Foggy Bottom’s governing group elected one of its youngest members as its top leader Wednesday.

Senior Patrick Kennedy, 22, was elected to the Foggy Bottom Advisory Neighborhood Commission in 2012 after ousting a 10-year incumbent. One of three students elected to the board, Kennedy is also one of the youngest representatives in D.C. to lead an advisory group.

“I think people are comfortable with me taking that step, and I am grateful for their support,” Kennedy said at the Wednesday meeting when he was elected. He added that he feels prepared for the role after serving as second-in-command of the commission in 2013.

The transition to chairman was a “natural step” for Kennedy, said fellow commissioner and alumnus Graham Galka, who praised Kennedy’s “thoughtful approach to the issues.”

“I’m very happy and pleased he was elected and is going to be serving. He’s knowledgeable and engaged in the community, and he has a deep respect for his fellow commissioners and for the community,” Galka said.

Another senior, Jackson Carnes, who was elected to the ANC in 2012, was named the group’s treasurer.

The ANC meetings, held in different neighborhood spots each month, are key ways to hear concerns from Foggy Bottom residents, Kennedy said, adding that he will look to preserve the community’s fervor for open dialogue.

“I think its a great opportunity to convene, not just the commission but also the neighborhood. Its a great opportunity to bring people together,” Kennedy said. “Our meetings can definitely take on a tenor of being one that is really open to public participation, and that is what I will strive to continue.