Our Directors

Program Director

I’m a sophomore from San Francisco, California studying biology and social determinants of health. I grew up in an under-served neighborhood, which sparked my passion to utilize entrepreneurship as a way to turn areas of need into opportunities. I hope to guide youths towards a feeling of empowerment and see them carry out their limitless visions.

Outside of YEP, I love to lift, film, and explore the city with friends and family!

Program Director

I am a sophomore from Los Angeles concentrating in Behavioral Decision Sciences with a certificate in Entrepreneurship. I love the idea of universities connecting with their local communities and bringing new opportunities to high schools, which is one of the goals of YEP! My favorite part of YEP! Is Pitch Night where students pitch the ventures they’ve been working on all semester. I love the beach, camping, basketball, and good music!

Hi, my name is Ella Perkins, and I am one of the co-founders of YEP! at UCLA. I am a second-year sociology with an intent to minor in entrepreneurship. I am originally from Burbank, California, and am an LA girl through and through. I became interested in YEP! as I formerly attended a public high school in the LA area and am familiar with the lack of resources present at such institutions. I am honored to be a part of such an incredible opportunity to provide support to hungry high school students who are in search of programs like YEP!

Hi! My name is Erin Thomas and I am a sophomore from Oakland, CA as well as a co-founder of YEP @ UCLA! I am majoring in Political Science and exploring my interest in Economics also! I love that YEP allows me to become better connected to my community on and off campus. It combines my interest in business and entrepreneurship with my passion for social justice and equity. Overall, I love being a part of the YEP team and I am super excited about the UCLA chapter!

Program Manager

Stella Gray is a sophomore studying History with a focus on Philosophy at Yale. She is from New York City. She started her own company, GØØDZ, an online marketplace for women selling handmade products from around the world. She has also spent time at Yale working at Community Health Educators, teaching health class to New Haven students. She is eager to combine her love for entrepreneurship and teaching through YEP!

School Engagement Coordinator

Ashley Kwak is a sophomore studying Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. She is from Nashville, Tennessee and enjoys spending her free time traveling. In high school, Ashley created a college mentorship program for students coming from low-resourced schools. After joining a few entrepreneurship organizations at Yale, Ashley wanted to combine her two interests at YEP! She is excited to help start the first YEP! at Yale as the School Engagement Coordinator.

Student Engagement Coordinator

Cole Kaufmann is a Junior studying Computer Science and Statistics & Data Science at Yale. Cole enjoys teaching and spent much of high school as an instructor for after-school computer science programs in the San Francisco Bay Area. After working at small and large tech companies, Cole realized his love for startup culture and wants to share his passion with YEP! students.

Program Manager

Ben Deng is currently a junior studying Economics and Data Science at UC Berkeley. In high school, he helped found his school’s DECA Chapter and started a music tutoring program to help kids in his neighborhood learn piano and music theory. He now works as a Social Good Consultant for the Data Science Society at Berkeley, working on projects related to education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability. With passions for positive social impact and creative problem-solving, Ben is incredibly excited about the future of YEP! at Berkeley.

School Engagement Coordinator

Tien Tran is a sophomore from Hanoi, Vietnam. He is currently studying Business Administration and Data Science at UC Berkeley. His interest for social impact sparked when he led product development for SANSE, a student-run business that sells organic tea across Vietnam to help promote education equity. He is also working at 180 DC where he hopes to further solidify his interest in social impact and business. He is excited to use his experience in business and social impact to help YEP! come to life at Berkeley.

Student Engagement Coordinator

Amy is a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in Neurobiology and minoring in BioEngineering. She is passionate about combining the rising technology field with current medical knowledge to help the increasing mental health problems. In her free time, she teaches students from kindergartners to high schoolers, so she’s excited to spread her passion of entrepreneurship with the next generation!