Jessie Yancey-Siegel

Jessie, known to many by her nickname "Weezie," helped to inspire the early idea of YouthGive when she was 10, and helped grow the idea in middle school. She co-founded the first school-based YouthGive Club at her high school, and worked with the club to organize various fundraiser, service events, learning experiences, and a community-wide YouthFest. She has spoken at various national and international conferences (California Film Institute, Council on Foundations, TEDx) on topics such as youth philanthropy, civic engagement, microfinance, social change through film, and the power of meaningful travel and study abroad (having lived in Eastern Europe and India). Jessie is currently a sophomore at Pitzer College in Southern California, majoring in International/Intercultural Studies. At the moment, she is working on a book profiling young people who have taken alternative approaches to learning. Her other interests include filmmaking, social entrepreneurship, design, watching TED talks, alternative education, sustainable development, speaking Spanish, staying hours upon hours in bookstores, drinking chai, and cuddling with her fat cat, Kiki.