I remind myself I didn't get there by accident. Confidence comes from listening first, asking thoughtful questions, and adding value rather than taking space.
How She Built Confidence in a Room She Was New To
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Influential Woman · Non-Profit
Ella Shahbazian
Influence
Founder / Student/ Author / Youth Advocate, Ella Angels Foundation
Burbank, CA 91504
1Article published
3Awards received
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Difficult seasons can either harden you or grow you. Mine taught me the importance of compassion and resilience, inspiring me to start Ella's Angels.
Ella Shahbazian · In Her Own Words
From How She Did It
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Her Story
About Ella
Ella Shahbazian is a dedicated student, author, and youth advocate from Burbank, California, committed to fostering leadership, civic engagement, and community service among young people. Maintaining a 4.3 GPA in high school while pursuing dual-enrollment college courses, she balances academic excellence with a deep passion for law, justice, and social impact. Through her work, Ella seeks to empower her peers to make meaningful contributions to their communities and advocate for those whose voices are often unheard. As the founder of Ella’s Angels, a youth-led nonprofit organization, Ella has spearheaded programs supporting under-resourced communities, including scholarship initiatives, volunteer-driven service projects, and community outreach efforts. Her leadership has mobilized hundreds of volunteers, delivered thousands of meals and care packages, and created sustainable opportunities for youth involvement. In recognition of her sustained commitment to service, leadership, and personal development, she has earned the Congressional Award at both the Bronze and Silver levels, with the Gold level currently in progress. Ella is also the author of The Real-Life Financial Resource Guide for Youth and Justice for Teens, practical guides designed to educate and empower young people to navigate financial literacy, legal rights, and social justice issues. Driven by her long-term aspiration to become an attorney focused on children’s rights, she continues to blend academic achievement, nonprofit leadership, and advocacy to create tangible, lasting impact for her generation and the broader community.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ella
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to showing up consistently, even when I did not feel ready, and to caring deeply about the people I am trying to help. I have also been incredibly lucky to learn from supportive adults, community partners, and peers who believed in my ideas and encouraged me to keep going.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is to focus more on doing meaningful work than trying to impress people. When you care about what you are doing and stay consistent, opportunities tend to follow naturally.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice would be to start small and stay consistent. You do not need to have everything figured out to begin. Learn by doing, ask questions, listen to the people you are trying to help, and do not underestimate the value of showing up with genuine care and effort.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges right now is making sure service and advocacy remain genuine and not performative. At the same time, there is a real opportunity for young people to use their voices, collaborate locally, and create meaningful change in ways that are more accessible than ever.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are integrity, compassion, and consistency. I try to be honest in my work, care deeply about the people I am helping, and follow through on what I commit to, even when it is challenging.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Ella
A personal reflection on learning that leadership does not require permission, perfection, or age, only the willingness to care, act, and keep showing up.
I Didn’t Wait to Be Ready I Just Started Helping
Learning that leadership begins when you decide to show up
I Didn’t Wait to Be Ready — I Just Started Helping
For a long time, I thought leadership was something you stepped into after you were invited. I assumed you had to be older, more experienced, or officially qualified before your voice really counted. What I learned instead is that leadership usually begins long before anyone gives you permission.
I didn’t start helping because I felt ready. I started because I saw people who needed support and realized that waiting felt worse than trying. I didn’t have a blueprint or a perfect plan. I had questions, nerves, and a lot to learn. But I also believed that showing up—even imperfectly—mattered.
As a young woman, you quickly learn that confidence is often mistaken for inexperience. I’ve walked into rooms where my age spoke before I did. At first, that intimidated me. Over time, it taught me something more important: consistency earns credibility. When you keep showing up, people start listening.
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being willing to act when something feels important, even if the path isn’t clear yet. It’s about listening, adjusting, and staying committed when the excitement fades and the work becomes real.
If there’s one thing I hope other young women take from my experience, it’s this: you don’t have to wait to become the person you’re meant to be. You don’t need permission to care, to try, or to lead. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply begin.
Being part of communities like Influential Women matters to me because they remind us that leadership grows when we share our stories, support one another, and believe that our voices matter—at every age.
Author Bio
Ella Shahbazian is a high school student, published author, and community advocate who founded Ella’s Angels to support underserved communities through service, youth leadership, and compassion.
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