WASHINGTON, D.C. — Active Minds, the nation’s premier nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health for young adults, has officially announced the appointment of its 2025-2026 Student Advisory Committee (SAC). This select group of student leaders, chosen from a competitive pool of applicants across the United States, is tasked with a critical mission: to serve as the national representative body for thousands of students, ensuring that the youth perspective remains at the heart of mental health advocacy, policy-making, and programming.
As the landscape of higher education continues to grapple with a burgeoning mental health crisis, the role of the SAC has never been more vital. These six individuals—hailing from diverse academic backgrounds ranging from Aerospace Engineering to Neuroscience—bring lived experience and localized expertise to the national stage. They will advise on Active Minds’ strategic initiatives, influence national conference agendas, and spearhead projects designed to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental illness on campuses nationwide.
Main Facts: The New Vanguard of Peer-Led Advocacy
The 2025-2026 SAC cohort represents a strategic cross-section of the modern American student body. Their work is centered on the principle that students are the experts of their own experiences and are best positioned to lead the "peer-to-peer" revolution in mental wellness.
Profiles in Leadership: The 2025-2026 SAC Members
Nadira Akilo (University of Texas at Austin)
A Biology major on the pre-med track, Akilo’s advocacy is rooted in the intersectionality of her African American and Asian heritage. Growing up in rural East Texas, she witnessed firsthand how cultural stigma and geographic isolation can silence discussions on mental well-being. Akilo aims to use her platform to make mental health discussions accessible through the lens of pop culture, bridging the gap between clinical psychiatric research and everyday student life.
Varsha Penumalee (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Penumalee brings a robust background in institutional advocacy to the committee. As the Co-President of Active Minds at VCU and a member of the Youth MOVE National Board of Directors, she has already influenced mental health policy at the state level in Virginia. Her focus remains on health inequities and improving care for underserved populations, particularly through the integration of public health frameworks into campus resources.
Marissa Smith (Rider University)
A Psychology major with a minor in Criminal Justice, Smith focuses on the most urgent end of the mental health spectrum: suicide awareness and prevention. Serving as an ambassador for the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE), Smith bridges the gap between student life and state-level policy, advocating for systemic changes that prioritize life-saving interventions.
Angel Velazquez (Lake Tahoe Community College)
Velazquez represents the unique challenges faced by first-generation Latino students and those in the STEM fields. Studying Mathematics and Physics with aspirations in Aerospace Engineering, he connects the "basic needs" of students—such as food security and resource accessibility—to their psychological well-being. As a Student Senator and Food Pantry Lead, he champions the idea that mental health cannot be addressed without first securing a student’s foundational stability.
Vashti Trujillo (Colorado State University Pueblo)
Trujillo is a seasoned policy advocate who has already navigated the halls of the White House and the Aspen Institute. As Vice President of the Associated Students’ Government at CSU Pueblo, her work focuses on "youth voice" in policymaking. She specializes in uplifting the stories of first-generation students and women of color to ensure that mental health legislation is equitable and inclusive.
Faria Tavacoli (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
Tavacoli, a Public Health and Neuroscience major, identifies as a survivor and health worker. Her approach is rooted in social justice and intersectionality, seeking to build youth-led systems of care that center on dignity and resilience. At UNLV, she has been instrumental in creating safe spaces for students to seek help without fear of judgment, a model she hopes to scale nationally.
Chronology: The Evolution of Student-Led Mental Health
The formation of the 2025-2026 SAC is the latest milestone in a movement that has been building for over two decades. Understanding the timeline of this advocacy helps contextualize the importance of the new committee’s role.
- 2003: The Inception: Active Minds was founded by Alison Malmon following the tragic suicide of her brother, Brian. The organization was built on the realization that peer-to-peer communication was the missing link in campus mental health.
- 2000s–2010s: Chapter Expansion: Active Minds grew from a single chapter at the University of Pennsylvania to hundreds of chapters across high schools and colleges. The need for a centralized "Student Advisory Committee" emerged as the organization realized that national strategies needed to be "vetted" by the students they intended to serve.
