Ilgen, who comes from Fairbanks, Alaska says he is very excited about his new job, adding that "few things excite me as much as being involved and helping others become involved in service to their communities."
He plans on drawing off his previous experiences as a leader in his own community to help AYN reach its potential in developing the capacity of young people across the North to coordinate their voices and engender positive change.
AYN, which was founded by Thiessen, is a grassroots organisation that works to connect young Northerners to the opportunities around them, to their communities, and to the policies that affect their daily lives.
In the next year, AYN activities will include the organization of a Global Leadership Conference to be held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in May 2007 and the development of a new interactive website.
Visit the AYN website