Meet the fellows!
Shared Ground Fellows are young people from around the world who contribute monthly articles or interviews about the issues shaping their lives and futures. Each Fellow brings their own perspective, creativity, and voice to help build a global community of understanding among youth. Click on their names and see what each of them has to say!
Lea Gorman leagorman8@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“My name is Lea Gorman. I am a student who is very passionate about making a great impact on the world. I love to read and my favorite topic is romantic comedies. I love researching and going on deep-dives on random topics. My favorite thing to do is to spend time with my goldendoodle, Paris and watch movies!”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow due to the fact that there are lots of bad things happening in the world and that we should help bring awareness to topics like food and living conditions.”
Shared Ground Fellow
“Hello! I’m Emaan and I’m from Pakistan. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and I love Volleyball and Traveling. I play on both Junior Varsity and Varsity, and we recently won a State Championship for Junior Varsity! I also take pride in my other hobbies like photography, makeup, and more.”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I believe that no matter your background, your geographical disadvantage, your disability, you can make a difference for those around you and globally. Whether it be just a story, or an initiative, you can inspire others to be better and help those in need.”
Jiya Thakur thakurjiya69.2010@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“Hi my name is Jiya Thakur, i’m from Jacksonville, Florida and I love to play guitar, paint, and dance. I’m passionate about healthcare and have been especially interested in dermatology since middle school. Through Shared Ground, I’m excited to build better understanding across communities.”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I really like the idea of young people sharing their own stories and learning from each other’s experiences around the world. I think there are so many everyday challenges and perspectives that don’t get talked about enough, especially from students our age. I also care a lot about topics like healthcare, education, and how opportunities differ depending on where you live, so this feels like a meaningful way to explore those issues while connecting with others. I’m excited about the chance to create something thoughtful each month and be part of a youth-led project that promotes understanding and empathy across communities.”
Ashna Sharma ashnapoh@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“Hi my name is Ashna Sharma! I'm a sophmore from New Jersey. Some of my hobbies include painting, hiking, playing field hockey for my school, and reading sci-fi. I'm really interested in science and I also love getting to know new people!”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I like how this program is youth led and discusses real experiences from young people around the world. I also like the freedom that we are given when choosing what topics we want to write about. I want to help younger people connect with each other and I also want to be able to express my creativity.”
Maya Sumner mayasumner0@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“My name is Maya Sumner, and I’m a rising senior at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Virginia. I aspire to become a plastic surgeon when I grow up. In my free time, I lead my track and dance team, help children discover reading by being a member of a club called Pages for Hope, and enjoy watching sports.”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I believe it is crucial for our generation to take action and shape our future by discussing important issues such as climate change, relationships, education, and more. By joining the fellowship, I can utilize my Capstone credit (AP seminar and AP research) to assist others in discovering their identities and contributing to the betterment of the world.”
Karolina Lee Karolina.tennis8@icloud.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“My name is Karolina Lee. I am passionate about working to make a positive impact on the world, and I think this project is just for that! I love playing tennis, reading, writing, science, bookstores, traveling, and healthcare, specifically dermatology!”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow to amplify the voices and stories that often go unheard. I believe that youth-led dialogue regarding healthcare, education, and social equity can spark global change, regardless of a person’s background or physical ability. By sharing our lived experiences and challenges each month, we can break down barriers and empower one another to make a tangible difference. I’m thrilled to be part of a project that proves our stories are not just reflections of our lives, but tools for building a more understanding and supportive global community.”
Ariel Kim kimarh0513@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“I am 16 years old, play golf, and live in FL! I play the violin and piano and I love journalism.”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow to spread awareness to people in the community, especially students, about mental health and other topics to help us connect!”
Gabriella Klimek gabbyklimek@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“My name is Gabriella Klimek. I am from Long Island, New York. I am currently 16 years old. I've been playing soccer since I was 4 years old, and I've been playing the piano since I was 6. On the weekends, I spend my time hanging out with my friends, shopping, and playing with my two cockapoo dogs.”
“My interest in becoming a Shared Ground fellow comes from my deep passion for facilitating positive impacts on others. This type of achievement creates a meaningful sense of purpose - the “why” factor. Becoming a Shared Ground fellow will challenge me while also benefiting me to further develop interpersonal skills. It’ll help me to turn a simple passion into meaningful impact.”
Emery Baumgartner emerybaumgartner@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
I am 15 years old, and a sophomore at the Frederick Gunn School in Washington, CT. I currently play field hockey, ice hockey, and softball! I am also in 4 clubs, including medical club, and a Class Representative and a tour guide. My hobbies consist of baking, hanging out with friends, or really just doing anything. I find myself as a very open person, so I pretty much go with the flow! I have always had an interest in medicine, and I’m hopeful to be a pre-med in my college years! I’m very thankful this opportunity exists, and I believe this will grow very far!”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I’m looking for exposure to medicine, but also skills that will help me in my future. Whether it’s communication, and pushing myself out there. I believe this opportunity will greatly affect my future in a positive way, and I’m very appreciative that like-minded people get to apply/perform in these sorts of projects!
