I've spent my career helping students and families navigate the college process with clarity, confidence, and a plan that makes sense for them. Whether you need support with applications, financial aid, scholarships, housing, etc. I'm here to make the process more manageable and less overwhelming.
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Bio As the son of immigrant parents, I grew up hearing one message consistently from my father: education was the greatest inheritance a family could provide. Like many first-generation students, navigating college affordability was not simple. During my second year of college, it appeared that continuing my education would require my family to take on a parent loan they could not afford. For a moment, dropping out felt inevitable. But after taking a deeper look at both the financial aid package and the actual cost of attendance, a different path emerged. By making strategic housing decisions, reducing indirect expenses, and maximizing scholarships alongside federal and state aid, it became possible to continue school without placing additional financial strain on my family. That experience revealed something important: many students and families are not necessarily overpaying because they lack ambition or work ethic — they are overpaying because they simply do not know all of their options. My mission is to help students and families better understand college costs, identify opportunities to reduce expenses, and make informed financial decisions about higher education. Through educational advising, financial aid analysis, and personalized advising support, I am to make college planning more transparent, practical, and accessible. I believe that informed students make empowered decisions — and that access to education should come with clarity, not confusion. Professional Experience I am an educational advisor and college access professional with over five years of experience supporting first-generation, low-income, and historically underserved students through the college planning and financial aid process. As Program Director for a college access nonprofit serving students in Richmond, California, I provide holistic advising to more than 100 students annually, helping students and families navigate academic planning, financial aid systems, scholarship opportunities, and postsecondary transitions. My work is deeply rooted in the belief that education can transform generational opportunities when students are given the right guidance and support. My passion for college affordability and higher education grew from my own experience navigating financial barriers during college, where careful financial aid analysis and strategic cost reduction allowed me to continue my education without forcing my family into unsustainable debt. Professionally, I specialize in financial aid literacy, college affordability planning, student retention strategies, and equity-centered advising systems. My work combines individualized student support with data-driven program operations, allowing me to help students make informed financial and educational decisions while improving measurable outcomes at scale. Under my leadership, my advising program has achieved a 100% four-year university acceptance rate among students who apply, alongside a 100% FAFSA/CA Dream Act completion rate for eligible students. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of California, Irvine, with a focus on international business and global economic development.
