Staff Profiles:
Name: Alex Banh
Position: HOPE Project Director
What I do: I manage a project that goes out to empower our youth. Day to day and week to week, I gotta attend hella meetings, from the Student Initiated Access Committee that oversees HOPE to VSU stuff to ensure that HOPE is doing what it's supposed to. I develop my admin staff to be the
best in the world and try to bring out the best in all our volunteer staffers. I go to our three sites (Westminster, Chinatown, and San Gabriel) to cut deals with teachers and administration, and I also have my own students at the sites that I work with.
Tid Bits: I am a UCLA alum who has been working as HOPE's director for the past two years. I'm someone that's pretty much interested in everything, from economics to politics to engineering to sports to art, you name it. If I could be anywhere in the world right now, I'd be at the Shaolin Temple sparring monks and saying prayers.
Contact:absolut928[at]gmail[dot]com
Name: Vicky Chan
Position: HOPE Peer Advising Coordinator
What I do: I challenge each peer advisor to facilitate the growth of multiple at-risk or academic action students at a time. I develop peer advisors and better prepare them
for facing the challenges of high school students.
Contact:vchan729[at]ucla[dot]edu
Name:Theodora Tran
Position: Academic Development Coordinator
Name:Lily Won
Position: HOPE Chinatown Site Coordinator
Name: Kevin Nguyen
Position: HOPE Westminster Site Coordinator
What I do: To provide the resources for Westminster high school students to excel in academics, social, and community life. To monitor and coordinate the empowerment
services at Westminster high school designed by a volunteer staff of UCLA students. To make sure the students at Westminster high school experience a motivational environment, intellectual
challenge, and empowerment through communal exchange with UCLA students.
Contact: Kevinvnguyen[at]ucla[dot]edu
Name:Kevin Truong
Position: HOPE San Gabriel Site Coordinator
Name: Van Huynh
Position: HOPE Administrative Assistant
What I do: As Admin Assistant, I work closely with the Administrative Staff as well as our volunteer staff. I support the staff in many ways--through up-to-date tracking,
recording and bookkeeping minutes, keeping staff accountable through several accountability systems, keeping a database of documents and revamping/implementing different templates. I'm pretty much a support system for HOPE through various means. However, I play a key role in the development in the students we serve--as coordinator for the Leadership Development component. This
year, I will be working closely with staff and students to become leaders in our community. Our Leadership Development students will be gaining fundamental leadership skills, working on their Issue Awareness Campaigns as well as projects that focus on the students' communities on campus and off campus. Additionally, I play a key role in HOPE's fundraising! I love fundraising and I love organizing bake sales and candy gram sales! Chao!
Random: I mention this a lot but I love baking. It takes a lot of skill to perfect the smoothest cheesecake, the moisest cake, the freshest cream frosting, the most dense
yet soft biscotti. I strive to not burn the cookies and ultimately, the hardest work is trying to put my own creativity into it. I idolize Jacque Torres, the world-renowned chocolatier! If I
could, I would end world hunger! I also enjoy listening to music--anything with good vocals. I love Augustana, Jason Mraz, and many more!
Contact: vanthuynh[at]gmail[dot]com