.png)
Meet the Team
Annika Lilja
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Annika Lilja is a first year student at Lehigh University studying Political Science and Economics. She has worked on three congressional campaigns, one presidential campaign, and one state house race. Originally from Minnesota, Lilja attends Lehigh with the Soaring Together full-tuition merit scholarship and as a member of the Eckardt Honors Program. She founded this website, previously known as All Teen Politics, in 2020, driven by her passion for youth civic engagement. Planning to attend law school, she hopes to pursue a career in political activity, complience, and policy law.
Francesca Howard
Operations Director
Francesca Howard is a high school senior at the Beekman School in New York City. From collaborating with local women’s shelters, interning at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and going door-to-door for local political campaigns, Francesca is always getting involved in New York City’s activist scene. She also works part-time as the manager of a professional photography studio, where she uses her lens as a tool for social change. In college, she hopes to pursue a combined or double major that integrates her diverse passions for women’s studies, politics, English, history, and criminal justice. One day, she plans to head on to law school and make her debut in the political arena! Francesca is beyond excited to help grow this platform and foster good-faith discourse.
Olivia Hicks
Social Media Coordinator
Olivia Hicks is a high school junior who is originally from New York City, but attends The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. In her free time, she is on the editorial board of her school political magazine, as well as on the board of the gender equity group, teaches ESL to Spanish-speaking immigrants, and is on the wellness council. She hopes to pursue a degree in philosophy and political science in college.
Saneya Mohamed
Writer & Editor
Saneya Mohamed is a high school junior in New York whose work centers on youth civic engagement and public policy. She is the founder of Beading For Law, a nonprofit organization that teaches K–12 students how to navigate the legal system. She has worked as a campaign manager on multiple political campaigns, including New York State Senate, Assembly, and local races. Saneya proposed the Next Gen Civics Act, a bill currently moving through New York’s legislative process to require a full credit of project-based civics education for grades 9–12 in public schools, and is currently conducting independent research on civic education and youth political participation.
Piotr Mateusz Kukula
Writer & Editor
Piotr is a sophomore at Bedford High School, in Bedford, New Hampshire. He is captivated by politics, government, field biology and classic literature. Piotr has recently been delving into the realm of philosophy, and its interconnectedness with the political system. His work is primarily centered around a legal and ethical lens of current policy being introduced by both the federal and state governments, although he does venture into environmental-based reviews and general reviews of legislation and resources offered to students his age.
Jiya Bhadaja
Writer
Jiya Bhadaja is a junior at Morris County School of Technology in the Healthcare Sciences Academy. She has volunteered and shadowed within major healthcare systems, gaining hands-on exposure to patient care and clinical environments. Passionate about healthcare advocacy, she is committed to making teens more aware of the healthcare policies and systemic changes that directly impact their lives, while also exploring broader political issues shaping modern government. She has competed in HOSA for two consecutive years, placing at the state level, and continues to research and compete in persuasive speaking and writing events. She aims to bridge the gap between policy and youth awareness and empower teens to stay informed and engaged.
