Corlie Zhuang

Leading state and national legislative campaigns to establish age restrictions on non-prescription diet pill marketing, protecting youth from harmful products

Legislative Campaign Leadership

In 2025, I was appointed Youth Corps Leader for the Harvard Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED), placing me among the top 8% of campaign leaders within this national organization. My responsibilities include leading the Washington State campaign and serving as Campaign Training Advisor for initiatives across the nation.

• Harvard STRIPED Youth Corps Leader - Leading Washington State legislative campaign
• Campaign Training Advisor - Providing strategic guidance to campaigns nationwide
• Created innovative Youth Legislation Club model, now implemented across 5 states
• Goal: Establish state legislation providing age restrictions for non-prescription diet pills

→ Harvard STRIPED Youth Corps

Legislative Accomplishments

• SB5622 Advancement: Led 15-member Youth Legislation Club to successfully pass SB5622 through the Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee in the Washington State Senate
  → View Bill
• National Impact: Advised 10 legislative campaigns across the United States
• Youth Legislation Clubs: Facilitated establishment of Youth Legislation Clubs in 5 states
• STRIPED Recognition: Received STRIPED Honorarium for leading successful campaign (top 8% nationally)
• Featured in STRIPED 2025 Newsletter: Campaign Training Advisor role highlighted
  → Read Newsletter

Youth Legislation Club Network:

• Interlake YLC (WA)
• National YLC
• McLean YLC (VA)
• Pennsylvania STRIPED Youth
• Bangladesh Chapter

Youth Legislation Club - Interlake High School

Founder and President of the Youth Legislation Club, an innovative student organization dedicated to grassroots legislative advocacy. The club serves as a model for student-led policy change, demonstrating how high school students can effectively engage in the democratic process.

→ View Club Photos and Updates

Testimony Day - February 19, 2025

Youth Legislation Club members testified before the Washington State Senate Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee in support of SB5622.

On our way to Olympia for testimony session

Olympia congressional buildings

Statue in Olympia

Ready for the battle

Waiting for testimony to begin

Senate Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee hearing

Student voice in the legislative process

Youth Legislation Club members at testimony

Campaign Strategy and Execution

The SB5622 campaign required comprehensive legislative strategy, stakeholder engagement, and coalition building:

• Legislative Sponsorship: Successfully recruited Senator Lovick as prime sponsor, with Senators Dhingra and Liias as co-sponsors
• Grassroots Advocacy: Coordinated Youth Legislation Club members in sending 322 emails and making 147 phone calls to state legislators
• Legislative Testimony: Led 6 members in presenting oral testimony before the Washington State Senate, while 9 additional members submitted written testimonies → View Testimonies
• Opposition Response: Developed counter-arguments to address concerns raised by 3,000+ opposition testimonies from professional lobbyists
• Resource Development: Created comprehensive campaign materials including research documents, communication templates, email scripts, call scripts, and testimony guidance videos for national distribution
• Innovation Dissemination: Introduced Youth Legislation Club model and mailto link systems to other campaigns, significantly improving organizational efficiency

Published Analysis and Media

• Diet Pill Op-Ed
• Analysis of Diet Pill Advertisement Prevalence
• History of the Bill

Award-winning filmmaker with 10+ festival recognitions across documentary and narrative productions

Leadership in Student Film Community

Founder and President - Film Competition and Creative Media Club

→ View Club Activities on Instagram

Film Club Productions

Independent & Northwestern University Film Institute Productions

Published journalist, award-winning essayist, and academic editor contributing to educational policy discourse and reproductive rights advocacy

Editorial Leadership

Editor-in-Chief - Interlake Inquirer

Leading editorial direction and content strategy for the school newspaper, overseeing publication of student journalism covering campus news, investigative reporting, and opinion commentary.

→ Visit Interlake Inquirer

Published Journalism

Seattle Times - Student Voices

"The Advanced Learning Program: Safe Space or Gilded Cage?"

Critical analysis of specialized educational programs examining the balance between academic excellence and educational equity. This piece generated significant community discourse, prompting a response article from education advocate Dennis Friedman.

→ Read Original Article

Response Article by Dennis Friedman: "In education, we need to redefine what success looks like"

→ Read Response

USC Annenberg Media

"Keeping up the fight for abortion rights"

Interview feature with Diane W. Derzis, key figure in the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court case, examining the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights in post-Dobbs America.

