Meet Our Staff

Christopher Yanov
Founder and President, Reality Changers

Recently named by San Diego Magazine as one of San Diego’s new civic power brokers, Christopher Yanov raised and awarded over $1,000,000 in scholarships to inner-city students before turning 30 years old.

Mr. Yanov earned four college degrees in just five years. He graduated in two-and-a-half years from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish Literature. Mr. Yanov also completed two Master’s programs at the University of San Diego with degrees in Peace & Justice and International Relations.

Previously, Mr. Yanov worked with gang members for five years before starting Reality Changers in May 2001 with just $300 yet now the program’s 300+ students have earned over $15,000,000 in scholarships from all sources. He credits his appearance on Wheel of Fortune in late 2001 for providing the initial financial support for Reality Changers to truly become a bona fide program.

Most recently, Mr. Yanov was selected as an inaugural commissioner of the San Diego Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, served as the chairman of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Education and Workforce Development Committee, and is putting the finishing touches on his book, “How to End Gang Violence in America.”

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP	PROGRAM LEADERSHIP	COLLEGE APPS ACADEMY
*Full-Time Employees*
Ivan Perez Vice President, Operations ivan@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Eduardo Corona '10 Director of Academic Performance; Site Director, City Heights eduardo@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Mary Taylor Director, College Apps Academy mary@collegeappsacademy.org 619.516.2229
Marshela Salgado Vice President, Communications marshela@realitychangers.org 619.516.2219	Jonathan Villafuerte '05 Dean of Students jonathan@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Jesse Enriquez Associate Director, Student Affairs jesse@collegeappsacademy.org 619.516.2229
Angela Yen Coordinator of Volunteers, College Forums, & Community Service angela@realitychangers.org 619.516.2218	Cecelia Villegas '07 Director of Academic Performance; Site Director, City Heights cecelia@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Rachael Lemkau Associate Director, Partners & Parents rachael@collegeappsacademy.org
*Part-Time Employees*
Ashley Morgan Program Manager ashley@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Genemo Ali '11 Assistant Program Manager genemo@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Evelyn Soqui Academy Instructor evelyn@collegeappsacademy.org
Norma Ruiz-Murphy Executive Assistant norma@realitychangers.org 619.516.2216	DaSean Cunningham Program Assistant dasean@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Walter Torrence Academy Instructor walter@collegeappsacademy.org
Carlos Solorio Digital Media Director carlos@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Jonathan Rodriguez Program Specialist jonathanr@realitychangers.org 619.516.2222	Eleina Vallejo Academy Instructor eleina@collegeappsacademy.org