Nandika is an 11th grade student from Washington. Her interest in preparedness was first sparked by witnessing disasters in and around her hometown. As a member of the FEMA Region 10 YPC, she has become especially passionate about mental health preparedness. Nandika aspires to make a tangible difference in her community and hopes her time on the national YPC provides her with a platform to make preparedness more equitable and inclusive.
In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of preparedness, Nandika started a podcast called Life Saving Tips for Disasters. In this series, she interviews emergency management experts and shares disaster preparedness tips. She also hosted a webinar focused on disaster and mental health that was sponsored by FEMA Region 10 and marketed to 10,000+ people. Further, Nandika leads workshops, webinars and other speaking engagements to encourage youth to get involved in preparedness.
In her free time, Nandika enjoys reading young adult mystery novels, experimenting with new cookie recipes and spending time with friends and family. She also writes poetry and has been a dancer for 11 years.