Executive Overview
Mental health advocacy in higher education has reached a critical juncture. As college campuses nationwide grapple with unprecedented rates of anxiety, depression, and systemic healthcare hurdles, student-led initiatives are increasingly proving to be the vanguard of meaningful change. At the forefront of this generational movement is Active Minds, the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults.
In its ongoing mission to center youth voices in national dialogues, Active Minds has officially introduced its 2026–2027 Student Advisory Committee (SAC). Comprising an elite, diverse cohort of changemakers from colleges and universities across the United States, the SAC serves as the national voice for Gen Z mental health activism. These student leaders act as vital liaisons between grassroots campus chapters and national leadership, advising on everything from strategic community-building and program planning to National Conference organization and national media engagement.
Powered by youth and young adults, the SAC is an indispensable engine driving the mental health work executed by thousands of activists nationwide. This year’s cohort brings an extraordinary breadth of expertise, combining rigorous academic research in molecular biology, public health, and artificial intelligence with extensive community organizing and policy advocacy. As this new generation steps into their leadership terms, their collective vision promises to reshape how mental health, wellness, and systemic equity are addressed within academic institutions and beyond.
Detailed Chronology and Cohort Profiles
The selection of the 2026–2027 Student Advisory Committee follows a highly competitive national search process designed to identify students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, lived dedication to mental health advocacy, and a proven track record of campus mobilization. Below is a comprehensive look at the remarkable individuals chosen to lead this year’s cohort.
Kailani Goggans (Salem College)
- Academic Focus: Psychological Science & Public Health
- Leadership Roles: President, Active Minds Salem College; Students for Reproductive Freedom; Siblings Demand Justice
Kailani Goggans exemplifies the modern intersection of clinical psychology, public health, and social justice. Studying at Salem College, Goggans has cultivated a deep passion for community care, holistic wellness, and systemic advocacy. On campus, her leadership extends across multiple organizations dedicated to human rights, reproductive freedom, and institutional equity.
Goggans uses her platform to educate, support, and inspire her peers to step up as active community participants. Looking ahead, she plans to attend medical school to pursue a dual MD and Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree. Her ultimate professional objective is to bridge direct medical practice with community-level policy formulation, ensuring that healthcare systems are responsive to the psychological and social realities of the populations they serve. Outside of her rigorous academic and advocacy schedules, Goggans enjoys indoor cycling, caring for her animals, and immersing herself in video games.
Dionisio (Dio) Taitano-Samora (Colorado State University Pueblo)
- Academic Focus: Public Health (Minors in Spanish and Leadership Studies)
- Leadership Roles: Colorado Youth Advisory Board for Young Invincibles; Advocate, The Hub for Youth Centered Engagement
As a first-generation Chicano-CHamoru student at Colorado State University Pueblo, Dionisio “Dio” Taitano-Samora brings a vital perspective to the national mental health conversation, focusing intensely on health equity and systemic reform for students of color. Taitano-Samora draws heavily from his background with national advocacy organizations like Young Invincibles and The Hub for Youth Centered Engagement.
Currently serving on Young Invincibles’ Youth Advisory Board for Colorado, Taitano-Samora works tirelessly to advance policy frameworks that safeguard young adults’ mental health access, healthcare affordability, and workforce protections. His academic trajectory centers on investigating the structural barriers to STEM education access and its direct correlation with public health outcomes. By marrying research with advocacy, he aims to dismantle institutional inequities in higher education. In his personal time, Taitano-Samora enjoys hiking, experimenting with new culinary recipes, and pursuing language learning.
Rhea Makkuni (Johns Hopkins University)
- Academic Focus: Molecular and Cellular Biology and Computer Science
- Leadership Roles: President, Active Minds Johns Hopkins Chapter; Researcher, PALS Lab (Johns Hopkins School of Medicine)
At the intersection of cutting-edge technology and clinical neuroscience stands Rhea Makkuni. A student at Johns Hopkins University, Makkuni divides her time between rigorous scientific inquiry and mental health mobilization. In the PALS Lab at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she applies artificial intelligence methodologies to investigate and understand complex mood disorders.
On campus, Makkuni serves as President of the Johns Hopkins Active Minds chapter. In this role, she spearheads local, community-based mental health initiatives designed to demystify global health challenges. Her work directly confronts systemic barriers such as fragmented care continuity, systemic stigma, and institutional obstacles that prevent students from successfully navigating available health resources. Makkuni’s multifaceted approach proves that technological innovation and grassroots empathy can powerfully coexist. Outside of the lab and lecture halls, she enjoys cycling, singing, dancing, and engaging in endless conversations with friends.
Amy Senkerik (Arizona State University)
- Academic Focus: Biological Science and Global Health (Certificate in Evolutionary Medicine, Barrett, The Honors College)
- Leadership Roles: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; Outreach Team, ASU Counseling Services; Founder/Leader, Refugee Education and Clinic Team
Amy Senkerik’s resume reads like that of a seasoned public health veteran, yet she accomplishes this as an undergraduate at Arizona State University. Passionate about suicide prevention, mental health, and public health policy, Senkerik has maintained an active presence in national advocacy. Last year, she participated in the prestigious Active Minds Mental Health Advocacy Institute and addressed lawmakers at the Active Minds Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C.
Senkerik’s clinical and research footprint is remarkably expansive. She serves as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), conducts cancer-neuroscience research at both the Mayo Clinic and Cedars-Sinai, and has completed prestigious fellowships, including a summer research internship at Harvard Medical School and a Fulbright Scholar program at the University of Toronto. Furthermore, she leads the Refugee Education and Clinic Team and contributes to outreach operations for ASU Counseling Services.
