Gen Z at the Table: Rethinking Engagement, Leadership, and Service

Gen Z is already engaged—but many service models haven't been able to keep pace. Drawing on insights from The Great Gen Z Divide and her own journey into service as a Gen Z leader, Mallory Panuelo explores how changing expectations around trust, leadership, flexibility, and impact are reshaping civic engagement.

Participants will learn how National Service and volunteer programs can create more relevant, youth-centered opportunities that empower young people as leaders and decision-makers. The session will also highlight Youth Takeover Day as an example of what's possible when organizations make space for authentic youth leadership.

About Mallory Panuelo, CVA

Mallory Panuelo is a civic engagement leader and Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) with a passion for expanding access to service and volunteer opportunities across South Carolina and beyond. As the State Lead for Civic Engagement with the South Carolina Commission on National and Community Service, she supports statewide initiatives that strengthen nonprofit and public sector capacity through volunteerism, national service, and strategic partnerships. She also serves as Chair of the Volunteer Administration Peer Network with Together SC, where she fosters collaboration, professional development, and peer learning among volunteer engagement professionals.

In addition to her statewide leadership roles, Mallory serves on the Youth 250 Bureau with Made By Us, helping shape national efforts to engage young people in civic learning, service, and participation as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. Through her work at the local, state, and national levels, she is committed to building stronger communities and expanding opportunities for meaningful civic engagement.