Nikita Bharati is currently a junior at Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona. She currently works with the Arizona Sustainability Alliance on the Sustainable Food Systems Priority, in which she helps with the production of Food Computers and vertical gardens, and helps brings them to local middle schools and high schools.

With a strong passion for sustainability as well as advocacy, she also helps lead the youth organization, Arizona Youth Climate Strike (AZYCS), a branch of the national organization, US Youth Climate Strike. AZYCS is a climate justice group led entirely by youth, focused on ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all people living in Arizona.

When she is not participating in her advocacy efforts or working with AZSA, she enjoys spreading her joy for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to young girls through an international organization called Girl STEMpowerment, which she co-founded at 14!

Gianluca Russo is a freelance fashion and culture writer who recently moved from New York to Arizona. His work has been published in GQ, Glamour, Teen Vogue, NYLON, InStyle, Fashionista and more. His features discussing topics like size inclusivity and body positivity have sparked many conversations within the plus-size community, and his coverage of New York Fashion Week has received attention on a national level by outlets like CBS This Morning. Gianluca is a graduate of the University at Albany, SUNY where he graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. For more of his work, follow him on social media at @g_russo1 or visit www.RussoG.com.

Dana Berchman is the Chief Digital Officer in Gilbert, Arizona, where she manages all internal and external communications, public relations, marketing and digital government initiatives. She leads a digital team responsible for developing forward-thinking policies on social media, digital communications, web initiatives and other tools to better serve the public. Her department created a coding contest for junior high and high school students called “SPARK App League” and the “Government Gone Digital” podcast. Previously, Dana spent eight years working at MTV and MSNBC, both in New York City. Dana earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Arizona State University and her Master’s Degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University.

Bhavik Rajaboina is a 17-year old high school senior who has a passion for public speaking and researching Alzheimer’s disease. He is a frequent participant in many of the state’s debate competitions, earning 2nd place at the ASU Invitational National Circuit debate tournament as well as placing Quarter-Finals at the Water Tower Invitational tournament hosted at Mesquite Highschool. Aside from speaking, he is also interested in studying the brain and causes of neurodegenerative diseases. At the Arizona Biomedical Campus, he researched and found a link between Traumatic Brain Injuries and Alzheiemer’s progression in the brain. Today, he is a research intern at ASU and is studying the impact of choline, a substance found heavily in peanuts, on the clearing of Alzheiemer’s symptoms in the brain.

Adelaida V. Severson, Ph.D., is President and CEO of Bushtex, Inc. She founded Bushtex, Inc. with her husband, Barry, in 1994, as a satellite communications firm, specializing in remote broadcast transmissions worldwide. In 2003, Dr. Severson became more involved with the marketing and operations of the company, helping to increase sales and visibility.

Dr. Severson has received numerous awards and accolades with Bushtex throughout her career. Most recently, Adelaida was inducted into the Arizona State University Sun Devil 100 Class of 2019.