Andrew Brennen
Board Chair, Treasurer & Co-Founder
Andrew is Kentuckian and a co-founder, senior advisor, and board chair & treasurer of the Kentucky Student Voice Team.
Bio
As a Black, LGBT high school student in Lexington, Kentucky, Andrew (he/him) experienced the impact of education injustice first hand. In response, he co founded the Kentucky Student Voice Team which helps to amplify and elevate students as partners in improving Kentucky schools. Nine years later, the Kentucky Student Voice Team has grown to over 100 members, led multiple successful legislative campaigns, published original, peer reviewed research and changed the narrative in Kentucky about the role students can play in creating more just and democratic schools. In 2020 Andrew was named a National Geographic Education Fellow and a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree for his work co leading these efforts as well as supporting youth led movements worldwide.
Today, in addition to serving as a “senior” advisor to the Kentucky Student Voice Team, Andrew serves as an associate at The Omidyar Network where he facilitates grants to people and organizations seeking to strengthen American democracy and grow youth power. In addition to the Kentucky Student Voice Team, Andrew serves on the Board of Directors of Seek Common Ground, Student Voice, and the National Parent Teacher Association. He also serves on the advisory boards of the Center For Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) as well as Vote 16 USA.
Andrew holds a Master’s in Education Policy & Management from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Featured Article
Young Kentuckians have essential role in realizing Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream
Articles by
Andrew Brennen
Young Kentuckians have essential role in realizing Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream
Notable Contributions
Elevating Student Voice: A Learning Agenda
Reports
Created with KnowledgeWorks, 'Elevating Student Voice' emphasizes the significance of incorporating student input into educational decision-making and offers guidance to organizations on involving students.
Race To Learn
Reports
This study distills the results from the 10,725 Kentucky middle and high school students from 114 counties who took our Race, Ethnicity, and School Climate Student Survey.
Students As Partners
Reports
After two years of advocating for student involvement in education policy, KSVT takes a deep dive into the academic, legal, and evidence-based reasoning behind our central argument.
Uncovering the Tripwires to Postsecondary Success
Reports
KSVT's first policy report focused on three main barriers to college transitions: the birthright lottery, veiled college costs, and college and career unreadiness.
Beyond Bathroom Passes: A Conversation With Young Adults About Their Earlier Out-of-School-Time Experiences as Co-Designers of the Kentucky Student Voice Team
Updates
Edited excerpts from the transcript of a May 17, 2023 virtual roundtable with our young adult network to reconnect and reflect on the long-term impact of their out-of-school high school experiences with KSVT.
Kentucky Students Mark a Decade of Education Research, Policy, and Advocacy
Updates
For over 10 years, young people in Kentucky have passed legislation, restored funding and amplified stories that are building a more just and equitable publication education system in the Commonwealth.