For Immediate Release: Catherine Jeon Tapped To Serve as Executive Director
Effective immediately on October 15, 2023, former Press Director Catherine Jeon will serve as Youth Climate Action Team Inc’s (YCAT) Executive Director.
Jeon has served as an organizer for YCAT since May 2021, transitioning to editor-in-chief for YCAT’s Medium blog in Nov 2021, and stepping into the role of Press Director in May 2022 after spearheading the expansion of YCAT’s blog and newsletter. During her time leading this core team, Jeon has founded various new initiatives to foster greater interest in climate press activism. Namely, she started a climate info hub for students to publish fun, brief pieces on everything from summer research programs to top movies with environmental themes. Furthermore, the podcast and research journal initiated under her leadership have allowed more youths to push the climate movement forward in ways extending beyond traditional press.
In light of these successes, former Executive Director Max Blacksten has decided to pass his role onto Jeon as he transitions into the next chapter of his life at Yale University. Blacksten is choosing to pass on the directorship in spirit of YCAT’s goals to continue developing youth leaders in the climate movement. He believes that continued high school engagement at the helm of the organization is essential for the long-term vision of the organization, and he will stay on the board as a Senior Advisor.
Blacksten will begin to play a minimized role in administrative affairs, leaving Jeon to manage 11 Directors, 9 subteams, 10 global regional branches, 2,000+ youth organizers, a multitude of partnerships, and all other aspects of the organization.
YCAT’s Press team, formerly led by Jeon, will now be led by former blog and newsletter editor Aditi Subramanyam who will continue to expand the Press team’s many initiatives, including all of the blog, newsletter, climate info hub, podcast, research journal, and more to come. Subramanyam will carry on the goal of spreading awareness on all matters climate-related, all while fostering interest and skills in writing among youth activists across the world.
