About us

Young People to the Front is a reimagined think tank, one that combines advocacy with outcomes. We are a research and policy lab that cultivates a platform for the amplification of youth voices and in turn, strengthens the system and ultimately gets us closer to making youth homelessness as rare and brief as possible.

We create systems to listen to the experiences of young people, through data and direct advocacy, and amplify their voices to enact structural change.

We take the best elements of what a traditional think tank does and put those opinions and insights into action, solutions, and positive outcomes. Rooted in the community, YP2F works in partnership with community groups,  nonprofits, systems, and institutions to empower the use of data and strategic inquiry for advocacy. Not only do we advocate for change, we also provide a pathway for change for the very youth we are advocating for at a systemic level. Our Research and Policy Lab is a supportive environment for personal growth, professional development, and resource access for young people who have exited homelessness and are pursuing a career in research,  advocacy, and systems change.

Meet the Team

Robin

Tonny

Fatine

Laura

  • Director

    She/hers

    Dr. Robin Petering is the founder and CEO of Lens Co. In 2007, Robin started as a street outreach worker at a homeless youth drop in center in Eugene, OR. Since then she completed her Master’s of Social Work at UCLA and my doctorate in social work at USC. Her work has always been focused on the causes and impacts of the experience of homelessness for young people. In 2018, she founded Lens Co to bridge the gap between community advocacy and data driven research. She can tell you all the best places to sing karaoke in Los Angeles.

    She/hers

  • Chief Operations Officer

    She/hers

    Laura was introduced to this work while pursuing her master's of social work and wanted to explore ways to make an impact through systemic work and macro social work. In 2016, she started as a research assistant working on Dr. Petering’s research project the Homeless Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey and became passionate about the role of advocacy research. Since then she has continued to lead community-based research projects all over Los Angeles and beyond related to the homelessness and housing crisis. She is currently the Chief Operations Officer leading the research projects contracted to YP2F that provide accessible data and insight for innovative programs that are working to address the needs of young people experiencing homelessness with the overall goal of ending youth homelessness.

  • Director of Partnership and Sustainability

    She/hers

    Fatine brings almost a decade of frontline experience from numerous organizations. She first encountered Young People to The Front in 2017 while working at Safe Place for Youth during her year with Americorps. Fatine's background includes working as a case manager in housing, school settings, and diversion, closely collaborating with Culver City School System to reduce young people’s involvement with the criminal justice system. Beyond her role as a case manager, Fatine has taught Hydroponic Farming at the Watts Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club and served as a Volunteer Manager at Safe Place for Youth working closely with the Development, Grants and Fundraising team. Her extensive experience working directly with young people in various roles and collaborating with numerous organizations makes her an ideal leader for our community partnerships, ensuring our deep roots in the community.

  • Director of Communications and Policy

    He/him

    Having experienced homelessness in 2018, Tonny offers a unique perspective from his personal experience to his work. He has been an advocate on numerous boards throughout Los Angeles County, such as Homeless Youth Forum of Los Angeles (HYFLA), where he represented the voice of the youth during the Measure H implementation hearings. He also served nationally on boards like True Colors United YAS, Point Source Youth (PSY), and briefly with the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH). In 2018, Tonny joined the Los Angeles Coalition to End Youth Homelessness (LACEYH) Youth Expert Board. He collaborated with the Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership (HHYP) to finalize the Young People To The Front policy platform, a campaign focusing on the needs and voices of young people. He was also part of the team that helped the Los Angeles Housing Authority (LAHSA) secure their Youth Homeless Demonstration Program (YHDP) funding. Currently, Tonny hosts the YP2F podcast, designed to raise awareness about youth homelessness. This podcast features conversations with various stakeholders, such as city officials, local activists, service providers, and youth leaders across the city.

Why are we called “Young People to the Front”?

During the female punk movement of early 90s - Riot Grrrl - Girls to the Front. In male-dominated punk scene where men thrashed violently in the mosh pit, girls attending shows were getting lost, hurt, overlooked, and shoved. Hanna enforced a Girls to the Front policy at her shows, refusing to start playing until all the girls were at the front of the stage.

Young People to the Front reimagines this movement. In Los Angeles, the homelessness crisis and response system is a mosh pit. We are demanding that young people are at the front. Doesn’t ignore what is happening overall but ensures that the most vulnerable don’t get lost, hurt, or overlooked.