Stephanie’s career in equity-centered leadership started as an undergraduate at Duke University, where she co-led a coalition of students and faculty to bring Asian American Studies to campus. From there, she channeled her degree in psychology and concentration in child development into classroom teaching. Later, she went on to build a nearly 20-year career in coaching and leadership development for educators and leaders at Teach For America and dozens of other education-, youth-, workforce development-, and advocacy-focused organizations. She has a passion for helping leaders of all ages from the classroom to the boardroom value, develop, and activate their voice and talents to create positive social change. She is proud to be serving as Project: VISION’s Interim Executive Director.

Sandy Tran is a compassionate leader, bold entrepreneur, and freedom fighter, inspired by her Vietnamese roots and a community of BIPOC and first-generation trailblazers. She is a native Chicagoan and brings the same passion for equity and justice to her work as a fundraiser.

With support from the Posse Scholarship, Sandy earned her degree in Conflict Studies from DePauw University, where she won the Walker Cup and served as commencement speaker. She taught middle school on the Big Island of Hawai’i through Teach For America, then spent 5 years raising funds at Noble Schools. Today, she leads Bold & Write LLC, connecting grassroots and growing nonprofits to the resources they need to scale their impact.

Sandy graduated in 2012 with a degree in Public Relations/Advertising and Psychology from DePaul University. She joined Project: VISION as Development Intern and has since taken on the role of Director of Development and now the Director of Strategic Initiatives. She uses her past experiences with the Red Cross and other nonprofit organizations to help Project: VISION secure the resources it needs to support its growing youth programs. Sandy’s role also allows her to watch PV youth develop and grow firsthand, and better tell their stories. She is proud to be able to provide students an important part of growing up: chances to learn something new every day.

Elvina graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2012 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. During her 4 years working at the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Elvina developed a passion for helping the community. After working at the Chamber, she realized the impact that nonprofits have within the community. She joined Project: VISION in 2018 because she felt that her experience at the Chinatown Chamber was meaningful and that it could be used towards her position as the Operations Manager at PV. Elvina is excited to be able to watch the PV youth not only grow academically, but to become leaders of their generation.

Julia holds an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in Anthropology and Gender Studies. As the Parent Engagement Coordinator, she oversees the Parent Mentor Program across four schools in Chicago’s Chinatown and organizes workshops that empower families and strengthen the connection between home and school. She is passionate about serving the Chinatown community and believes that supporting parents and families plays a vital role in advancing both student success and community development. With a cross-cultural background, fluency in English and Chinese, and a deep commitment to equity, she brings a thoughtful, culturally informed approach to her work with parents, educators, and community partners.

Grace is excited to be a part of an organization that strives to ensure that students have spaces to grow, connect, and engage with their peers as well as their community. After teaching high school English for almost a decade, she looks forward to supporting students outside of the classroom by providing students with additional spaces to use their voices to advocate for change and be civic-minded and civically engaged. Mindful that not all students have the same plans for the future, she is committed to helping students best navigate post-secondary plans and opportunities.