- 2020–2023: The Pandemic Shift: The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst, skyrocketing the demand for mental health services. During this period, the SAC became instrumental in developing digital advocacy tools and "Active Minds @ Home" initiatives, proving that student leadership could adapt to global crises.
- September 2024: The Selection Process: The application window for the 2025-2026 cohort saw record numbers of applicants. The selection process focused not just on academic merit, but on "lived experience"—the personal journeys of students who have navigated the mental health system themselves.
- 2025–2026: The Mandate: Over the coming year, the new SAC will meet regularly with Active Minds’ national leadership. They will participate in the planning of the Active Minds National Conference and serve as the "face" of the organization in media and legislative briefings.
Supporting Data: The High Stakes of Campus Wellness
The appointment of the SAC comes at a time when data suggests a "perfect storm" of mental health challenges for young adults. According to the Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed over 90,000 students across 133 campuses:
- Prevalence of Struggles: Approximately 44% of college students report symptoms of depression, and 37% report anxiety.
- The Stigma Gap: While awareness is increasing, nearly 40% of students who meet the criteria for a mental health problem do not seek professional help, often citing stigma or lack of culturally competent care as the primary barrier.
- Suicide as a Leading Cause: Suicide remains the second leading cause of death for college-age youth. This statistic underscores the urgency of Marissa Smith’s focus on suicide awareness within the SAC.
- Equity Gaps: Data from the CDC indicates that students of color and LGBTQ+ youth are less likely to access mental health services compared to their white, cisgender peers. This reality informs the intersectional work of members like Nadira Akilo and Faria Tavacoli.
Active Minds’ internal data suggests that campuses with an active chapter and strong student leadership see a 20% increase in students’ willingness to seek help and a significant decrease in the "social distance" students feel from those struggling with mental health issues.
Official Responses: A Strategic Partnership
The leadership of Active Minds emphasizes that the SAC is not merely a "focus group," but a governing body of advisors.
"The Student Advisory Committee is the heartbeat of Active Minds," the organization stated in its introductory announcement. "These young adults represent the diversity of the student experience. They ensure that our programs are not just created for students, but by students. Their leadership is the key to creating a culture where mental health is prioritized as much as physical health."
National program directors have noted that the SAC’s input has historically led to the redesign of flagship programs like Send Silence Packing—an immersive exhibit that raises awareness about suicide—to ensure they are trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. For the 2025-2026 term, the organization expects the SAC to play a pivotal role in expanding the "Mental Health Advocacy and Leadership Academy," the very program that introduced members like Nadira Akilo to the organization.
Implications: A New Era of Systemic Change
The work of the 2025-2026 SAC has implications that reach far beyond the borders of their individual campuses. Their tenure signals several shifts in the broader mental health movement:
1. From "Awareness" to "Policy"
As seen in the backgrounds of Vashti Trujillo and Varsha Penumalee, the movement is moving beyond simply "talking" about mental health. The new SAC is focused on legislative change, such as advocating for excused mental health days and increased funding for campus counseling centers.
2. The Integration of "Basic Needs"
Angel Velazquez’s presence on the committee highlights a growing understanding that mental health is tied to socioeconomic factors. By linking food security and housing to psychological wellness, the SAC is pushing for a more holistic, "wraparound" model of student support.
3. Decolonizing Mental Health
With members representing African American, Asian, and Latino communities, the SAC is poised to challenge the "Western-centric" models of therapy. They are advocating for "culturally humble" care that recognizes how different cultures perceive and treat mental illness.
4. Professionalizing Student Advocacy
By serving on a national committee, these students are gaining the skills to become the next generation of psychiatrists, surgeons, and policy makers. As Nadira Akilo pursues a career in medicine, her time on the SAC ensures that her future practice will be informed by a deep, student-centric understanding of mental health.
In conclusion, the 2025-2026 Student Advisory Committee represents more than just a list of high-achieving students; they represent a fundamental shift in how society approaches the well-being of its youth. As they begin their term, the eyes of the national mental health community will be on them to see how they transform their lived experiences into lasting, systemic change.
