Sita Lamartin is a student researcher and policy advocate based in Alexandria, Virginia, who focuses on bridging the gap between youth activism and systemic government policy. In 2026, she founded STAND (Students Taking Action for Nature & Dignity) to give student advocates a structured pathway to deliver formal testimonies directly to local, state, and federal lawmakers. Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a nationwide ( and global) network of over 30 accredited organizational partners including over 4 United Nations Sectors (YGLF, YPS, UNEP, Food Policy) mobilizing thousands of youth volunteers around environmental justice and animal welfare legislation.

Beyond running STAND, Sita works directly within state and federal advisory networks to ensure young perspectives are included in legislative drafts. She serves on U.S. Congressman Don Beyer’s Student Advisory Council, contributing to federal education and mental health frameworks, and was appointed as an inaugural student member of the Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent’s Environmental Advisory Board. Her policy experience also includes working with Virginia Delegate Holly Seibold to lobby for statutory language on electric school bus funding and cage-free agricultural reforms, alongside delivering oral policy testimonies before committees in the Maryland General Assembly .

Sita balances her policy advocacy with data-driven scientific research at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. As a lead researcher in the school's laboratory, she designed and simulated quantum photocatalytic systems utilizing Carbon Quantum Dots to accelerate the chemical breakdown of microplastics into non-toxic products. Whether analyzing structural gaps in hygiene access for the Menstrual Equity Initiative or conducting literature reviews on alternative energy designs, her goal remains centered on using rigorous, data-backed solutions to drive institutional change.