Aliyah Zeien, hailing from Greensburg, Louisiana, graduated from St. Helena Central High School in 2013.
As the eldest among six siblings, her role as an older sister brings her immense joy. Another significant
aspect of her life is her experience as an alumna of the Louisiana foster care system, which has deeply
influenced her passion for advocacy.
Proudly holding a Master’s Degree from LSU, Aliyah is a Licensed Social Worker, currently employed as a
Community Mental Health Counselor. Her journey into this field was shaped by her tenure as a former
DCFS State Youth Ambassador (2021-2023), where she advocated to enhance opportunities, training, and
overall well-being for former foster youth employed as advocates by the state.
In 2017, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Southeastern Louisiana University. Since
then, she has passionately worked as a legislative advocate, striving to transform the child welfare system
step by step. In 2018, she completed the annual LICF legislative internship at the Louisiana State Capitol,
advocating for youth and testifying in front of the Louisiana Senate to support the passage of Senate Bill 109, which officially extended foster care in the state. During this time, she also served as the Vice President for the Louisiana State Youth Advisory Board (2021-2022).
Aliyah leverages her personal and professional experiences to develop and lead educational presentations for child welfare professionals across Louisiana at statewide conferences such as “Together We Can” and most recently “Foster the Connection.” Additionally, she has expanded her advocacy efforts by presenting at national conferences such as the NCJFCJ and NACC, focusing on youth’s rights, access to legal
representation, and permanency.
She is a consistent member of the National Foster Care Alumni Policy Council and an active participant in
Foster Club’s National Knowledge Management Team. Over the last year, she has presented workshops with fellow council members at several national conferences including AECF Policy Labs, OJJDP, and CWLA
