The Hermione Award

A proud alumna of the French-American School of New York and a first-generation Moroccan American, Layla Zaidane grew up in New York with strong ties to Casablanca. Moving between cultures from an early age helped shape her global perspective and her ability to connect across differences—qualities that would later become central to her career and leadership.
Layla's ambitions took shape early. She remembers sitting in the FASNY cafeteria as an eighth grader, carefully reviewing the application for Georgetown University and already knowing that she wanted to study, live, and begin her career in Washington, D.C. She has credited her FASNY education with helping her achieve that dream. She went on to attend Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, graduating with a BSFS in International Politics.
Today, Layla is President & CEO of Future Caucus, the largest nonpartisan organization of young lawmakers in the United States. Future Caucus works with more than 2,100 Millennial and Gen Z elected leaders in Congress and state legislatures, creating opportunities for leaders with differing perspectives to work together, develop future-oriented policy, and strengthen a culture of collaboration in public service.
Layla joined the organization—then known as Millennial Action Project—in 2016 and previously served as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer before being named President & CEO in 2021. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded its national network and its work supporting a new generation of elected leaders.
Before joining Future Caucus, Layla served as Managing Director of Generation Progress at the Center for American Progress, where she led communications, policy, and advocacy initiatives focused on issues affecting young people. She helped launch and manage the It's On Us campaign in partnership with the White House in 2014 and launched Higher Ed, Not Debt in 2013, a coalition of organizations working to make higher education more accessible and affordable.
A nationally recognized voice on youth engagement and political leadership, Layla has been featured in Forbes, Teen Vogue, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Fox News, and has spoken at TEDx, SXSW, and the Skoll World Forum. In 2025, she was named to the TIME100 Next list of emerging leaders shaping the future and was selected as a recipient of the John P. McNulty Prize.
Layla is an Ascend Fellow and Civil Society Fellow and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She also serves on the advisory boards of Braver Angels, More Perfect, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and American Promise.
From her years at FASNY to her work today bringing a new generation of leaders together across differences, Layla's journey reflects the international perspective, curiosity, and commitment to engagement that are at the heart of a FASNY education.