John,

Meet Andy Berndt.

As our 1999 Central Region Youth Advocate of the Year, Andy saw firsthand the power of youth voices in fighting for change when he advocated for tobacco control policies alongside his peers. His experience inspired him to continue working with youth advocates from the U.S. and around the world taking on the tobacco industry. Twenty-two years later, Andy still helps young people find their voices as Director of Social Marketing and Health Promotion at Community Blueprint, a marketing agency focused on helping nonprofits and government organizations fight for policy and behavior change.

“Seeing young people find their voice and learning to be a leader and advocate, honestly to me is still inspiring.”

As part of our year-long 25th anniversary celebration, our Voices in the Fight profile series showcases the incredible power of advocates we've worked with over the years. Look out for a new profile every other Wednesday through May 2022.

–The Tobacco-Free Kids team