Driven by a commitment to multi-layered advocacy—spanning individual patient care, community health, and macro-level policy—Senkerik intends to practice medicine as a physician at the intersection of psychiatric research, clinical practice, and public policy. An endurance athlete, she completed the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon and has studied global health abroad in Australia.
Arjun Nair (Virginia Commonwealth University)
- Academic Focus: Biology (Guaranteed Medical Admissions Program)
- Leadership Roles: President, Active Minds at VCU; Student Advisory Board, American Academy of HIV Medicine
Arjun Nair represents the vanguard of compassionate, patient-centered medical advocacy. Studying biology at Virginia Commonwealth University through its highly selective Guaranteed Medical Admissions Program, Nair serves as President of the campus Active Minds chapter. His localized efforts focus heavily on destigmatizing mental health, introducing college students to sustainable self-care practices, and expanding student participation in mental health advocacy frameworks.
Professionally, Nair’s research and advocacy interests center on the destigmatization and treatment of substance use disorders, alongside integrated HIV prevention within substance use treatment environments. He currently lends his voice to the Student Advisory Board of the American Academy of HIV Medicine and conducts ongoing behavioral health research. As a member of the Active Minds National Student Board, Nair aims to forge stronger inter-chapter collaborations, empowering young adults across the nation to emerge as confident mental health champions within their respective communities.
Ivanna Sintes-Klein (The University of Texas at Austin)
- Academic Focus: Health Promotion and Behavioral Science (Minor in Health Communication)
- Leadership Roles: Chapter Founder/President, Teddy Bear Hospital USA at UT; Longhorn SHARE Support Specialist; Student Health Advisory Committee (UT Student Government); Founder, Bobcat C.A.R.E. (Texas State University)
Ivanna Sintes-Klein brings a legacy of institutional institution-building to the Student Advisory Committee. Now studying at The University of Texas at Austin, Sintes-Klein previously attended Texas State University, where she founded Bobcat C.A.R.E. (Creating Awareness, Resiliency, and Empowerment)—the university’s first mental health advocacy organization, which earned Organization of the Year accolades under her presidential tenure.
At UT Austin, Sintes-Klein continues her extensive leadership trajectory. She serves as Chapter Founder and President of Teddy Bear Hospital USA at UT, a national non-profit utilizing play-based education to ease pediatric medical anxiety while fostering health literacy and empathy. Additionally, she operates as a Longhorn SHARE Support Specialist, completing rigorous training in peer support and Mental Health First Aid to guide peers through crisis resources. Appointed by the student government to the Student Health Advisory Committee, she directly shapes university health policies. Trained in peer support and mental health crisis navigation, Sintes-Klein is dedicated to building frictionless avenues for help-seeking. In her spare time, she enjoys playing pool and writing poetry.
Supporting Context and Metrics: The State of Gen Z Mental Health
The launch of the 2026–2027 Student Advisory Committee arrives against a backdrop of documented urgency within higher education. According to longitudinal mental health metrics compiled by organizations such as the American College Health Association (ACHA) and Active Minds:
- Rising Need: Over 60% of college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem, including generalized anxiety, major depressive disorder, or eating disorders.
- The Peer Effect: Studies consistently demonstrate that peer-led interventions and destigmatization campaigns significantly increase the likelihood of a student seeking professional psychological help. Campus chapters act as crucial early-intervention safety nets.
- Holistic Interventions: Modern student advocates like those on the SAC are pushing beyond traditional counseling models, advocating for structural interventions that address social determinants of health—such as housing insecurity, financial stress, systemic racism, and healthcare access.
The integration of leaders with expertise in computer science, public policy, biological sciences, and health communication ensures that the 2026–2027 SAC is uniquely equipped to address these multifaceted crises using data-driven and culturally competent strategies.
Official Statements and Vision
The establishment of the new SAC cohort underscores Active Minds’ organizational commitment to youth-governed advocacy. By positioning young adults as equal partners in institutional governance and national strategy, Active Minds validates the lived experiences of Gen Z activists.
National staff and leadership emphasize that the SAC is not merely an advisory body, but a dynamic catalyst for institutional accountability. The committee members act as institutional watchdogs and visionary planners, ensuring that national initiatives remain relevant to the rapidly evolving challenges faced by contemporary college students. Through media appearances, congressional briefings, and regional leadership summits, the cohort will translate local campus victories into scalable national blueprints.
Future Outlook: Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond
As the 2026–2027 Student Advisory Committee commences its tenure, the roadmap ahead is clear. Over the coming academic year, the committee will focus on several core strategic initiatives:
- Expanding Chapter Networks: Strengthening communication pipelines and resource-sharing among hundreds of Active Minds high school and college chapters nationwide.
- Policy Advocacy and Legislative Engagement: Building upon past successes at Congressional briefings to advocate for increased federal funding for campus mental health resources and barrier-free healthcare access.
- De-Stigmatization through Innovation: Leveraging emerging technologies, artificial intelligence insights, and digital media campaigns to reach marginalized student populations who traditionally face obstacles in accessing mental health support.
- Holistic Wellness Integration: Pushing for academic policies that acknowledge the inextricable link between physical health, socio-economic factors, and psychological well-being.
Communities, educators, and students interested in collaborating with their local representatives or engaging with Active Minds’ national initiatives are encouraged to reach out directly via email at [email protected]. With leaders like Kailani Goggans, Dio Taitano-Samora, Rhea Makkuni, Amy Senkerik, Arjun Nair, and Ivanna Sintes-Klein at the helm, the future of mental health advocacy is profoundly bright, resilient, and student-led.
