Lauryn is Inupiaq from Unalakleet, Alaska. She is currently double majoring in Environmental Policy and Environmental Science at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. She started her advocacy work for climate change and Indigenous rights when she was working for Sitka Conservation Society in 2021. Now, she is currently a part of the 2023-24 Arctic Youth Ambassador Program. Through the Arctic Youth Network, she wants to bridge the gap between Indigenous science/knowledge and Western science when it comes to policymaking and decision-making in the Arctic. A goal of hers is also to promote more indigenous youth voices and presence when it comes to discussing Arctic issues.

Maverick is passionate about water conservation and stewardship, along with indigenous sovereignty. Additionally, he is planning to study chemistry in the fall with the goal of attending medical school. His background includes being a member of the Dene Nation Youth Council, the Prime Minister Youth Council, and an alumnus of the United World College Collective. He lived in the Northwest Territories for the majority of his life, with the exception of living in Alberta and BC for a few years. He is Dene and Métis. As an indigenous youth, his goals for being in the Arctic Youth Network are deeply rooted in his connection to the land and my community. First and foremost, he aims to advocate for the rights and well-being of indigenous peoples in the Arctic. He hopes to amplify voices and contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage. Additionally, he aspires to foster meaningful collaborations and partnerships with other youth from diverse backgrounds.

Nina is a French scholar who specialised in Small States and Arctic Affairs (more precisely in Arctic governance, resilience strategies, and security challenges) at the University of Iceland. Today, she aspires to further the involvement of Youth and Indigenous knowledge in environmental protection, from the oceans to outer space. She has participated in various conferences to share her knowledge, learn from experts, and connect with, empower, and elevate the voices of Youth and Indigenous communities. Nina’s goals at the AYN include the development of crisis response and adaptability, and include technology and innovation to explore new ways to connect and engage Youth globally. In this, she hopes to gather more easily and find these “golden nuggets” for better active Youth engagement and increased expertise.

Katharina is a junior researcher at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland mainly focusing on Arctic Ocean Governance and Marine Management, as well as the impacts of climate change on governance and management approaches. I became a member of the Arctic Youth Ocean (AYO) Group in 2019 and has served as a co-lead for the last few years. It is important to me that youth engagement across the Arctic is strengthened, through and with a sustainable platform. This should be a safe space to share experiences and knowledge, identify common concerns, difficulties and opportunities, to find ways to ensure that Youth voices are heard when they are needed to. Also, I am aiming to ensure that Ocean topics will find a space within the AYN.

Julia is a Latina Canadian cryosphere scientist living in Tromsø, northern Norway where she currently works as an adviser at Arctic Frontiers. Julia holds a BSc in physics and geophysics, and an MSc in Earth and Planetary sciences from McGill University where she conducted research on glacial earthquakes to improve our understanding of the relationship between ice loss in Greenland and climate, and explore associated hazards. Julia is committed to science outreach and communication in relation to climate change, sustainability and JEDI. She enjoys working with students and other young professionals to bolster their voices and encourage them to lead with knowledge and empathy. Julia has experience in program and event management, and alpine and backcountry expeditions. She speaks English, French, Spanish and is steadily improving her Norwegian.

Priscilla “Aumaqpaq” Frankson is an Iñupiaq scholar and Graduate Researcher at Arizona State University. Currently pursuing a masters in American Indian Studies. She comes from the northwestern village of Tikiġaq (Point Hope), Alaska. Priscilla’s research is particularly focused on the intricate dynamics of tribal governance within the context of co-management policies and the implications they have on cultural subsistence practices in Alaska. Her interests include learning the complexities surrounding the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Priscilla hopes to share her work and hear the work of others in her role with the Arctic Youth Council. By building a network of youth from around the arctic, we become stronger advocates for our own communities.

Heleen, hailing from the Netherlands, boasts a diverse background in marine mammal science. She specialized in the impact of noise pollution on cetaceans during her master’s in Industrial Ecology in Norway. With hands-on experience studying humpback whales in Alaska and killer whales in Iceland, Heleen’s passion for the Arctic runs deep. As the Scientific Secretary for the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission, Heleen collaborated on marine conservation issues in the Arctic. As Science Coordinator and guide on expedition ships in the Arctic and Antarctic, she now bridges ecotourism with science. Heleen’s Arctic Youth Network goals encompass ocean-themed solutions, integrating traditional ecological knowledge, and science communication, drawn from her immersive polar experiences. Heleen is based in Tromsø, Norway, where she enjoys hiking, freediving, skiing, and sailing.

Nivi Rosing is a 20 year old Inuk from Nuuk, Greenland. She is currently studying Inuit Studies in Ottawa Canada which she will finish in May of 2023. She is passionate about cross-border knowledge sharing in the Pan-Arctic and she has now spent 3 years in Canada exploring the similarities between colonialism in Canada and Greenland. Nivi advocates for implementing Indigenous knowledge within climate action and wildlife management. Alongside these roles, Nivi is a fellow of the Arctic Resilient Communities Fellowship.

Niall is a scholarly jurist specialising in the law of the sea and the participation of Arctic Indigenous peoples in public international law at the University of Akureyri in Northern Iceland. Besides pursuing his studies and research, Niall has been a passionate educator and teacher for multiple years both in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. He cares deeply about the oceans and their ecosystems, as he – from a young age on – learnt to value the seas as a source of immense inspiration, wonder, and personal
relaxation. With his research and engagement with Arctic peoples, he would like to play his part in conserving the Arctic ocean and seas for future generations. Niall’s goal for his work at the AYN is to raise awareness for the contribution that these fragile Arctic marine systems make to keeping the Earth habitable. He additionally seeks to improve existing governance frameworks by collective action. Niall is
well-posed to advance this by educational outreach initiatives to, for example, make complex issues of international marine governance accessible and understandable to a wide variety of people.