Paavlena, who goes by Paavi, is a 2020 graduate of Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF), and has a goal of becoming a pre-school teacher. She recently moved to Pima County, after spending many years in Florida, where she was very active as a Special Olympics Athlete Leader, and a Best Buddies Ambassador.

Paavi has worked as a teaching assistant at a community center, a swimming coach at a summer camp, and started a jewelry making business. Once the pandemic is over, Paavi will resume community college classes, to build upon the studies she started at Florida International University.

Paavi was born in India, and has lived in California, Michigan, Florida, and now Arizona. She loves traveling, talking with people, soaking up human energy, and opportunities to be a team player. Paavi refers to herself as a world traveler, and feels this has fueled her love of a variety of foods, counting seafood, Italian, sushi, and her mom’s homemade Indian food among her favorite cuisines.

After being so active in the Florida disability scene, and not finding the same opportunities readily available in Arizona, Paavi was happy to find Arizona Youth Leadership Initiatives. Following her graduation from AZYLF, Paavi was selected to participate in the University of Arizona, ArizonaLEND program, where she helps train the next generation of policy makers, faculty, clinicians, and researchers about neurodevelopmental and related disabilities.

Paavi serves as a youth member of the Diverse Ability Incorporated Board of Directors, where her inquisitive nature, open-mindedness, and experience with self-advocacy, are both greatly valued, and greatly valuable.