Our Team - Youth Underground

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

As Youth Underground’s highest governing body, the Board of Directors safeguards the organization’s mission and fulfills its fiduciary responsibilities through strong nonprofit governance and strategic leadership. Chief among its responsibilities is leading fundraising and resource development. The Board plays a central role in identifying, cultivating, and securing the funding, partnerships, and donor relationships that sustain Youth Underground’s youth development programs and long-term impact. Beyond this, the Board defines the organization’s purpose, appoints and evaluates the CEO and senior leadership, guides strategic planning, ensures sound financial oversight, approves and monitors programs, strengthens the organization’s public image, and regularly evaluates its own performance.

Individual Board members are expected to have a deep understanding of Youth Underground’s mission, policies, programs, and organizational needs, serving as active advocates, ambassadors, and champions for the organization. Fundraising remains at the heart of this role, with Board members leveraging their professional and personal networks to connect with donors, funders, corporate partners, and community stakeholders. By building meaningful relationships and increasing public awareness, Board members help advance Youth Underground’s mission and expand its impact. They also prepare for and actively participate in Board meetings, contribute to informed decision-making, and serve on committees as needed to support effective nonprofit leadership and governance.

RASHA HAMMAD

NICHOLAS JONATHAN PEART

GEORGES TSITOS

Board President

Board Secretary

Board Treasurer

YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD

The Youth Advisory Board is a pioneering group of young leaders embedded at the heart of Youth Underground. As one of the first initiatives of its kind in the anti-human trafficking sector, the Youth Advisory Board ensures that young people are not simply heard. They are helping lead the way. Selected for their leadership, integrity, and commitment to social change, the Youth Advisory Board’s five members work alongside Youth Underground’s staff and Board of Directors. They actively participate in staff meetings, strategic planning, and Board discussions, ensuring that youth leadership is integrated into the organization’s governance and decision-making.

Together, Youth Advisory Board members propose, debate, and vote internally on key recommendations related to advocacy, youth engagement, human trafficking prevention, child exploitation prevention, and organizational programs. While final decision-making authority rests with the Board of Directors, this voting process creates a formal pathway for youth-led recommendations to influence organizational strategy. By embedding youth participation into every level of governance, Youth Underground ensures that young voices help shape its mission to prevent human trafficking, combat child exploitation, and build safer futures for children and young people.