Izarelli Mendieta-Martinez is the Communications Coordinator at the Tow Youth Justice Institute (TYJI), where she brings over decade of experience in social services and advocacy. She specializes in developing impactful awareness campaigns on critical issues affecting children, including human trafficking, immigration, crisis intervention, and chronic illness. Izarelli’s work spans local and national levels, coordinating care, developing efficient workflows, and engaging diverse stakeholders to support vulnerable populations. Previously, she served as Project Coordinator for the Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee. In this role, she excelled in event planning, strategic planning and project management, communications, and report generation, effectively advancing the committee’s mission. Izarelli is also deeply committed to community education and outreach, having conducted workshops for parents of first-generation and undocumented college students on issues such as the DREAM Act and the challenges faced by unaccompanied minors. Through her strategic communications, advocacy, and collaborative work with local and national agencies, Izarelli champions both individual and systemic change. She brings a holistic and compassionate approach to her work at TYJI.