Zeenat Yahya

Background

About Zeenat Yahya

I'm a policy advocate with nearly a decade of experience advancing youth-centered policy solutions in the areas of educational equity, community safety, and civic engagement. My work bridges public policy, organizing, and coalition-building — all rooted in a belief that young people have the power to create lasting change. I got my start with IGNITE as the California Program Coordinator and later helped bring IGNITE’s programming to Seattle during graduate school. Most recently, I served as Director of Policy at March for Our Lives, where I led national advocacy efforts that helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — the first major federal gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years — and establish the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In California, I’ve worked on critical legislation to improve school safety and invest in community-based violence prevention, with a focus on reducing harm and supporting youth mental health. I've been grateful enough to have my work featured in The Washington Post, Politico, MSNBC, BBC, and The San Francisco Chronicle. I hold a master’s degree in education policy from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Davis — and I remain committed to creating policy that reflects the voices and needs of young people and their communities.