Juan Milan, a Texas native with a deep drive for cultivating young civic leaders, has joined Civic Nebraska as our civic education programs manager. He began the role June 27.

Juan leads our flagship initiatives that inspire and equip Nebraska’s next generation of civic leaders, including Nebraska’s Kid Governor, the New American Youth Leadership Academy (NAYLA), and the American Exchange Project. Through these and other programs, Juan connects with young people across the state to help them understand the power they hold in their communities and how they can use that power to lead, advocate, and make change.

“My goal is to help young people, especially those who’ve been historically excluded, realize they have the right, the ability, and the power to lead,” he said. “When they see themselves as changemakers, everything shifts.”

Juan, who is originally from the Rio Grande Valley, considers that entire region of Texas home, having lived in McAllen, Edinburg, and Mercedes. A graduate of the University of Texas, Juan earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2019.

Before joining Civic Nebraska, his work helped shape his approach to youth development and civic engagement. He has been a Spanish teacher, a communications professional, and an advocacy strategist. He also spent time in Kearney as a youth program specialist for the Department of Health and Human Services.

His passion for civic education stems from his own journey. As a young person, Juan didn’t have many opportunities to engage civically and didn’t fully grasp how systems worked until college. That realization led Juan into advocacy, and sparked a desire to ensure that young people don’t have to wait as long as he did to understand their place and power in our democracy.

Outside of work, Juan enjoys live music, running, and discovering new restaurants around Lincoln. He’s a fan of good barbecue (especially brisket) and loves visiting local coffee shops and museums. He also shares his home with two high-energy cats.

We’re thrilled to have Juan on board. Join us in welcoming him; he’s at ju********@***********ka.org.