and is the social media director for the Jewish Student Union. She is extremely passionate about medicine and healthcare in general and is focused on improving communities in those aspects. She has worked with doctors in the past to increase the acceptance rate of transplant hearts and provide scholarships to med students.

Sophie Glass is a Roslyn High School student in New York. She is passionate about exploring the intersection between policy, business, and economics. Sophie is especially interested in spreading financial literacy, which resulted in her collaborating with Junior Achievement to introduce a financial literacy program education program into her district, reaching over 400 students. She has developed a keen interest in these areas by serving as a research assistant for the Higher Education Financial Wellness Association, research trainee for the Los Angeles Behavioral Economics Laboratory, NYS DECA VP of Communications, Roslyn Stock Market Club President, Roslyn Speech and Debate President, Harvard STRIPED youth corps advocate, and more!

Sumedh Kothari is a 16 year old junior at Los Altos High School and Fellow at the Los Altos Institution on Chemistry. He has completed multiple literature reviews on carbon crystallization and methane decarburization. Additionally, he has completed a sustainability data science project in which he used machine learning models to predict successful crop growth based on 30 types of bacterial content. Currently, he is committed to performing chemistry research on the removal of PFAS in water.

Nicholas Li, a student at Phillips Exeter Academy, is a fervent writer with a passion for economics, sociology, and behavioral sciences. Nicholas has penned a dozen essays centered on welfare economics, antitrust law, and intertemporal choice, winning awards and recognition from the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association, Pivotal Contest, John Locke Institute, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and Global Research and Consulting Group. Outside of classes, Nicholas spends his time reading and performing on stage. He enjoys contrarian ideas and is always open to an interesting discussion.

Michael is a Junior at Los Altos High School. He is a dedicated Varsity Football and Track athlete, a member of the Associated Student Body (ASB), and serves as the Publicity Commissioner for the class of 2025. He is in the Advanced Science Investigation class (ASI) and is working to create a alternative to caffeine that has less harmful affects, due to the fact that so many athletes rely on this substance. He has experience working at an Orthopedic lab at Stanford helping to create synthetic limbs.

Ishika Modi, a sophomore at Los Altos High School, is dedicated to exploring sustainable solutions through policy initiatives. Ishika currently serves as the Vice President of Mock Trial, Novice PF Co-Captain for Debate, Fundraising Commissioner for LAHS Student Athlete Leadership Team, Leadership Member for BEAM (Business, Entrepreneurship, and Math), and volunteers with Girls on the Run. She has interned with Acterra and the Santa Clara Green Business Department. Additionally, she runs for LAHS’s state-champion varsity cross-country and track teams. Ishika aspires to pursue a career in public service and policy.

Yash Panwar, a senior at Los Altos High School, actively supports the homeless with technological difficulties they encounter and helps arrange housing appointments and applications. Using his knowledge of their hardships, he aims to learn about bias in machine learning to improve outputs for social good and create algorithms to help them portray their struggles with minimal effort.

Tyler Rose is a motivated high school student from Monta Vista High School in Cupertino. He has gained valuable experience through software development internships, contributing to projects at companies like Wolfram Research and Vortle. Tyler is passionate about leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance global wellbeing and has engaged in substantive research in bioinformatics and hydrology. As a founding member of South Bay Robotics, he actively promotes inclusive access to robotics education. Outside school, Tyler enjoys playing badminton and volunteering as a STEM tutor.

Christopher has background in machine learning research, with a focus on computer vision. As well as researching novel segmentation techniques for endoscopic surgery, he has worked on projects in chemical analysis and towards improved spinal health. In his spare time, Christopher engages in STEM outreach through his magazine and website.

Travis Hodges, currently the National President of the American Youth Association, is a dedicated advocate for educational reform and economic revitalization. At the Los Altos Institution, he manages operations and conducts research on economic implications of partisanship and instability. Travis previously led legislative efforts in California, sponsoring and cosponsoring bills such as SB857 and AB320. Travis aspires to study economics and policy for a future career in public service.

Gabriel Kirkwood is an ambitious student with a passion for aviation, physics, mathematics, and law. As an aspiring leader and scholar, Gabriel runs several clubs in his school including Mock Trial and Rocketry Club. In his free time, Gabriel is often running in the trails, contributing to local political events, or leading a club event. He hopes to make an impact in the world of aerospace and law and to pursue a career that combines the two passions.

Dhruv Nagarajan, a student at Phillips Exeter Academy, is a self-taught finance and economics enthusiast, having experience in portfolio management and financial advisory. Currently contributing market and economic analyses for The Algo, a platform for premium stock market idea generation, Dhruv's YouTube videos on market analysis have collectively garnered over 25,000 views. Dhruv won the 2023 Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge and secured a 2nd place nationally in the 2023 National Economics Challenge Adam Smith Division. He also captained a Global Semifinalist Team in Wharton's Global High School Investment Competition and actively serves as a Vice President for the Youth Economics Initiative.

Divaa Uthkarsha is a passionate UNSDG 3 advocate from India, who works for good health and wellbeing.
She is the founder and CEO of Project Surya, an internationally recognized non-profit working towards aiding the underprivileged type one diabetic adolescents in India through awareness, advocacy and funding. She is a Diana Awardee, recognized by the royal family of UK. She is the winner of the highest youth accolade for humanitarian impact and has been featured as India's top 7 changemakers by Better India and a 21 under 21 Change Maker.

Shardul Krishnakumar is a current senior at John P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey with a strong passion for public service, social justice, youth advocacy, and policy making. He hopes to study political science and economics, and pursue a career either in policymaking or public interest law. He is involved in a variety of clubs and activities in his hometown, from being president of the school's debate club to serving as the current Membership Director of the New Jersey High School Democrats.

Alexander is a Junior at Chatsworth Charter High School and a part of his Track team, Mock Trial Team Captain, Science Club President and many more. As someone who has a deep passion for everything ranging from global geopolitics and aviation technologies he aims to bring a new insight on how the US and the world can reform energy and transportation infrastructure through politics. In his free time he enjoys practicing Archery, Competitive Chess, and playing Spikeball with friends.

Eric Bagg, a sophomore at Phillips Exeter Academy, is a passionate aspiring economist. At school, he deepens his understanding of markets and human behavior through extracurricular involvement in the Business Club and the Investment Society. He is also a key participant in the nationally renown Exeter Economics Association, the 2023 second-ranked economics team in the nation. He is especially interested in the intersections of markets and medicine through the emerging field of health economics.

Haylie is a junior at Los Altos High School researching Cognitive Science at the Los Altos Institution. She hopes to learn more about human perception, decision making, and the processing of language, memory, and knowledge in the brain. In her free time, Haylie enjoys rowing, traveling, and spending time with friends.

Shannon Chiang, a sophomore at Los Altos High School in CA, is passionate about advocacy and global connectivity. At school, she serves as the vice president of Fight Overdose, an initiative that focuses on providing the community with crucial prevention resources while working to destigmatize conversations surrounding addiction and overdoses. In her free time, she loves painting, playing tennis, and traveling.

Humza Dalal, a junior at Homestead High School, is dedicated to making an impact through exploring the intersection of data science, public policy, and operations research. He is an elected commissioner on the Los Altos Youth Commission and a Model UN mentor at several middle schools. In his free time he loves swimming, hiking, gardening, and trying new foods.

Eason is a Junior at Los Altos High School passionate about aviation and aerospace. He is currently involved as a lead volunteer at the Hiller Aviation Museum and is pursuing a path in aerospace engineering. He also enjoys photography as an extracurricular and currently serves as the photo editor of the Midpeninsula Post.

Sam Galli attends Los Altos High School where he is a part of the Class of 2026. He plays two sports and is part of numerous clubs. He has been interested in government, politics, and history for many years.

Keshav is a junior at Eton College in the UK and lives in Dubai. He is interested in psephology and its application in a wider political and economic context. Keshav is the lead writer for Eton's politics publication and is also a keen classicist. Outside of school, he is an avid squash player.

Prapti Kuvadia is a high school student accelerating towards a career in finance and accounting. She pursues this ambition through participating in programs like Business Professionals of America and taking several Advanced-Placement courses. In her free time, she enjoys performing Indian classical dance, reading novels, and listening to music.

Andrew Lieu is a proud junior at Overfelt High School. He serves as a City Youth Commissioner for the City of San José, leading the initiative to change the law to enhance the role that the youth commission plays in local affairs; Helping update the County Bill of Rights for Children and Youth and is a consultant in the development of the city's first-ever Children and Youth Masterplan. His fellowship is named after his beloved teacher and mentor, Douglas Day.

Rachael is a 16-year-old high school student in Nevada interested in international relations and public policy. She has a passion for organizing community events that advocate for economic and social reform. Currently, she works on developing programs on youth grants under the City of Las Vegas, serves on the executive board of the Blueribbon commission to improve issues concerning educational opportunities in the community, and holds the position of president at her school's DECA charter. Additionally, she is actively involved in advancing an organization aimed at educating young adults on Nevada and National Policies.

Anagha Nagesh is a student at John P. Stevens High School in New Jersey. She is passionate about finding evidence-based policy solutions for pressing issues, and she hopes to study political science or policy in the future. At school, Anagha partakes in Mock Trial, Research, Theatre, Choir, the School Newspaper, and Varsity Cheer.

Xavier Ramirez is a 17-year-old political activist, researcher, and writer passionate about critically analyzing society through the lens of philosophy. He is driven by studying power structures and achieving liberation through advocacy that is inclusive, innovative, and follows the principles of progress. He currently serves as the President of Policy Debate at Lincoln High School and is also a member of the LAUSD Governmental Student Advisory Council, the ACLU of SoCal's Youth Liberty Squad, and was a research intern at the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. Committed to the exploration of new ideas, he intends to combine the fields of political and philosophical research and advocacy to further social justice.

Yash is a junior at Parsippany Hills High School in New Jersey. With knowledge in everything ranging from science and technology, to public policy and law, he wants to use his knowledge and expertise to research and inform others about solutions to pressing global issues.