→ Read Article

Academic Editing

Book Editor for Dr. Leah Ceccarelli - University of Washington

Edited 90+ pages of scholarly work for Scientists, Politics, and the Rhetoric of Public Controversy (SpringerLink), contributing to academic discourse on scientific communication and public policy.

Essays Edited:

• "Publish and/or Perish: Scientific Journal Commentary for Social Action in the Climate and Ecological Emergency"
• "The Cook Inlet Beluga Whale: Global Whaling, Oppositional Activism, and Community Science"
• "Reflections on a Scientist's Public Engagement: A Dialogue with Dr. Burioni"

→ View Published Book

→ View Acknowledgement

Writing Accolades

• John Locke Institute Essay Competition: Merit Award (Shortlisted among top 17% from 34,000 international entries)
  → Read Essay
• Scholastic Art and Writing Awards: Silver Medal for Journalism → Read Piece

Digital content strategist for NOAA and longtime Southern Resident killer whale conservation advocate

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Social Media Content Creator & Campaign Strategist

Developed and implemented comprehensive social media campaign resulting in 652% growth in audience engagement across platforms. Created diverse multimedia content including wildlife photography, educational animations, and marine ecosystem awareness materials.

→ View Social Media Campaign Proposal

Official NOAA Olympic Coast Social Media:

• Facebook - Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
• Instagram - @olympiccoastnms

Content Creation Samples

Viral stubby squid content - contributed to 652% engagement growth

Custom educational illustrations for marine ecosystem awareness

Additional Content Portfolio:

• Marine Wildlife Photography Series
• Sea Otter Educational Content
• Pacific Salmon Life Cycle Series
• Underwater Ecosystem Transitions
• Marine Conservation Awareness Campaign
• NOAA Educational Animation
• Stubby Squid Documentary Footage
• Giant Pacific Octopus Animation

Southern Resident Killer Whale Conservation

A Decade of Advocacy: From Elementary School to Present

My commitment to marine conservation began in 4th grade upon learning about the death of a Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) calf just 30 minutes after birth. This pivotal moment initiated a sustained decade-long dedication to orca preservation and marine ecosystem protection.

• Elementary School Initiatives: Organized grassroots fundraising campaigns to support SRKW conservation efforts
• The Whale Museum: Volunteer contributor to data analysis and social media outreach programs
• NOAA Collaboration: Established ongoing communication with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine biologists to identify conservation opportunities
• Published Conservation Writing: Authored award-winning journalism on orca conservation (Scholastic Silver Medal) → Read Article

Founder and Coordinator of student-led writing and media competition promoting humanities engagement across Washington State

Competition Overview

Writing and Media Competition - A high school-driven initiative created to address the disparity in writing and media opportunities within STEM-focused educational environments. The competition encourages broader participation and appreciation for humanities among high school students through peer-led organization and academic partnership.

Program Impact & Growth

• Academic Partnership: Recruited distinguished judges from University of Washington (Professor Valeria Manusov) and Harvard University (Professor Jeffery Seglin)
• Awards Ceremony: Organized recognition event attended by 400+ students → View Photos
• Financial Support: Secured $1,500 in donations to support program operations and student awards
• State-Wide Expansion: Collaborating with Bellevue School District and Washington State Superintendents to expand competition reach throughout Washington State

The competition embodies a "by high schoolers, for high schoolers" philosophy, demonstrating student capacity for creating meaningful educational opportunities and fostering humanities appreciation within their communities.

Competitive figure skater with achievements in technical and artistic disciplines

Competitive Achievements

• Moves in the Field: Silver Level Certification
• Freeskate: Pre-Silver Level Certification
• Competition Medals: Multiple podium finishes in regional competitions

12 years of classical piano training with competitive performance recognition

Performance Accolades

• Seattle International Piano Festival: Silver Medalist
  → View Recognition
• Repertoire Focus: Classical compositions with emphasis on technical precision and interpretive performance

Participant in Yale University's selective summer program for outstanding high school students from around the world

Program Participation

Solving Global Challenges Track - Intensive academic program examining contemporary global issues through interdisciplinary lens, bringing together exceptional students from 150+ countries.

Student Speaker Series

Selected as Student Speaker to present research on diet pill marketing and youth health impacts to an international audience of 200 students representing 150 countries. The presentation connected personal legislative advocacy work with global public health policy concerns.

Presentation Materials:

• → View Presentation Slides

Program Highlights

Presenting to 200 international students

With fellow scholars

Full cohort of 200+ students from 150 countries

Program celebration event

On Yale campus

Residential life at Yale

Yale program keepsakes