Kiara Frischkorn
she/her | 22 | Biddeford | University of New England
President of University of New England Biddeford campus sustainability club
Student government leader on advancing sustainability and diversity, equity, inclusion and justice on campus
Empowering youth to develop their personal story of advocacy by speaking at climate rallies and training
Kiara grew up in Los Angeles and has experienced the impacts of climate-fueled natural disasters firsthand. She and her family have had to flee their home in LA because of the threat of wildfires, and her family’s native country of the Philippines has been ravaged by climate-fuled typhoons in recent years. These disasters motivated Kiara to become a climate advocate.
As a marine studies major at the University of New England and president of the campus sustainability team, Kiara is deeply passionate about reducing plastic waste in our oceans. She has organized several successful beach cleanups during her four years on campus. She implemented creative strategies to promote the cleanups and raise funds to transport volunteers to and from the events. She is also empowering other youth in Maine to use their voices and tell their personal stories by speaking at climate rallies and trainings. As a member of student government, Kiara often meets with the dean of students regarding sustainability and DEIJ initiatives. During the summer of 2021, Kiara interned with the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and pictures a career at a nonprofit making a positive environmental impact.
Kiara leverages her lived experiences, her empathy for others, and her passion for storytelling as a young environmental leader on and off campus.
