Aadya Shivan Kumar

Aadya Shivan Kumar is a sophomore at Saint Francis High School. Outside of TEDx, she is involved in Varsity Field Hockey, Psychology Club, and Newspaper. Aadya also does multiple styles of vocal music, including Western and Carnatic. She loves to compete in singing competitions, read, and watch sports and documentaries. Aadya is looking forward to sharing her experiences in Western and Carnatic vocal music, and the differences and similarities between both worlds.

Avery Lee

Avery Lee is a senior at Saint Francis High School. Outside of TEDx, she is interested in filmmaking, writing poetry, Liturgy Band, and colorguard. She loves watching movies and going to modern art museums. In the future, she plans to study film and television and philosophy. Avery wants to open the discussion of how society rates movies and how we share opinions with each other. She hopes to inspire a more open discussion that leads to a culture that is more understanding. Avery wants to be a screenwriter and producer to help shed light on unique ideas and communities.

Akhil Ranjeet

Akhil Ranjeet is a sophomore at Saint Francis High School. Outside of TEDx, he enjoys FMSA, Model United Nations, and Mock Trial. Akhil and his peers have been working together on a local nonprofit for the past three years to promote STEM education and make it more accessible. Outside of school, Akhil enjoys reading, watching Netflix, and playing tennis. Akhil is excited to share his experiences surrounding language at TEDx this year.

Avani Thakur

Avani Thakur is a junior at Saint Francis High School. Outside of TEDx, she is involved in Service Club, the Society of Women Engineers NEXT (SWENext), Robotics, Model United Nations, and more! When she is not busy with school, you can find her in the dance studio practicing Kathak or in the kitchen baking for her nonprofit bakery, Sweet Sensations. She is excited to share how her interdisciplinary experiences have shaped her outlook on service this year!

Lauren Williams

Lauren Williams is a junior at Saint Francis High School. Outside of TEDx, she is involved in a variety of school related extracurriculars — including Affinity Council, BSU, Thrive mentorship, Hospitality Internship, Moreau Board, Next Level Coaching, Girls Varsity Rugby, and Junior Student Council. She loves to make ceramic artwork.

Dr. Steven Petelo

Dr. Steven Petelo is an educator at Saint Francis High School, where he teaches Ethnic Studies, serves as department chair, and coaches the freshman football team. A first-generation Tongan American and first-generation college graduate, Steven’s work is rooted in community, identity, and educational opportunity.

Before joining Saint Francis, Steven was a faculty lecturer in the Criminal Justice Studies Department at San Francisco State University and served as an adjunct professor at the College of San Mateo. There, he supported students through Project Change, a pioneering program that provides wraparound services and in-person college instruction for incarcerated youth within juvenile facilities. He also mentored students in the Mana Program, which supports Pacific Islander American students with specialized strategies for retention and transfer success.

With more than 15 years of experience in juvenile probation, Steven worked closely with justice system impacted youth and witnessed a powerful truth: when given structure, support, and meaningful learning, students who have been labeled “at-risk” often excel. That insight continues to shape his mission today.

Steven’s research focuses on supporting justice system impacted students as they transition into college and community life, with education as a pathway to belonging, stability, and long-term success. He holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of La Verne, an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Boston University, and earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University.