ŻAK is pleased to announce the appointment of Kylee Vassallo as President and Leanne Bonello as Vice President for the upcoming three-year term, leading the organisation from October 2025 to September 2028.
Over the past months, ŻAK members aged 18 and over were invited to nominate and select fellow members for the roles of President and Vice President. Following a period of reflection and discussion, the new Presidency Team has now been confirmed, marking the beginning of a new chapter for ŻAK’s ongoing mission of empowering young people.
Meet the new ŻAK President – Kylee Vassallo
Kylee Vassallo, aged 28 and from Tarxien, works as a Youth Worker with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Counselling at the University of Malta. With 18 years of active involvement in ŻAK – including eight as a leader supporting younger members – Kylee brings deep experience and a heartfelt commitment to youth work and community life.
Kylee describes ŻAK as “a family where one finds genuine people ready to guide, challenge, and accompany you throughout life.” For her, ŻAK represents a community of belonging – a place where young people can grow personally, socially, and spiritually, while being accepted without judgement.
Accepting the role of President was a decision Kylee made after careful reflection. “It wasn’t something I had planned,” she shares, “but I accepted because I believe deeply in serving others. Through my experience in ŻAK, I want to support others, create safe spaces, and ensure that no one feels alone on their journey.”
Vision for the Coming Years
Looking ahead to the 2025-2028 term, Kylee aims to strengthen collaboration between ŻAK centres across Malta, ensuring unity and shared purpose within the organisation. Her priorities include:
• enhancing formation opportunities for young people to grow holistically – personally, socially, and spiritually.
• Encouraging creativity and innovation in all ŻAK initiatives, responding to the realities and needs of today’s youth.
• Expanding international connections through projects and exchanges, providing members with more opportunities to learn, travel, and experience community on a global scale.
Inspired by Experience
Among her many experiences with ŻAK, Kylee recalls the OWLS Erasmus+ project in Rome (2018) as a defining moment. “Meeting the Pope just a few metres away filled me with peace, hope, and emotion. It strengthened my faith and reminded me of the power of living that faith in community,” she reflects.
As she steps into her new role, Kylee will lead ŻAK’s work towards its vision and values, nurturing relationships between members, leaders, and communities, while serving as a key point of contact within and beyond the organisation.
Meet the new ŻAK Vice President – Leanne Bonello
Leanne Bonello, 28 years old, is a qualified accountant and has been working in this profession for the past five years. She has been part of ŻAK for 16 years, 11 of which she has served as a leader with a youth group. In recent years, Leanne also had the privilege of serving as Coordinator of the Centre of ŻAK Siġġiewi, a role which, in her own words, gave her “the opportunity to grow both personally and in her work with young people.”
Leanne explains that her decision to accept the role of Vice President came after “a lot of discernment and prayer,” during which she became aware that there was still more she could give and contribute in service within the organisation. “This experience gave me the courage to accept the nomination and to continue giving my contribution with love and dedication in this role,” says Leanne, who strongly believes in the value of service towards young people and the wider community.
When asked how she would describe ŻAK to someone who is not yet part of it, Leanne says: “ŻAK is an organisation that welcomes and supports young people in their journey as they grow, accompanying them on a personal, social, and spiritual level.”
Vision for the coming years
Over the next three years, Leanne hopes that ŻAK “continues to be a space of support and accompaniment for every young person who is seeking a community where they can grow personally, socially, and spiritually.” She believes that through its work, ŻAK can continue helping young people deepen their faith and live their Christian vocation fully in today’s society.
Experiences close to her heart
One of the experiences that will remain closest to her heart is her participation in the World Youth Day 2023, where together with thousands of young people from around the world, she was able to live a unique experience of the universal Church. “It was a moment of living faith, joy, and community that I will carry with me forever,” says Leanne.
Żgħażagħ Azzjoni Kattolika (ŻAK) is the youth branch of the Maltese Catholic Action. This voluntary organisation (VO/1051) encourages young people to grow personally, socially and spiritually through community experiences, gatherings, social projects, and formation initiatives. Through its presence in various localities across Malta, ŻAK continues to serve as a space of welcome, experience, and development for every young person.