Meet Russell.
For the last several years, I have advocated for generational justice across the climate movement. In this pursuit, I have led youth delegations to numerous United Nations conferences and negotiations with Nile Rodgers’s We Are Family Foundation, whose empirical study has revealed the great value of intergenerational partnership — and the roadblocks to achieving it. We have worked with dozens of influential organizations to move from tokenization toward meaningful intergenerational collaboration; most recently, we completed the campaign for a “Youth Clause” in the 2035 national climate plans, which has been adopted by over 70 countries.
Collaboration that Leads to Action
I have been driven to this work because I believe young people deserve a voice in the fight for our own futures. But I have learned that the impact is much greater than equity alone: intergenerational collaboration leads to more ambitious and effective action. It is not an ideal but a practice, and organizations that work directly with young people — rather than assuming or overlooking their diverse perspectives — thrive as others miss the mark.
I met H22 CEO and Founder Heather Jerrehian while attending an event with Virgin Unite, an organization I have worked with for several years in partnership with We Are Family Foundation. During a discussion I hosted on intergenerational collaboration, Heather and I connected over her work developing a technology platform and movement tailored to Gen Z. A few months later, she called me to let me know that she had begun building H22 — and wanted my support to ensure that it lives up to its intergenerational mission.
Since joining H22 as Head of Youth Engagement, my work has been a natural extension of that conversation, an opportunity to apply the same principles that have defined my work in the climate world toward another generation-defining challenge. The future of work is changing faster than most institutions can handle, and the impact has already been enormous on my generation. Recent graduates are facing a uniquely difficult job market, with many companies and whole industries pausing hiring due to automation and increasing uncertainty. But in this developing crisis, I see an opportunity: to engage young people directly as partners and decision-makers in this course-defining moment for the future of work. The story is not yet written, and I believe young people — with our digital nativity, resourcefulness, and frankly, our stakes — can help lead a 22nd-century workforce where automation becomes an opportunity, not a threat.
At H22, that work has already begun. I am excited to develop and deliver on our goals and frameworks for the pursuit of youth engagement across principles, product, and community to offer H22 as a leader in meaningful intergenerational collaboration. This will not only benefit H22’s own work but also serve as a model for building a future of work designed by the people who will lead it.
