Emilio Saenz

Emilio Saenz is a Mexican-American high school student from Phoenix, Arizona. As Vice Chair of the Arizona State Board of Education Student Advisory Panel, he represents the interests of 1.4 million Arizona students. After recognizing the challenges many bilingual families faced in navigating the education system, he founded Navegante, an organization through which he leads a team of 12 volunteers helping hundreds of families access educational resources in a language they understand.

Outside of advocacy, Emilio competes in Congressional Debate, winning tournaments including the Arizona State Championship and the New York City Invitational. He is interested in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship, particularly how technology can be used to expand access to information and opportunity. Through CHCI NextGen, he hopes to connect with fellow Latino leaders, learn more about policymaking, and explore innovative solutions to challenges facing his community.