Cody Van Felden is a Policy Associate at John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), where she provides support for JBAY’s programmatic work and leads the Youth Advocate Program. She began her journey with JBAY as a youth advocate from 2020 to 2023 and became a Youth Advocate Mentor in 2024. Drawing on her personal lived experience, Cody has advocated for the needs of foster youth and individuals who have faced homelessness to advance housing stability, educational opportunities, and economic mobility.
Before her current position, Cody held various roles, including Project Manager at Pa’lante Collaborative Services, where she led a Youth Panel of Experts. She also served as the Interim Managing Director for the Benefits Access and Equity Initiative, working to improve access to essential benefits for Americans. Additionally, Cody was a student assistant for the Guardian Scholars Program at Sacramento State University and volunteered with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. A proud native of Sacramento County, she holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sacramento State University.
John Burton Advocates for Youth improves the quality of life for youth in California who have been in foster care or homeless by advocating for better laws, training communities to strengthen local practices and conducting research to inform policy solutions.
