Executive Board
The YEM Executive Board is elected by our members on an annual basis. Its role is to drive the growth of YEM. It oversees the administration of our organisation, co-ordinates campaigns, forges partnerships with other organisations, and supports our branches.
President
Co-Director
Cecilia Jastrzembska
Cecilia Jastrzembska was Head of Events & National Coordination last year and is now the President of YEM. She is a 50:50 Parliament Ambassador and is an elected Control Commission member for the Young European Socialists. She has been a civil servant for 6 years in a range of departments, predominantly as a senior policy advisor. Cecilia speaks on feminism, climate change and AI, and writes as a freelance journalist for several political publications including the OPR, Europinion and Policy Network. She is also a policy contributor to the Ditchley Foundation and one of two delegates to EuropeTalks.
Email: president@yem.org.uk
Head of Finance & Admin
Interim International Officer
Co-Director
Tommy Monahan
Tommy Monahan is the new Head of Finance and Administration for YEM UK. A software engineer by vocation, he has considerable previous experience in the field of politics and advocacy with a particular interest in political and civic youth engagement, peace and reconciliation, and LGBTI rights. He is the current International Officer for Alliance Youth (Northern Ireland) and is taking part in the LYMEC Young Changemakers Academy (Class of 2024) where he is developing an initiative to encourage youth engagement in Northern Irish politics through education. Previously, he served on the Youth Alumni Council at UK-German Connection.
Email: treasurer@yem.org.uk
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tommylmonahan
Head of Communications
El Blackwood
El Blackwood has been recognised by the United States Government as one of “Britain’s rising young leaders aged 18-30″​. Her significant experience includes leading communications teams at venture-backed tech startups, and founding two organisations aimed at increasing youth engagement in politics. El holds two first-class degrees from Oxford and LSE, with specialisms in health and policing policy. El is passionate about the reflexive relationship between the arts and policy change, and is also an award-winning playwright. Her debut play, Tending, uses verbatim interviews to explore the inner lives of nurses working in the NHS and is going on tour in late 2024.
Email: comms@yem.org.uk
Head of Policy &
Political Engagement
Leah Rea
Leah is a PhD Researcher in Law at Ulster University, and works as a Policy Officer. She has strong experience in parliamentary and policy research and political engagement. Her research includes monitoring and evaluating state compliance with international and regional human rights obligations. She holds a Masters in Violence, Terrorism, and Security, a Masters in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice, and a Law degree, all from Queen’s University Belfast. Leah is interested in international law and diplomacy, including within the UN and CoE Treaty monitoring bodies. She is active within several ECR thinktanks, and is an alumnus of the Washington Ireland Program.
Email: policy@yem.org.uk
Head of Campaigns & Vice-President
Lea Rattei
Lea Rattei is the newly elected Head of Campaigns and has been involved with YEM UK for over three years. She has previously headed up the Edinburgh branch, the Erasmus campaign, as well as served as Head of Policy on the previous board. She has an acute understanding of the political landscape, campaigning and communication. Through her full time role as a Strategy Analyst, she also has deep expertise about how to use data to drive operations forward.
Email: campaigns@yem.org.uk
Our Staff
Youth Engagement Officer
Madeleina Kay
Madeleina was awarded Young European of the Year in 2018 and the Charlemagne Youth Prize in 2020. She has worked as a Social Media Campaigner and Communications Consultant, collaborating with grassroots networks, youth led movements and foundations across Europe. She is currently studying MA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins.