About Us
Keshav Kannepalli
Founder & Executive Director
Keshav Kannepalli is the founder of CiviSpheres. Based in Ohio, this high school student is deeply committed to the study of public policy, law, and economics. Driven by a passion for civic leadership, he advocates for meaningful platforms where youth can communicate directly with politicians, journalists, and civic leaders. We strive to build a national, student-led movement that connects young people to elective officials through academic research, insightful interviews, and published articles.
Maya Tung
Founder & Executive Director
Maya Tung is the co-founder of CiviSpheres and current high school student in NJ. She currently works with The Borgen Project and RepresentUS as a journalist and at TurnUP, as a team leader. Deeply interested in politics and legislation that impacts her personal life, she wants to inspire others to take action in the face of injustice. She thinks it important that the youth of today create the world they want to live in. She hopes that through these interviews and the work of CiviSpheres more youth are empowered to make a difference.
Rim Beraki
Outreach manager
Rim Beraki is the outreach manager of CiviSpheres and a high school student from Washington State. He is interested in law, public policy, business, and civic engagement, and currently serves as Vice President of his school’s Political Activism Club. It is through his involvement in such activities that he hopes to educate more youth about politics and bring them closer to leaders making decisions for their community. Youth opinions are extremely important and a cornerstone for the future of the United States, and he wishes to use CiviSpheres to make the youth more engaged in civic spaces.
Hayden Baku
Social Media Manager
Hayden Baku is the social media manager at CiviSpheres and a high school student from Germantown, Maryland. She is interested in law, social justice, and is heavily involved in leadership within her school and community. Hayden hopes to further CiviSpheres’ goals and initiative by making politics more accessible to the youth through social media.
Yuna Wu
Strategy Manager
Yuna Wu is the co-founder of CiviSpheres and a high school student at Westridge School in Pasadena, California. As a competitive debater specializing in geopolitics and a content creator for intercultural news, she is interested in public policy, law, and international relations. Through research and writing, Yuna aims to better educate her community on the legislative process and give the youth a voice in shaping legislation. She aspires to use her work to empower young people and ensure their perspectives are reflected in federal lawmaking.
Core Values
Objectivity: We will bring easy to understand and bipartisan information to those across the political spectrum.
Empowerment: We seek to empower youth just like ourselves to create change in their community and nation.
Service: We will work tirelessly to increase political education and understanding.
Our Statement
CiviSpheres is a student-led initiative dedicated to fostering a more engaged and informed youth electorate. By connecting high school and college students directly with the representatives and experts who shape their world, we transform passive news consumption into active civic participation. Through our research initiatives and direct interviews, we demystify the political process and ensure that the youth voice is not just heard, but respected in the halls of power across the nation.
Mission Statement
Future Goals
We aim to expand our network of student journalists and advocates globally. By sharing local perspectives on international policy, we build a cross-border movement of young leaders prepared to tackle the 21st century's most pressing challenges through dialogue and informed action.