Gabriela Reyes (Preferred: Gabi) gabireyes.16.2009@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“I was born in Mexico and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, coming from a Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Dominican family. I’m fluent in both English and Spanish and love helping people, like the time I raised money to help a family send their brother’s body back to his home country. Between my experience in HOSA and hearing my mom stories when she studied to be a nurse ( she did become a nurse but can’t practice here due to the fact that she graduated in Mexico ), I know I want to work in medicine I'm just deciding right now if I want to be a PA or an MD.”
“I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I care about helping people and bringing different cultures together. Growing up in a Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Dominican family in Raleigh, I’ve seen how hard it can be for people to get help when there are language barriers. I’ve already stepped up to lead fundraisers for families in need, and I want to use my voice and my bilingual skills to help other young people understand these kinds of challenges. Whether I become a PA or a doctor, I want to start making a difference now by sharing stories that matter.
Peyton Crawford pecrawford01@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“My name is Peyton, and I’m a sixteen year old from a small town in Connecticut. I’m passionate about educating other teens on public policy and civic engagement, and some of my other interests are psychology, reading, spending time with friends, and educating myself on the world today.”
I became a Shared Ground Fellow because I think it’s incredibly important to educate yourself and those around you on what’s going on in our world today. It can feel overwhelming and stressful to see the news and all sorts of laws being passed that are hard to understand, so I want to take away some of that stress from other people.
Sreedha sreedha.narem@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“Hello! My name is Sreedha and I am a high schooler from Ellicott city Maryland I love to read, exercise, and listening and practicing music. I am interested in continuing my volunteer work throughout highschool and into college and want to join and see programs where I can contribute to for the rest of my life as I feel volunteer work and giving back to the community is something very important. My community helped me out when I was struggling with my mental health and giving back to my community and others around me is my way of thanking them and others who have helped me thrive.”
“I think it’s very important to bring issues that aren’t seen to light and the only way in my eyes to get attention is to speak up and never give up about showing yours and others perspectives so change can ensue. This is something that can be achieved through shared ground fellow and that is why I want to join the world is in chaos and truthfully it always has been but with new social media presence it has become more easier than ever to get opinions out into the open and to the world as well as perspectives.”
Yursa Tesso yusrabdullahitesso@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“Hello! My name is Yusra Tesso, and I am a junior at Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota. I have a passion for helping others and hope to pursue a career in nursing. I currently run a Red Cross chapter with a friend where we organize weekly meetings, plan events, and create handmade items for donations drives. I also enjoy making crafts, editing, and finding creative ways to express myself.”
“I became a Shared Group Fellow because I believe that many people experience youth in different ways and those experiences are not always understood or shared. Some teens may feel disconnected or distant from lifestyles or perspectives that are different from their own. I see this program as a way to help share and highlight those different perspectives so that teens can better understand one another.”
Alexander Njoku anjoku705@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“I’m an ambitious person who loves contributing to my community and finding new, exciting things to do. I have a passion for the medical field because it’s enticing to me when I start exploring the different things that the human body is capable of.”
“I became a shared ground fellow because I believe that if our articles and interviews reach enough people it could make a big difference on our youth and another reason is it’s important to educate our youth about stuff they haven’t even thought or talked about before because I’ve noticed that in our generation we speak up a lot about a lot of stuff so spreading information can change us for the better.”
Shannon Collins Collinsshannon@icloud.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“My name is Shannon Collins and I am junior in high school. I have grown up in New Jersey my whole life but I love spending my summers in Delaware surrounded by family. I am super passionate about the gym and health related issues including both physical and mental. I hope to work in the medical field in the future specifically as a dermatologist but I mostly just want to focus on helping people and their wellbeing!”
“Being a Shared Ground Fellow comes of interest to me as I hope to target topics that may not be as commonly talked about. For example, mental health of youth students may be touched upon but I believe I could dig even deeper on topics similar to this. In the bigger picture, I love to advocate for the world and its protection and talking about topics that can help even the smallest amount are still making an effort to work for the improvement of the earth. Finally, being a Shared Ground Fellow would also expose me to people who share similar goals and mindsets as me which I consider significantly important as I believe who you surround yourself with has a huge effect on your life.”
Vivian Zhu vivian2267z.z@gmail.com
Shared Ground Fellow
“I’m Vivian and I’m from San Jose, California. I’m a freshman in high school. I’m interested in going to college for nursing and I’m really into sports. I love basketball, I’ve been playing for a few years and it’s something that’s just really important to me. I like being busy, in any way whether that’s with friends, sports, school, or jobs, I like to fill my time with all sorts of things. I am super organized so it’s easy to manage but I just love to be out doing anything, no matter what it is.”