REGIONAL LEADERS

The Youth Coalition is constantly organizing, leading, and facilitating different activities to connect with you to lead road safety initiatives around the world. To help us in these efforts, we appointed regional leaders to make sure that everyone in the Youth Coalition is duly represented.

The role of this group is to meaningfully engage young leaders on a regional scale, mobilizing and engaging them to impact road safety in their local communities positively. The regional leaders play a crucial role in bringing the benefits of the Global Youth Coalition to local and regional groups of changemakers; through localized activities and opportunities.

We have regional leaders for the following regions; South East Asia, Africa, Europe, The Americas, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific

In the photo: North America Regional Leader Yasmine Al Moghrabi ( far right) represents the Youth Coalition at the Remarkable Feminist Voices in Transport 2023 event

rEGIONAL LEADERS OF South-East Asia

 

Avira Bhatt, india

Avira Bhatt was born in Delhi, India, in 2009. She is a Grade 11 student at Heritage International Xperiential School in Gurugram and a trained youth advocate through UNICEF’s YAG TOT program. Since 2024, she has collaborated with UNICEF on campaigns amplifying young voices in policymaking for road safety. Avira has written for platforms such as Scroll, AckoDrive, and the National Institute of Urban Affairs, inspiring young people across India to create safer, more inclusive streets in their communities.

Shivani Khurana, india

Shivani Khurana is an urban planner and researcher from India focused on promoting equitable accessibility and safety in city planning. As part of the Gurugram Vision Zero project, she advocates for government-led policies and design solutions to reduce road fatalities. Her work includes intersection redevelopment, traffic data analysis, and stakeholder engagement to enhance urban mobility. Shivani holds a Bachelor’s in Architecture from DCRUST Murthal and a Master’s in Urban Planning from SPA New Delhi, and her research highlights the importance of inclusive access to public facilities.

 
 

REGIONAL LEADERS OF AFRICA

Pedius boniphace, Tanzania

Pedius Boniphace was born in Karagwe, Tanzania, in 1996, and he is a Marketing and Public Relations Professional with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Public Relations from the National Institute of Transport (NIT). He has specialized in marketing, public relations, and social work and is trained in alternative dispute resolution, having earned a diploma from Allison Academy in 2022. He has also completed certification modules in Global Road Safety Problem and Youth and the Safe System Approach and Risk Factors.

Stephen Kome Fondzenyuy, Cameroon

He is a Civil Engineer and PhD candidate in Infrastructure and Transport at Sapienza University of Rome. With four years of experience at the World Bank, he specializes in the design and supervision of transport and road safety projects and is an accredited supplier for the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP). He has facilitated road safety workshops across Africa and led youth-focused initiatives reaching over 2,000 people. Stephen also lectures on road safety and sustainable transport at the National Advanced School of Public Works (ENSTP) and Sapienza University.

Angela Tumuhairwe, Uganda

Angela Tumuhairwe was born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1998, and she is a transport specialist with a Master's degree in Transportation Science from Hasselt University. She has specialised in Road safety and is trained in Road Safety Audit, in-depth crash investigations, sustainable transport policy, strategic transport planning, transport modelling and road safety in the South. She has collaborated with Uganda Road Accident Reduction Network, Hasselt University, Steadman Global Consulting Limited and the National Environment Management Authority of Uganda since 2018.

 

REGIONAL LEADER OF EUROPE

 

Salvatore Podda, Italy

Salvatore Podda was born in Nuoro, Italy, in 2001. He is a Mobility Engineer with a bachelor’s degree in Management Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, specializing in transport planning, infrastructure, and mobility safety. As Co-Founder of #AdessoBasta, he successfully advocated for safer roads in Sardinia and organized youth-led charity events. Since 2024, he has collaborated with the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety and Fondazione Unipolis, contributing to MaaS pilots and cycling route projects that promote low-carbon, safe mobility across Italy.

 
 
 

REGIONAL LEADERS OF The Americas

 

Valeria Bernal Castillo, COLOMBIA

She is a Political Scientist and Urban Management Professional with a specialization in Care Policies with a gender perspective from the Latin American Council of Social Sciences. Valeria focuses on sustainable mobility, gender, and road safety, holding certifications from institutions such as YOURS Academy. Since 2021, she has collaborated with Despacio, Movilizatorio, and Universidad de los Andes. As an SDG Champion, she co-authored the first policy brief on gender and road safety within the Coalition. Her advocacy work has contributed to integrating gender-responsive mobility planning and positioning road safety in Bogotá’s public agenda.


Prabhjeet Singh, United States of America

He is a public health professional with a Master of Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, specializing in health systems, policy analysis, and injury prevention. As an SDG-3 Champion, APHA Presidential Road Safety Scholar, and youth delegate at the World Bank and United Nations, he advocates for youth leadership in sustainable road safety. Prabhjeet combines clinical training as a dental surgeon with public health research and innovation, using AI-based approaches to inform policy and empower communities to prevent road injuries.

Armando Pliego Ishikawa, MEXICO

Armando Pliego Ishikawa is a public policy consultant from Mexico specializing in mobility and road safety. He has been involved in citizen-led initiatives such as Liga Peatonal, Puebla Cyclist Council (CADENA), and Cholula en Bici, promoting sustainable mobility through public participation. From 2018 to 2022, he held leadership roles in the Municipality and Government of Puebla, advancing road culture and sustainable transport. He currently works with Céntrico, supporting the national coordination of the Safe Mobility Coalition and developing research and advocacy projects on mobility policies across Mexico.

Michelle Lorena Gaibor Tobón, ECUADOR

She is a Political Scientist and Project Coordinator at the Movidana Foundation, specializing in sustainable mobility, road safety, and international cooperation. She holds certifications from institutions such as Tecnológico de Monterrey, the IDB, Bloomberg, Johns Hopkins University, and YOURS Academy. Since 2021, she has worked with Movidana and the National Coalition for Road Safety, contributing to Ecuador’s first local policy on road safety management. Michelle has led initiatives on speed management, safe school zones, and public space recovery, positioning road safety on the national agenda and training young leaders through her “Champions for Road Safety” project.

 

REGIONAL LEADERS OF Eastern Mediterranean

 

Noor Zahran, jordan

She is an architect with a bachelor’s degree with honours from the Jordan University of Science and Technology. Noor specializes in metaverse architecture, 3D modeling, urban planning, and road safety advocacy. She has collaborated with the Youth Coalition for Road Safety since 2023 and was a Local Action winner the same year. As a metaverse architect, she has led design projects across the Middle East and was a key speaker at the Arab Adolescents Forum in Tunis. Her award-winning work on sustainable mobility highlights the importance of integrating technology and planning for safer, smarter cities.

 
 

REGIONAL LEADERS OF Western Pacific

 

Anggarani Fatmawati, INDONESIA

Anggarani Fatmawati was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1992 and is currently working at the Ministry of Transportation as a Planning and Reporting Officer. Holding a bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia, and obtaining a Master of Transportation Science from Hasselt University, grows her interest in traffic safety and urban mobility. She has joined several courses and training in relation to urban planning and transportation'.

Alyssa Belda, Philippines

Alyssa Julianne Belda was born in Manila in 1999, and she is a development worker in the transport sector with a degree in interior design from De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde. She has specialised in active mobility and gender equity; trained in tactical urbanism, road safety, and urban design. She co-founded the Make It Safer Movement in 2023. As a community organizer, she has successfully organized various mobilizations and collectively reversed decisions on the removal of bike lanes across Metro Manila. She has also worked on various active mobility policies locally, such as designing safe school zones and car-free Sundays.